No immediate change for Cyprus travellers: two crossings agreed, no dates or sites

Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have agreed to open two new border crossings across the buffer zone dividing Cyprus, alongside cooperation on emergency response and the sharing of archival material. The deal came out of a United Nations-backed meeting aimed at reviving peace talks on the divided island.

Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman met jointly on Monday with UN special envoy Maria Angela Holguin in the UN-controlled buffer zone. It was the first concrete sign of easing tensions between the two sides after almost a decade of deadlock.

Key facts

• Agreement reached: Monday, 9 November 2026
• What was agreed: two new crossings, coordinated emergency responses and shared archival materials
• Where: across the UN buffer zone that splits Cyprus
• Total crossings once opened: 11, according to media in Cyprus
• Opening dates and locations: not announced

What has been agreed?

The two leaders agreed to open two additional crossings between the island's two sides, to coordinate how emergency situations are handled, and to exchange archival materials. The deal forms part of a UN-backed effort to restart peace negotiations.

The UN said Monday's meeting was "positive" and that the two leaders would meet again in the coming weeks, with outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres present.

What does this mean for crossing the island?

Once the two new points open, the number of crossings across the divided island would rise to 11, according to media in Cyprus. Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Türkiye invaded and took the northern part of the island following a coup instigated by the then-military government in Greece. A UN peacekeeping force has monitored a 180km (112-mile) ceasefire line between the two sides since then.

Only Türkiye recognises the north as an independent republic, and Ankara keeps more than 35,000 troops on the island.

When will the new crossings open?

No opening dates have been announced, and the source does not say where the two new crossings will be located or what practical arrangements — such as opening hours or document checks — will apply.

What this means for travellers

Travellers planning to move between the two sides of Cyprus should watch for announcements about the two new crossings, including their locations and opening dates, as none have been published yet. Crossing rules and hours at the existing points have not been changed by this announcement.

Guterres began a new push to resolve the more than five-decade-old conflict in the summer, suggesting new crossings could help build trust, although the two sides have disagreed over the ground rules for talks. Christodoulides said the effort was aimed at "resuming the talks before the end of the secretary-general's term", which finishes at the end of the year. The last official round of talks collapsed in 2017.