Cyprus has no trains — buses are the budget way to get around. Here's how the network really works: city fares, the Motion card, intercity routes, airport buses, and the apps that show live times.
Urban buses are run by district companies under the national Motion ticketing brand. Pick a city to see current fares. You can pay the driver in cash for a single; a Motion card is cheaper per ride and required for passes.
Buy a Motion smart card at kiosks, supermarkets and bus terminals — an anonymous card costs about €2 to issue, a personalised one about €5. It's cheaper per ride than cash and it's the only way to load 7-day, 30-day or annual passes. Top it up in the Pame app or online. Contactless bank-card tap-to-pay is only partly rolled out, so don't assume you can tap a Visa on any bus yet — carry small cash if paying the driver.
Intercity Buses connect the main towns. You board and pay the driver in cash — no reservation. Service is best on weekdays; the last coach often leaves early evening, and Sunday/holiday service is thin.
Both airports have cheap local buses plus airport shuttles to the main cities. Late arrivals usually need a shuttle's night run or a taxi/transfer, since local town buses stop by late evening.
For routes and real-time arrivals, the official Pame app (journey planner, live map, Motion top-up) is best for Nicosia and Larnaca; Cyprus Bus by Motion adds intercity tracking, and Moovit covers the island well. Google Maps transit coverage in Cyprus is patchy — fine for finding a stop, weaker for live times. Free live bus maps like buscyprus.com also work with no install.
For an early or late flight, a group, or a village the bus doesn't reach, a pre-booked private transfer is door-to-door with one fixed price — no waiting for a shuttle or hunting for a stop. For budget airport runs, the official Kapnos and Limassol Airport Express shuttles also book online.