Cyprus’s assumption of the EU Council presidency triggered a diplomatic airlift that stretched the island’s transport infrastructure to the limit. Between 15:00 and 22:00 on 7 January, Hermes Airports recorded 42 additional business-jet movements and six up-gauged scheduled services, including Aegean’s first near-full A321neo rotation on the new Larnaca–Brussels route. Temporary marquees were erected next to the government lounge at Larnaca International to process delegations in under 15 minutes, while police cleared fast-track lanes for vehicles carrying diplomatic plates.([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-08/cy/vip-arrivals-flood-nicosia-as-eu-presidency-opening-ceremony-strains-local-transport/))
Convoys headed straight onto the A1 motorway for Nicosia’s Theatre Organisation of Cyprus (THOC), forcing rolling closures that backed traffic up eight kilometres on the Limassol approach. Inside the city, normal bus routes were diverted and park-and-ride services activated around the GSP Stadium, yet ride-hailing fares still spiked by 260 per cent. Several corporate travel managers moved last-minute to organise shared coaches directly from the airports, citing duty-of-care concerns for employees arriving after dark.
Local businesses nevertheless saw a silver lining. Restaurants near Eleftheria Square reported a 40 per cent revenue jump versus the same Wednesday in 2025, and the Cyprus Hotel Association expects similar gains during every ministerial session. Event planners are now being urged to stagger arrival slots and pre-book coach transfers for February’s ECOFIN and March’s informal Energy Council.
![VIP arrivals swamp Nicosia transport network as EU Presidency kicks off]()
Whether you're a delegate, media representative or support staff, navigating visa requirements can be simplified by partnering with VisaHQ. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides step-by-step guidance for Cypriot national visas and future Schengen applications, offers document-check services, and even arranges courier pick-ups—helping travellers secure approvals well before the next ministerial wave.
For travellers still arranging paperwork, authorities warn that peak arrival windows will coincide with stricter security screening. Visa specialists recommend submitting Schengen and national-visa applications at least two weeks ahead, even though Cyprus is not yet in Schengen, to avoid capacity crunches at consular posts in neighbouring capitals.
The presidency will stage more than 140 formal meetings across the island, meaning the surge witnessed this week is likely just the beginning. Mobility teams are advised to maintain real-time monitoring of airport slot allocations and to brief travellers on possible highway closures with as little as two hours’ notice.
Convoys headed straight onto the A1 motorway for Nicosia’s Theatre Organisation of Cyprus (THOC), forcing rolling closures that backed traffic up eight kilometres on the Limassol approach. Inside the city, normal bus routes were diverted and park-and-ride services activated around the GSP Stadium, yet ride-hailing fares still spiked by 260 per cent. Several corporate travel managers moved last-minute to organise shared coaches directly from the airports, citing duty-of-care concerns for employees arriving after dark.
Local businesses nevertheless saw a silver lining. Restaurants near Eleftheria Square reported a 40 per cent revenue jump versus the same Wednesday in 2025, and the Cyprus Hotel Association expects similar gains during every ministerial session. Event planners are now being urged to stagger arrival slots and pre-book coach transfers for February’s ECOFIN and March’s informal Energy Council.
Whether you're a delegate, media representative or support staff, navigating visa requirements can be simplified by partnering with VisaHQ. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) provides step-by-step guidance for Cypriot national visas and future Schengen applications, offers document-check services, and even arranges courier pick-ups—helping travellers secure approvals well before the next ministerial wave.
For travellers still arranging paperwork, authorities warn that peak arrival windows will coincide with stricter security screening. Visa specialists recommend submitting Schengen and national-visa applications at least two weeks ahead, even though Cyprus is not yet in Schengen, to avoid capacity crunches at consular posts in neighbouring capitals.
The presidency will stage more than 140 formal meetings across the island, meaning the surge witnessed this week is likely just the beginning. Mobility teams are advised to maintain real-time monitoring of airport slot allocations and to brief travellers on possible highway closures with as little as two hours’ notice.
