Paphos airport guide: arrivals, transfers, and what to know

Paphos International Airport: the western Cyprus gateway

Paphos International Airport (IATA: PFO) is the Republic of Cyprus’s second international airport, handling primarily charter and low-cost flights to and from UK, European, and Middle Eastern destinations. It sits 15 km southeast of Paphos town, adjacent to the A6 motorway, and serves as the entry point for the majority of western Cyprus visitors — particularly those heading to Paphos resorts, Coral Bay, and the Akamas area.

PFO is smaller and simpler than Larnaca (LCA) — a one-terminal airport that handles significantly lower passenger volumes, making arrivals and departures generally faster and less stressful. Charter flight packages often use Paphos rather than Larnaca to access the western resort area without a 1.5-hour transfer.

This guide covers everything from the moment your aircraft lands to reaching your accommodation.

Arrivals procedure

Immigration (non-EU passengers)

Queue at immigration desks. EU and EEA passengers use the EU queue (typically shorter). UK passport holders use the “Other Passports” queue post-Brexit. US, Canadian, and Australian passport holders are admitted without a visa for stays up to 90 days. Processing times vary from 10 minutes (quiet days) to 30–45 minutes (peak summer arrivals with multiple simultaneous wide-body aircraft).

What to have ready: passport, return/onward ticket information (may be requested at immigration), accommodation address. The immigration officer may ask the purpose of visit (holiday) and duration.

Baggage claim

The Paphos terminal has two baggage carousels. Baggage typically arrives 20–35 minutes after landing for short-haul charter flights, longer for connections. The luggage collection area is immediately after immigration.

Customs

Standard EU customs rules apply for passengers arriving from within the EU. For passengers from outside the EU, standard personal allowances apply (tobacco, alcohol, gifts below value thresholds). Cash declarations above €10,000 are required.

Arrival hall

The arrivals hall is small and compact. Hire car company representatives meet passengers with name boards. Transfer company representatives (for pre-booked airport transfers) also wait here. There is a left luggage facility, a bureau de change (avoid — bank rates are significantly better in town), ATMs, and a small café.

Hire car pickup at Paphos airport

The major hire car companies (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Budget, Enterprise) and several local operators (Petsas, Oscar, Kosmos) have desks in the arrivals hall or in a designated hire car area adjacent to the terminal.

Key steps:

1. Collect your documentation from the hire car desk
2. Present your driving licence (original, not a copy) and credit card (required for the excess deposit — debit cards are not always accepted)
3. Walk to the hire car compound (some companies have vehicles at the terminal, others require a 5-minute shuttle)
4. Complete a vehicle inspection check — photograph any existing damage before driving off
5. Confirm the fuel policy (full-to-full is the most transparent; pre-paid full-tank deals are usually worse value)

Insurance extras: the desk agent will offer CDW (Collision Damage Waiver), Super CDW, personal accident insurance, and tyre/windscreen protection. CDW is the most important — it reduces your liability for vehicle damage from the full vehicle value to a defined excess (typically €300–1,000). Full CDW reduces this to zero. If your travel insurance covers hire car excess, you do not need to buy it from the hire company. Tyre and windscreen protection is worth considering given Cypriot road conditions (limestone roads and occasional gravel).

Getting from Paphos airport to your accommodation

Hire car (recommended for most visitors)

The most flexible option. The A6 motorway begins at the airport and runs directly to Paphos town (15 minutes), with connections to the A1 eastward toward Limassol and Larnaca. Driving in Cyprus requires left-hand traffic adaptation — see the driving in Cyprus guide for detail.

Pre-booked private transfer

Multiple operators run private transfers from PFO to all major destinations. Pre-booking online (at least 24 hours ahead) gives the best rates. The transfer driver meets you in the arrivals hall. Prices:

• PFO to Paphos town: €20–30
• PFO to Coral Bay: €25–35
• PFO to Limassol: €55–75
• PFO to Larnaca: €90–120
• PFO to Ayia Napa: €100–140

Taxi

Taxis wait immediately outside the arrivals exit. Always agree the fare before getting in, or use a metered taxi (meters are mandatory by law — ensure the meter is running). Approximate fares from PFO:

• Paphos town: €20–25
• Coral Bay: €25–35
• Limassol: €70–90

Taxis cannot collect passengers without a proper authorisation sticker outside the terminal area — be wary of informal drivers approaching inside the terminal.

Bus

An intercity bus service (OSEA) runs from Paphos airport to Paphos town and Limassol. Services are infrequent (check the OSEA website for current schedules). Not suitable for late-night arrivals or early-morning departures. Ticket approximately €4–8.

Paphos airport vs Larnaca airport: which to choose

This is one of the most practically consequential decisions for Cyprus trip planning. Paphos International Airport (PFO) and Larnaca International Airport (LCA) each serve different geographic zones of the island. Choosing the wrong airport adds up to 2 hours of transfer time to every arrival and departure.

Use Paphos airport if you are staying in:

• Paphos town or any Paphos resort (Coral Bay, Peyia, Kissonerga, Kato Paphos)
• Latchi and the northwest coast
• Troodos mountain villages (Platres, Kakopetria, Omodos, Kykkos area)
• Limassol (equidistant — Paphos airport is marginally better for western Limassol)

Use Larnaca airport if you are staying in:

• Larnaca city
• Ayia Napa and Protaras (45 minutes versus 2.5 hours from Paphos)
• Nicosia (45 minutes versus 1.5 hours from Paphos)
• Eastern Famagusta area (Cape Greco, etc.)

Limassol is genuinely equidistant: roughly 1 hour from either airport via motorway. Personal preference, flight availability, and price should decide.

Flight availability: Paphos serves primarily UK charter and low-cost routes (Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 from UK regional airports; Wizzair from eastern European cities). Larnaca has more international variety including long-haul connections (Middle East, limited transatlantic via hubs). If your origin point does not have direct PFO service, Larnaca is the practical entry point with a hire-car transfer west.

The Paphos airport expansion: what to know

Paphos airport has been operating above original design capacity during peak summer. Terminal queues at peak hours (particularly the 08:00–11:00 morning departure rush in July–August) can be significant. The airport’s physical infrastructure is being incrementally upgraded but remains constrained by its original single-terminal design.

Practical implications:

• Security queues at the Paphos airport can reach 45–60 minutes at peak departures. Add 30 minutes to your standard arrival buffer in July–August.
• Airside facilities are limited. The departure lounge has adequate seating but limited food options — eat in the arrivals zone or the city before passing through security if you prefer a more varied food experience.
• Border control on arrival (for non-EU passengers) can queue significantly when multiple charter flights arrive within the same 30-minute window. This is unpredictable — allow 40 minutes between landing and reaching your hire car in busy periods.
• The wifi in the departure lounge is free and reasonably reliable — a practical advantage for streaming or video calling while waiting.

Driving from Paphos airport to the main destinations

The A6 motorway begins directly at the airport perimeter and runs east to connect with the A1 at Limassol junction. The motorway is well-maintained dual carriageway with no tolls. Speed limit 100 km/h.

To Paphos town: 15 km, 15 minutes. Exit the motorway at Paphos exit and follow B6 to the town centre.

To Coral Bay: 25 km, 25 minutes. Continue on the B7 coastal road from Paphos town north toward Peyia.

To Limassol: 70 km, 55 minutes. Motorway entire route — A6 east to A1 junction, continue east to Limassol exits.

To Troodos / Platres: 80 km, 75 minutes. Paphos → B8 inland via Mandria and Panayia direction → mountain road to Platres.

To Larnaca: 150 km, 1.5 hours. Full motorway route — A6 to A1, east to Larnaca.

To Ayia Napa: 210 km, 2.5 hours. The full island crossing — not practical as a transfer route if Larnaca airport has comparable flights.

Remember: Cyprus drives on the left. The first few minutes leaving the airport require active adjustment — particularly the roundabout immediately adjacent to the terminal where turning instincts need conscious override.

What to do if your flight is delayed

Flight delays at Paphos airport are a reality, particularly in summer when traffic congestion at European airports cascades into Cyprus departures. The airside facilities are limited but manageable if you know the options.

Airside: the departure lounge has seating capacity generally sufficient for a single flight’s worth of passengers. In peak summer, it can feel crowded when multiple delayed departures are waiting simultaneously. The food options airside are adequate (café and a fast-food style operation) but not exceptional.

Landside (before security): if a delay is announced early, staying landside is preferable. The café and restaurant in the arrivals zone is larger and has better food than the airside equivalent. The airport is not large enough to easily leave and return to town — the 15 km to Paphos town means a delay of under 90 minutes does not justify a town trip.

Information: Paphos airport departures information is displayed on boards throughout both zones. The airport app (Cyprus Airport) provides real-time flight status updates. Airlines typically send text/email notifications for delays; ensure your contact details are registered with your airline before departure.

Duty-free during delays: if you have already passed security, the duty-free shopping can occupy time. The Cyprus Commandaria wine section is genuinely worth browsing — the airport duty-free has a reasonable selection of estate wines that are difficult to find outside the island, and the bottles are already packaged for intra-EU carry-on.

Airport facilities

Terminal facilities: café/restaurant (Paphos town prices, not airport-inflated), convenience shops, pharmacy, ATM (use this rather than the bureau de change — bank exchange rates are significantly better), SIM card vending machines (useful for getting a Cypriot SIM on arrival).

SIM cards: a Cyprus data SIM gives access to good 4G/5G across most of the island (with gaps in the Akamas interior and deep Troodos). Available from airport shops and all mobile operators in town. Epic, Cyta, and PrimeTel are the main operators. €15–30 for a visitor SIM with sufficient data for a week.

Wi-Fi: free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal.

Currency exchange: use ATMs rather than bureau de change. The airport bureau de change rates are significantly below interbank rate.

Departure from Paphos airport

Recommended arrival time: 2.5 hours before departure for international flights, 2 hours for UK and EU flights. Peak summer (July–August) morning departures can have long security queues — arrive 3 hours before for 06:00–09:00 departures.

Security: standard EU security procedure. Remove liquids (100 ml rule), laptops, and large electronic devices. Liquids above 100 ml must be in checked luggage.

Shopping duty free: limited duty-free shopping airside. Larger selection than arrivals-side shops. Tax-free shopping is available for non-EU residents (claim at the global blue desk in departures).

What to book

Larnaca: Private Transfer to/from Larnaca Airport (LCA) Private Transfer from Larnaca Airport to Ayia Napa

Frequently asked questions about Paphos airport

Which airport is better for a Cyprus holiday — Paphos or Larnaca?

Paphos (PFO) is better if you are staying in western Cyprus (Paphos, Coral Bay, Latchi, Troodos access). Larnaca (LCA) is better if you are staying in eastern Cyprus (Larnaca, Ayia Napa, Protaras) or central (Nicosia, Limassol is equidistant). Using the wrong airport adds 1–2 hours of transfer time each way.

How long is the drive from Paphos airport to Paphos town?

Approximately 15–20 minutes on the A6 motorway. The route is clear and well-signed. Traffic is minimal except during peak morning and evening hours on weekdays (Paphos commuter traffic).

Are there left-luggage facilities at Paphos airport?

Yes. The left-luggage counter is in the arrivals area. Useful if you arrive early and your accommodation is not yet ready for check-in — store luggage and explore Paphos town before returning for evening check-in.

Can I use a credit card at Paphos airport?

Yes. All major credit and debit cards are accepted at airport shops, cafés, and the car hire desks. Visa and Mastercard are universally accepted. American Express is accepted at some but not all desks. Contactless payment is standard.

Is there public transport from Paphos airport into town at night?

Night-time bus service from Paphos airport is very limited or non-existent after 21:00. Pre-book a private transfer or taxi for late arrivals. The hire car option works at any hour as long as your booking is confirmed and you have the desk contact number in case the desk is closed.