What documents do you need to rent a car in Cyprus?

Car rental in Cyprus became an excellent way to discover the whole island during your holiday. Due to the rental car you can easily visit the best beaches of Cyprus, to see Limassol, Larnaca, Pathos and to walk across the mountain small villages. In this article our company will tell you about the important nuances of renting a car.

To rent a car in Cyprus you need to prepare just:

  • your driving license: non-specialised license. Will be convenient plastic national driving license where data are written by Latin letters. It isn’t obligatory to have the international driving license;
  • the non-expired international passport;
  • age of the driver should be not less than 25 years — but some rent-a-car companies allow to rent cars to drivers of 21 year. In this case young driver should pay an extra charge, approximately 10:00 euros per day. In a rent-a-car domain it is called a payment for young drivers;
  • experience of driving minimum 3 years. But here there is the same situation as with age. If driver has experience 1 or 2 years he also has big chances to receive the car, but he will have to pay another payment for company’s “kindness”.

Is it better to rent a car in Cyprus in advance or not?

In this situation there is one simple logic: during the hot season and holidays the rent – a- car services are very reclaimed. From this point of view it will be better for you to book the car in advance,  because arriving in Cyprus you can simply remain without any car or you will not find any variant which will be appropriate for your budget. Majority of experienced tourists say that the best solution is to rent a car in advance online.

But there is another question: where you can ger your car. When you book the car in advance online, you can choose the place of receiving which will be convenient for you. You will have to fulfill the fields with your personal information and to write them a letter or to call and ask to deliver the car in convenient place. In Cyprus there are several places which are the most popular for delivering the rental car:

  • The airport of Larnaca and the airport of Pathos — it is great to arrive to Cyprus, to take your luggage and to go away with your own car.
  • The big cities: Larnaca, Pathos, Limassol, Ayia Napa, Protaras.

The prices of car rental in Cyprus in 2021

According to the experience of tourists and their feedbacks we can sum up and say that car rental in Cyprus is not an expensive pleasure. The price of rental car in Cyprus starts from €18 for a car with the mechanical transmission and without conditioner. This is the most economical from all possible variants. But we do not recommend you to rent this car, because in summer in Cyprus it is very hot and it will be impossible to drive without conditioner.

A car with manual transmission and with the conditioner will cost  you 20€/day and more. The economy car with the automatic transmission will cost 23€/day and more. The prices for the middle class cars start from 35€/day. For the SUV you will pay minimum 60€/day, and for cabriolet approximately 90€/day.

What car will you choose for the journey in Cyprus:

If you travel with your love and you are thinking how to save money, then you will be enough satisfied with economy cars: Toyota Yaris,  Suzuki Swift or something like this. From all economy cars the most popular is Suzuki Swift. If you are going to Cyprus with your family or  friends, then better will be to rent a car of the middle class. You can book, for example,  VW Polo or Toyota Vios.

To see the mountainous part of Cyprus, then better will be to rent a car with powerful engine or the SUV. For minicar or economy car can be difficult to raise on the serpentine road. But if you are looking for a car for your honeymoon trip — then you should unambiguously choose a cabriolet!

What should you take into account?

  • Unlimited kilometers — it means that you can drive per day as much as you want. There are some cars on which you can ride only 200 km (or other amount of kilometers).The lessor shall be entitled to request from the lessee an additional fee for exceeding the driving distance limit per every extra kilometer, in accordance with the limit defined in contract.
  • Deposit — this is the sum which will be frozen on your credit card. What is the the purpose of deposit? From the sum of deposit the lessor subtracts money for payment of penalties, car repair (but this sum is less than the sum of franchise) and for gasoline. You should pay attention and know that debit cards and cash aren’t accepted as deposit!
  • The franchise is both good and bad. The franchise is the maximum amount of money you will have to pay in case your car rental is damaged. On the one hand, car rental in Cyprus without franchise will be more expensive. On the other hand, in case of an accident or damage of the car you will not have to pay for anything. It is possible to find the rental car without franchise. But, as a rule, these variants are more expensive because they are completely insured. Sum of franchise of cheaper and economy cars is less.

Car Rental in Cyprus: what do you need to know?

If you rent a car  in Cyprus for the first time you should read the following information:

  • Carefully examine the whole car, to look at it from all sides and fix in contract any scratches. Damages unnoticed at once will be subtracted from your deposit. We recommend you to take photos of the car and video on your phone.
  • Before signing the rent-a-car agreement check work of options in the car: whether the conditioner, blinkers, headlights and electronics work without any problem.
  • Different rent – a – car companies have different fuel policy. We strongly recommend you to choose the option “full tank”. According to this condition you will take the car with a full tank, and you will have to return it also with full tank.
  • Majority of rent – a – car companies does not accept all credit cards and cash for a deposit. Therefore, you should check your credit card and amount of money on it before a trip. Problems won’t be if on credit card your name and figures are indicated. If there is no your name and a surname on the credit card, then you won’t receive the car. The name on the credit card has to coincide with a name of the chief driver.
  • The car insurance does not function when you move down on the dirt road. This additional rule to the standard list of rules as “the driver is drunk, drug intoxication, Northern Cyprus”.

Insurance, franchise and pledge for the car

Car rental in Cyprus — as well as in any other country — has their own nuances and peculiarities. The most difficult thing, but very important, is to understand sense of all payments and surcharges, which are linked with an insurance, a franchise and pledge for the car.

What is  deposit and pledge of rental car?

Pledge or deposit — this is the sum which is frozen on your credit card. Why does the rent – a – car company take a deposit? Fines for violation of traffic regulations, costs for the car repair and gasoline are subtracted from the pledge sum if you return the car with  an empty tank.

If there is no problems linked with car returning, then pledge has to be defrozen in day of delivery of a car or within a month. According to numerous feedbacks  pledge is always defrozen in 30 days after returning of the car. Therefore, you need to be prepared morally  for the fact that you have money on your credit card which can’t be used.

If on your credit card there aren’t enough money or there is a limit of operations or any other reason exist and the rent – a – car company  can’t freeze money, then the car to you won’t take.

Car insurance: how car rental insurance works?

When talking about car rental insurances, things get messy. We offer you short comprehensive information so you can finally get it.

In Cyprus any car has an insurance. Rent – a – car companies provide the minimum insurance for a car – CDW and TP, and for additional payment they offer an expanded version of insurance – SCDW. What do these abbreviations mean?

  • CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) is an insurance for a road accident case. CDW can not cover the damage of tires, glass, external mirrors, the bottom of the car, salon, roof, motor, damages of locks and loss of keys. CDW is an optional coverage that covers damages to the car rental. It is usually included in the contract, but every company defines what is included.
  • TP (Theft Protection) — a coverage that reduces your liability in case of theft or attempted theft. It is associated with a franchise.
  • Expanded CDW (Super CDW, SCDW) is paid separately booking the in rent – a – car office. SCDW limits responsibility of the driver in case of road accident, and sometimes removes a franchise (zero franchise).

All this information is difficult, but it is necessary to understand for what you need to pay and for what you have no to pay.

Different types of insurance can include franchise or not

Franchise —  is the maximum amount of money you will have to pay in case your car rental is damaged for whatever reason: damage, accident, theft. For example, if you broke a headlight, and its repairing costs 200 euros but you have a franchise of 500 euros. In this case the rent – a – car company will pay for repair 0 money.

Repair will be paid of those 500 euros that you have paid for a franchise. If repair costs 600 euros, then the rent – a – car company  will spend all your money and additional 100 euros. If you return the car without any problem, then rent – a – car company will return you franchise money.

On the other hand, cars with a franchise are usually cheaper, than cars without  franchise. We strongly recommend you to rent a car with SCDW insurance if aren’t sure in your driving skills. Our company offers you a wide selection of cars of various models and classes: take a rental car economy class, middle class, business class or elite.

INFORMATION ABOUT CAR RENTAL AND DRIVING IN CYPRUS

Cyprus is well-known with its mountains, sandy beaches, hills and rock coastline. Cyprus became a wonderful place for rest for everyone. There you can relax with you family, to travel across the whole island with your friends. Cyprus is becoming more and more popular not only at summer time, but also at winter, because Cyprus is considered one of the best sports destinations with many mountain resorts. Most of the island can be traveled by car, but in the same time it is necessary to keep in mind that traffic travels on the left hand side of the road.

DRIVING AGE REQUIREMENTST of rent a car in Cyprus, the driver have to achieve at least 21 years old. This minimum gives him or her possibility to drive in Cyprus (age may vary by car category). Also the driver have to present his driving licence with minimum experience – three years. Drivers under the age of 25 will receive the car, but they will need to pay a young driver surcharge. Also, there is a maximum age limit – approximately 75-80 years, depending on rent-a-car company’s rules. In Cyprus, they drive on the left hand side of the road and over take on the right.

Rules of road in Cyprus

  • Wearing of seat belts is compulsory for all passengers. Children under five years cannot seat at front place in the car. Children over five and under ten must seat at special suitable restraint system.
  • At car it is strongly prohibited eating and drinking while you drive the car.
  • The maximum legal level of alcohol in the blood is 0.049 per cent. Drivers who are suspected of driving the car under the influence of alcohol (0.05 per cent and over) can be subjected to a blood test.
  • The driver should use vehicle lights between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise. But you should know – spotlights are prohibited.
  • The driver cannot smoke in a car if there is a person that is under 16 years; a fine is imposed for anyone who does not comply.
  • Also, it is strongly prohibited to speak on a mobile phone while you are driving the car. In this case you can pay a serious offence.
  • Rent-a-car companies in Cyprus approve all national driving licences. Minimum age for driving is 18 years old.
  • Drivers in Cyprus cannot use the horn between 22.00 and 06.00 hours, and in the vicinity of hospitals.
  • The Cyprus government permit using spiked tyres and snow chains on mountain roads in winter.

Please make sure that you familiarized the whole list of road regulations before you start driving in Cyprus.

Speed Limits

There are standard legal limits of driving in Cyprus. They certainly can vary by signs. There are the following rules for private and rental vehicles:

  • In built-up areas: 31 mph (50 km/h) or 40 mph (65 km/h) depending on the road
  • Outside built-up areas: 49 mph (80 km/h)
  • 62 mph (100 km/h) on motorways.
  • Minimum speed on motorways: 40 mph (65 km/h).

RULES OF THE ROAD

All the cars in Cyprus ride on the left side of the road and drivers must use headlights a half and hour before sunset and a half an hour before sunrise. However, if you are for the 1st time in Cyprus  you shouldn’t be surprised to find people driving on the right side of the road.  As a rule these are  tourists from European countries or Russia.

We can’t say that Cypriot drivers are aggressive. They are very understanding, and frequently let the tourists pass. They don’t ride extremely slow or very fast. Some experienced tourists and travelers call the Cypriot drivers – perfect drivers. But tourists should be very attentive on the roads.

Insurance Information

The topic of  car rental insurance represents a big challenge for tourists. Car rental insurance varies widely and have different positive and negative sides. And you have to  read and understand a lot of  information before you start choosing and booking the rental car. Regulations of the country where you rent the car and your rights will be in effect for the duration of your rental.

Our company provides different types of car rental insurance. We try to find the best conditions which will be perfect for every client. Every person can elect to decline collision and theft coverage.

If you have international credit card you can buy an insurance which offers the card company. If you want to know about details you should contact your card issuer. Some specific insurance details and necessary information will be printed on your confirmation voucher.

Required Coverage

All rent-a-car companies provide fire and third party liability insurance. This type of insurance is obligatory for everyone, without it you will not rent a car. Third party liability coverage offers coverage in case of damage or injury to people or property outside of the rental car up to US$78,800.

Optional Coverage

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and theft protection in majority of cases are included in insurance programs. CDW or Theft insurance can cost you approximately US$10 – US$20 per day. CDW and Theft coverage are good variants for clients because these types of insurance reduce the responsibility of the client depending on the vehicle type and sum of damage.

Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) you can buy at the rental counter and you will have to pay for it  approximately US$2 per day. Representatives of rent-a-car company can offer you Super CDW and it will also to reduce the deductible. All details of different types of insurance you can read at our website or ask our consultants.

Why do you need to rent a car in Cyprus?

Rent a car in Cyprus and discover the beauty of Mediterranean island. This place must see everyone. Cyprus is considered the birthplace of Aphrodite. And this is place with rich history, great and picturesque places, which inspire people of art and usual workers.

Open for your soul  and mind for the island’s fascinating history and enjoy it visiting the Tombs of the Kings, a wonderful necropolis near Paphos harbor and  the ancient Greek city state of Salamis at the mouth of the Pedieos River.

Try not to forget to visit some charming cities, including Kyrenia, especially its castle and the magic beaches and beautiful resorts of Paphos. All the places in Cyprus are perfect if you want to relax. If you go to the Limassol District you will meet there the idyllic mountain village of Omodos and the surrounding krasohoria (wine villages). You will have to take a lot of photos, because everything in Cyprus magnificent and unforgettable.

You should understand that you will fall in love with this magnificent and sunny island. Rent-a-car service will make your trip more comfortable and give you a chance to explore the whole island.

Rent a car in Cyprus

Rent – a – car service in Cyprus is essential part for exploring this island and understanding the whole beauty of this place. Our company wants to provide you some information about getting the lowest car rental, prices and about booking a car at our web-site.

Did you know that there are no trains in Cyprus? There are a lot of buses, but they only link the main towns. Certainly, it is interesting to go to one of the largest cities, but it is not enough to discover the beauty of the nature in Cyprus. So if you want to discover the REAL Cyprus, hidden away in the hills and mountains, you really need to rent a car.

Tips on Getting the Best Cyprus Car Rental Deal

  • Don’t always rent a car of brand you already know. Rent-a-car companies can offer you a car of well-known brand but as a rule these cars are often more expensive. And there is another deal. You will have to stand in a very very big queue to obtain your car at the airport as someone else had booked with the same firm!

For instance, the Europe Car company usually has the biggest queue at the arrivals hall. Some people were waiting for hours just to get their keys!

  • Don’t waste a lot of time looking for numerous different rent-a-car companies’ sites and searching for the best prices. You can use our web-site where you can check the whole list of cars, all prices and information about car rent and documents you will need.
  • If you want to arrive in Cyprus and only than start searching a car in their local companies, you can remain disappointed. First of all, you will spend a lot of time for this and you need to remember – time is more than money. For tourists prices are higher, and if you want to save money you should book a car in advance.
  • Check all your insurance details carefully. Many firms do not include “sump” insurance as standard. As a result you can book a car and in case if you broke the sump you will have both a headache and a big bill from the rent-a-car company.

It will be perfect to understand before you start driving that:

Majority of Cyprus roads have potholes and, after heavy rain, verges have huge dangerous gullies in them. It means that the most cautious driver can break a wheel!

  • Always ask the information about  fuel policy. You should be attentive with this point, because many rent-a-car companies charge you up front for a full tank of fuel at a much higher rate than you could pay at the pumps. And rent-a-car companies ask you to bring the car back with a full tank as well! Make sure you just bring it back with the same amount of fuel as when you started. If the company is not agree with you, book the car at the other web-site!
  • If you want to ride across the whole island, to obtain flexibility and independence you should ask if they provide a service of one-way rental. It means that you can take you car in one place and to return at another one. This way you have a possibility to pick your car up from one place then use alternative transport or your own two feet to explore the island.

Cheap Car Rent in Cyprus

Today there are a lot of well-known and private rent-a car companies in Cyprus. But sometimes this big number of different rent- a car companies becomes a difficulty for people who need to rent a car. You need to spend a much time to look for the best company with best conditions for you and to book with once your car.

For you the  best variant will be our company, because we provide you the most convenient conditions and our prices are the most profitable for you. If you want to find the best deal for your holiday you need just follow the link www.moldcar.com and you will find and book your car with just one click.

Right-hand Driving in Cyprus 

Driving in another country is very different from driving at your native area. Certainly, the rules have some similarities, but signs can differ slightly. Also road quality and traffic flow can be very different from habitual driving routine. And it is necessary to include in this list local interpretation of driving laws, which can vary depending on country. This article will  prepare you for car rent car driving in Cyprus.

It differs from many other modes of driving in many other countries. You should be very attentive with local customs and traffic flow. Attention will make your driving easier and safer for you and other drivers.

The following tips can create an imagination that it is dangerous to drive in Cyprus. It is not really. Our company wants to prepare you enough for the local customs. We want you  can enjoy your rental car driving as much as possible.

When driving in Cyprus you should always remember about the following two things:

  1. Drivers follow the traffic legislation as if it is guidelines.
  2. Many Cypriot drivers are generally focused only on themselves and on reaching their destination as quickly as possible.

Driving on the left hand side

It is well-known that traffic in Cyprus is left-hand traffic. If you have some experience of driving in left-hand traffic you have no problems. You can take your rental car and start your magic holiday.

However, if you have no experience in  driving in the left hand side of the road, we strongly recommend you to rent a car with automatic transmission. This car will make your driving comfortable and you will not have to be stressful.

But it is very easy to get used to. And when you became the traffic participant you will  feel everything natural after a some minutes of driving. But there is one important thing here. The first time  you should be very attentive is when you are starting driving.

Traffic regulations in Cyprus

The traffic regulations in Cyprus are not very different from any other European country’s driving regulations. It is however worth to mention that the regulations are not enforced strictly. Presumably this can be the reason of the relaxed relationship between the driving regulations and the local drivers. You should not copy the behavior of local drivers in the traffic. For them it is normal, but for new arrivals such manner of driving can be dangerous. In case if you are involved in an accident, you should  always  follow the regulations.

Speed limits

The speed limits are mostly clearly identified on the signs. They generally resemble the speed limits in majority of other European countries. The speed limits are written in km/h (kilometre pr hour) and not mph (miles per hour). But in some places the speed limits are shown in both variants.

Now let us talk a little bit more concrete about speed limits. On highways the limit is 100 km/h and every day you will see the traffic police parked along the highway trying to catch speeders.

However, we want to tell you that the police don’t stop cars unless they are running at more than 19 km/h over the limit. You will also see a lot of signs which show the automatic speed control presence. You can be silent and ignore it! We ask you not to drive with higher speed than it is marked. For speeding you can pay big fines.

Driving and Alcohol

The legislation in Cyprus and police are very strict with this clause. It is definitely worth taking into account, so if you are going to drink a lot you should go by taxi or public transport. The legal limit for drunk driving in Cyprus is 0,22 mg pr. ml. This mark is significantly lower than in the other European Union’s countries.

You will pay significant penalties for driving being drunk, the sum of penalty will be higher than penalty for speeding. You will have to pass the tests and police check ups. Do you need it? Certainly not, because you are going to relax and no to have troubles.

Seatbelts

According to laws and driving rules in Cyprus, it is necessary to use seatbelt when you are driving or when you are a passenger in a car. All the passengers should use seatbelts. We recommend to use seatbelt, even if you are going to drive just 10 meters. If the police you, you will have to pay  a big fine.

What can you expect from other drivers?

Cypriot drivers have their own manner to drive. So what do you expect from them? You can expect actually anything. Generally you will understand that majority of traffic customs and conventions are very different in Cyprus. In any case you should be alert and very attentive.

You will meet some unorthodox driving styles in Cyprus. Some drivers go very quickly and can be a little bit aggressive. But, most of drivers understand that for tourists it is difficult to ride on foreign roads.

Roundabouts

Roundabouts can confuse many Cypriot drivers and especially tourists. Even though there is no big difference between driving in a roundabout in Cyprus and most other countries, however two modes of driving are quite different (exception is some  countries which driving is on the right hand side).

There is one simple answer. approximately 51% of Cypriot drivers do not know how to drive in a roundabouts and how to action correctly in these situations. However, drivers do not show their lack of knowing the driving rules and they try to show that they are the best drivers and go right through the whole obstacles.

What you should do is one simple thing. Read about driving rules in Cyprus and make sure that you know and understand it, and while driving make sure that your car position is based or is moving according to these rules. Keep an eye on the other traffic when you want to change your lane or exit the roundabout and make sure that you use your blinkers.

Using of indicators 

In Cyprus you will meet a distinct lack of using of turn signals. Majority of drivers do not indicate where they intend to go. This clause can be applied to both changing lanes on the highway and to any other traffic situation or turns.

This is the potential danger, you should understand this. In any case you should be attentive and to react immediately on potential dangerous situation. However, there are also situations when driver turns signal  on, but it doesn’t always mean that he plans to turn in the indicated direction. But, it can be argued that the driver has forgotten to turn it off.

 Issue of Parking

As in other  European countries, double line mark on the  road means that it is illegal to stop or park a car here. According to the experience of numerous tourists  we can sum up that if somewhere in Cyprus there a non-occupied space, it is a potential parking spot. Sometimes the police can fines you for illegal parking, but it is very rare.

But there is another decision, very popular in Cyprus. You can simply just stop your car, turn on the hazard lights and leave your car doing your business. However, this method of parking use just  for  15-20 minutes. But, of course, we don’t recommend you to do this. Let you spend more time for looking for the parking, but you will be sure in your car safety.