Cyprus to expand card payments on buses and add online bookings
Transport Minister Evi Tsiollaki has acknowledged gaps in public transport, saying timetable displays, card payments and online reservations for intercity buses are being rolled out.
Cyprus's public transport network still falls short in several everyday areas, Transport Minister Evi Tsiollaki has conceded, pointing to missing timetable displays at bus stops, awkward ticket payment and the absence of online reservations on intercity routes, as reported by RIK.
Operators have been told to put schedules up at stops, while the card payment system already running in Limassol is due to reach other cities. The ministry is also looking at online booking for intercity coaches so passengers are not left behind when a bus is full.
Tsiollaki also accepted that some bus journeys take twice as long as the same trip by car, blaming congestion and the lack of priority for buses, and said measures such as dedicated bus lanes are being pushed forward. Fixes possible under current contracts will go ahead with the companies, with the rest to be handled when new contracts are drawn up.
What it means for residents
For anyone who depends on buses, the practical gains will arrive piecemeal: clearer information at stops first, wider card acceptance next, and reservations on intercity routes only after review. Until then, commuters should keep allowing extra time on busy corridors and carry a payment method that works on their route.
- Timetables: check whether your stop has an updated schedule; operators are now expected to display them.
- Payments: card tapping will spread city by city, so keep cash or a transport card as backup outside Limassol.
- Intercity travel: online booking is not live yet — plan around full departures on popular services.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
