# London-UK to Limassol-Cyprus ferry with motorcycle



## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

Can someone help please. I'm trying to work out how to do a round motorcycle riding tour to South Cyprus from London to visit my mother. Hoping some of you expats can offer some advice on current ferry options...

Thanks for reading...


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

Zivana said:


> Can someone help please. I'm trying to work out how to do a round motorcycle riding tour to South Cyprus from London to visit my mother. Hoping some of you expats can offer some advice on current ferry options...
> 
> Thanks for reading...


There is not so many options where both bike and driver can go. The best is Grimaldi from Southhampton to Limassol. It takes about 18 days but ferry is nice and food good. You can also drive to Italy and go onboard there on the same ferry. It also stops in Greece, Turkey and Israel before Limassol.

There is also a ferry from Lavrio, Greece to Limassol but it is not very nice and have very few passenger cabins. It take 2 days. Salamis line

Anders


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

Vegaanders said:


> There is not so many options where both bike and driver can go. The best is Grimaldi from Southhampton to Limassol. It takes about 18 days but ferry is nice and food good. You can also drive to Italy and go onboard there on the same ferry. It also stops in Greece, Turkey and Israel before Limassol.
> 
> There is also a ferry from Lavrio, Greece to Limassol but it is not very nice and have very few passenger cabins. It take 2 days. Salamis line
> 
> Anders


Thanks so much Anders! I'll have to look into Lavrio. I'd prefer as short a ferry trip as possible, can't think of anything worse than time spent on one. I'm sure the price is lower than the Grimaldi service, plus I'll need less drugs to get through it.  Cheers.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

Zivana said:


> Thanks so much Anders! I'll have to look into Lavrio. I'd prefer as short a ferry trip as possible, can't think of anything worse than time spent on one. I'm sure the price is lower than the Grimaldi service, plus I'll need less drugs to get through it.  Cheers.


You have to ask them, they are not interested in passengers if they can avoid them. The trip with Grimaldi from Thessaloniki to Limassol is very nice also. And you can spend 1 day in Jerusalem.

Anders


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

QUOTE=Vegaanders;1502369]You have to ask them, they are not interested in passengers if they can avoid them. The trip with Grimaldi from Thessaloniki to Limassol is very nice also. And you can spend 1 day in Jerusalem.

Anders[/QUOTE]Thanks Anders...

For the life of me, I can't find this stuff online however.  If you would, please could you post a link for those ferries that go from Lavrio and Thessalonika, please please... - I'll buy you a beer!!!. I saw something in 'Related Threads' but there was no info.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2013)

Vegaanders said:


> You have to ask them, they are not interested in passengers if they can avoid them. The trip with Grimaldi from Thessaloniki to Limassol is very nice also. And you can spend 1 day in Jerusalem.
> 
> Anders


Lavrio Limassol

Salamis International


Grimaldi

Home Page Grimaldi Freighter-Cruises

Beer I drink!

Anders


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

That was quick! You must like beer  My word is word if I get there!

Thanks again, Anders *thumbsup*


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

Still waiting for my gear to arrive. Meanwhile, I've changed course as those ferries are too long and expensive anyway, and don't allow passenger/vehicle. Basically, however I looked at it I couldn't do it. Instead, I can simply go from Taşucu (South Turkey) to Kyrenia (North Cyprus) and through the North/South Cyprus border, and return in reverse. Ferry info on the incentivetur com site

It all seems ok: eg - 
northcyprus co uk/crossing-the-border/
cyprus44 com/holidays/border-crossings.asp
allaboutkyrenia com/north-cyprus/cyprus-border-crossing.asp
cyprusholidayadvisor com/border-crossings.htm


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

Be very careful if bringing a motor vehicle into the south from the north. As the north is not recognised then you probably won't get the customs documentation with the requisite stamp. 

This means that if you get stopped you will have no legal documentation and confiscation may take place.


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

Pam n Dave said:


> Be very careful if bringing a motor vehicle into the south from the north. As the north is not recognised then you probably won't get the customs documentation with the requisite stamp.
> 
> This means that if you get stopped you will have no legal documentation and confiscation may take place.


Thanks Pam and Dave,

It's not the best situation. If it happens I'll just have to talk nicely and hope for understanding. I'm taking my V5 along with, and my paper license. Will just have to explain the trip, and that I could only go this way. Aside from the technicality, is there any concern they might have that I should need to address, do you think?

Cheers. Peace, Luck & Skill.


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## Pam n Dave (Jun 11, 2007)

I would have concerns about insurance, you need to check that it will be valid if you have imported the vehicle illegally.

Depending upon which crossing you use, then you may not be allowed into the south.

My suspicion is that if you are stopped then you will find yourself on foot, this will not be very pleasant if you are carrying your belongings and are a few miles from a village.


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2013)

Zivana said:


> Still waiting for my gear to arrive. Meanwhile, I've changed course as those ferries are too long and expensive anyway, and don't allow passenger/vehicle. Basically, however I looked at it I couldn't do it. Instead, I can simply go from Taşucu (South Turkey) to Kyrenia (North Cyprus) and through the North/South Cyprus border, and return in reverse. Ferry info on the incentivetur com site
> 
> It all seems ok: eg -
> northcyprus co uk/crossing-the-border/
> ...


Both ferries allow passenger/ vehicle if they have space. We used Grimaldi in April and we were the first passengers since November last year. And we used Salamis last year.

If time is a problem, let Salamis transport your Motorbike and fly to Larnaca from Athens

Anders


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

Had this from Paleologis:

"Thank you for contacting us.

Regarding your request (...), kindly be informed that there is no passenger line sailing between Cyprus/Greece/Israel /Egypt at the moment.
There may be in the future but as we do not have any piece of official information now, we keep your request in our files & notify you when the connection is back. 

Alternatively, you may sail from Italy(Venice, Ancona, Trieste, Bari or Brindisi) to Greece(Patras or Igoumenitsa).
You may check the connections between Italy & Greece on the link Ferries.gr 

The only option to reach LIMASSOL is by SALAMIS LINES but this concerns only vehicles and not at all passengers, as the ship is cargo."

With Grimaldi, Piraeous is day 9 and Limassol day 13... Honestly though, I really can't make out that PDF for the EURO MED schedule with Grimaldi. Trying to decipher it, the prices look anything but modest - I can't do otherwise. If a round trip, cost would be ridiculous. Since it's only North-South Cyprus that has any 'potential' issue, I could return the route I've mentioned. The other alternative, shipping + flight, is way too 'complicated' for (a guy like) me. :confused2:

As I understand it, however, there isn't a problem, there's simply a procedure; I have to buy extra insurance on each side of the border, obtain a visa at the crossing point which I can have stamped instead of my passport stamped to allow crossing, and have my passport checked each side, and basically not take any goods. I should also have the vehicle registerd in my own name to at least keep things more simple, and certainly not be in a hire vehicle.. Weekends are busier, main border is Ledra Palace in Nicosia (but only for foot) Metehan in Nicosia can take vehicles, also Guzelyurt and Dhekelia allow vehicles. With V5, own name insurance, green card present, card and paper license I think I'd have most things covered. The 'illegality' is a technicality but this border has been open for 10 years now? I think confiscation would be unfortunate but improbable for my circumstances.


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## Zivana (Aug 27, 2013)

*In*

Ok, made it. It took me 11 days, though I did spend 5 nights in Goreme, Turkey. Really, the biggest bother was the border nonsense at Tusascu - their processing procedure is just very convoluted and trying. I had no harder time than anyone else, Turks included, just that I was in leathers which made it a little more uncomfortable. The multiple queuing at Tusascu was 3, maybe 4, hours - passport booth, port fee booth, police passport booth, customs booth, original passport booth. The port fee booth is on the left immediately after the gate. Then at Girne again, more multiple queuing for insurance and customs. Insurance is 'Sigorta' and is in the booth up the steps outside the big grey building next to the passport control booths. You must get the yellow slip stamped by customs or it is 'not finish'. Your V5 will be in tatters or at least in 2 parts after all this. The ferry was 8 hours, and I get the impression departure times are vague to the point of 5 hours. The yellow customs slip needs to be handed in at eg. the Metehan (Turkish)/Ayios Demetios (Greek) border, and needs to be renewed each crossing and lasts a month each time. This must be renewed before the month close or it's 50E per day! Crossing via Turkey, you must return the same way. 

Coming into Turkey via Svelingrad, Bulgaria: you need a Turkish travel visa (like a postage stamp in your passport) to pass. You can get insurance (check the price paid with what's printed) after the first Turkish passport booth in the big GTi duty free building on the left. They only take Turkish lira, dollars or euros, not Bulgarian dinar - you can't change Bulgarian dinar here either in the bank next to the insurance shop (The bank also goes on breaks). The bank has an ATM at 3.5% fee for TL only. The travel visa I got from booth 92 for 15 euros at the big array of passport/customs booths after the GTi building, or A1 building if towards Bulgaria / Svelingrad. 

Other tips I have are more motorcycle related. But this post should have the relevant keywords for those doing a search engine search.


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## buster12 (Oct 9, 2012)

Zivana said:


> Thanks Pam and Dave,
> 
> It's not the best situation. If it happens I'll just have to talk nicely and hope for understanding. I'm taking my V5 along with, and my paper license. Will just have to explain the trip, and that I could only go this way. Aside from the technicality, is there any concern they might have that I should need to address, do you think?
> 
> Cheers. Peace, Luck & Skill.


As you are only planning to visit Cyrpus rather than to stay, I would not expect you would have a problem. I have spoken to a variety of tourist who have done this and it seems to be OK as long as you return by the same route, ensuring you get he paperwork all stamped!! German and Dutch motorhomers in particular do this trip in this way regulalrly without a problem. The problem arises if you come in via North Cyrpus with the intention of staying in the South.

Good luck with your trip!

David


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