Louroujina (Akıncılar) and Karavostasi (Gemikonağı) Crossing Points: What Travellers Need to Know

By Adam Niazi · Published 9 November 2026

Map of Cyprus showing the two newly agreed crossing points at Akıncılar (Louroujina) and Gemikonağı (Karavostasi)

Published 9 November 2026 · NorthCyprus-Guide.com News

Key facts

What: Two new vehicle crossing points across the buffer zone have been agreed.
Where: Louroujina (Akıncılar) to Lympia, south of Nicosia near Larnaca, and Karavostasi (Gemikonağı) to Kambos, west of Lefke.
When agreed: Monday 9 November 2026, at a meeting in Nicosia (Lefkoşa).
Who agreed: Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides, at a meeting hosted by UN envoy María Ángela Holguín.
Opening date: Not yet announced. Both crossings will open at the same time.
Why it matters: These are the first new crossings agreed since 2018. The island currently has nine.

What was agreed

On 9 November 2026, the two Cypriot leaders agreed to open two new crossing points simultaneously. The announcement was made by Aleem Siddique, spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

The leaders also agreed to:

Meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres together "in the coming weeks"
Restart the "Imagine" schools education programme
Share cultural archive material
Move ahead with joint environmental projects
Set up a rapid response system for emergencies
Restore several Maronite churches and an Armenian monastery, understood to be Sourp Magar in the Kyrenia (Girne) district

Where the new crossings are

Louroujina (Akıncılar) to Lympia

Akıncılar, known in Greek as Louroujina, is the southernmost Turkish Cypriot village on the island. It sits close to the buffer zone, with the village of Lympia (Limya) less than 400 metres from its southern edge.

The crossing has been requested for years. Local officials have argued it would ease pressure on the busy Nicosia crossings and shorten journeys between the Nicosia area and Larnaca, including trips to and from Larnaca Airport.

Karavostasi (Gemikonağı) to Kambos

Gemikonağı, known in Greek as Karavostasi, is a coastal village on Güzelyurt (Morphou) Bay, just west of Lefke. The new crossing will link it south to Kambos, in the foothills of the Troodos mountains.

For visitors, this opens a new route between the quieter west of North Cyprus, around Lefke and Güzelyurt, and the Troodos area.

What this means for travellers

Nothing changes yet. No opening date has been set. Use the existing crossings for now.
Shorter journeys, once open. The Akıncılar crossing should give a more direct route between the Lefkoşa area and Larnaca without going through central Nicosia.
Less queueing in Nicosia, in time. Almost all vehicle traffic in the capital currently goes through Metehan (Ayios Dhometios). Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmancı welcomed the new crossings but said they would not be enough to ease congestion there, and called for a further crossing at Haspolat (Mia Milia).
New day trips in the west. Gemikonağı gives visitors staying around Lefke and Güzelyurt a closer crossing.
Check your car paperwork. Before driving through any crossing, check your hire agreement and insurance cover. Not every rental company allows cars to cross.

All Cyprus crossing points: current list

Crossing (Turkish / Greek name)	Area	Type	Status
Lokmacı / Ledra Street	Central Nicosia	Pedestrians only	Open
Ledra Palas / Ledra Palace	Central Nicosia	Pedestrians and cyclists	Open
Metehan / Ayios Dhometios	Nicosia	Vehicles and pedestrians	Open
Bostancı / Zodia (Astromeritis)	Güzelyurt area	Vehicles	Open
Yeşilırmak / Limnitis	Far west	Vehicles	Open
Aplıç / Apliki (Lefka)	Lefke area	Vehicles	Open (since 2018)
Beyarmudu / Pergamos	Gazimağusa area	Vehicles	Open
Akyar / Strovilia	Gazimağusa area	Vehicles	Open
Derinya / Deryneia	Gazimağusa area	Vehicles	Open (since 2018)
Akıncılar / Louroujina	South of Lefkoşa, towards Larnaca	Vehicles	Agreed 9 Nov 2026, date to be confirmed
Gemikonağı / Karavostasi	West of Lefke	Vehicles	Agreed 9 Nov 2026, date to be confirmed

Background: the last new crossings opened in 2018

The most recent crossings to open were Derinya (Deryneia) and Aplıç (Lefka), both on 12 November 2018. That brought the total to nine. The two crossings agreed in November 2026 will take it to eleven once they open.

Frequently asked questions

When will the Louroujina and Karavostasi crossings open?

No opening date has been announced. The leaders agreed on 9 November 2026 that both will open at the same time. This page will be updated when a date is confirmed.

What is the Turkish name for Louroujina?

Akıncılar. The crossing is sometimes called the Akıncılar-Limya crossing.

What is the Turkish name for Karavostasi?

Gemikonağı. It is just west of Lefke on Güzelyurt Bay.

How many crossing points are there in Cyprus?

There are currently nine. There will be eleven once the Akıncılar and Gemikonağı crossings open.

Can I drive a hire car through the new crossings?

That depends on your rental company and insurance. Check both before you travel.

Was a new Nicosia crossing agreed?

No. The Nicosia mayor had called for a crossing at Haspolat (Mia Milia), but it was not part of the 9 November agreement.