Park Rest Journal — October 2026 · Getting there
There are no direct flights from Russia to Ercan Airport (ECN) — only connecting flights via Istanbul, Antalya or Izmir. October suits this route well if you're travelling with a child: the late-summer queues have died down, though the journey itself still needs a proper plan for the day.
Getting there
The main routes run via Istanbul (IST or SAW), Antalya (AYT) and Izmir (ADB), operated by Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines and AJet. Total travel time with a connection runs from 7.5 to 12 hours, depending on the stopover. Changing planes in Istanbul for Ercan means going through passport control and a second security check — allow at least 2–2.5 hours between flights, or you risk missing your connection.
Travelling with kids
With Pegasus, a folding pushchair travels free right up to the aircraft steps and is returned at the gate or on the baggage belt; children under 2 fly without their own seat, one per adult. Turkish Airlines and AJet work the same way with a lightweight pushchair collected at the gate, plus a separate 10kg baggage allowance for infants; from age two, a child needs a full ticket with their own seat and the standard baggage allowance. Ercan's new terminal has free parent-and-baby rooms, a play area in the departures section and cafés that take cards as well as cash — genuinely useful for waiting out a connection or a delay.
How much time to allow
On top of flight time, factor in the pickup and the drive from Ercan. Airport parking: the first 30 minutes are free, up to an hour costs TL 100, 2 to 6 hours is TL 400, and 12 to 24 hours is TL 650 (as of June 2025 — check before you travel). From 24 August 2026, waiting on the flyover by the arrivals terminal will be banned — anyone picking someone up will need to drive straight into the car park, where a discounted rate of TL 50 applies for the first hour. Nearby, the private Ayaz Car Park, 10 minutes from the terminal, offers a free transfer to the doors and lower rates than the official one. Further afield, round-the-clock KIBHAS shuttles run to Nicosia (Lefkoşa) and Kyrenia (Girne) for TL 300–350 per person, taking 45–60 minutes, with services to Lefke as well.
If you're connecting through Istanbul, allow at least two hours for passport control and security.
- Book your lightweight pushchair in advance through the airline's online account — the queue at the Istanbul desk can eat up all your spare time.
- Feed your child before the Istanbul connection: once you're through passport control, there may be no time for a proper meal.
- After 20 October, pack a light jacket for your child in the hand luggage — evenings at the terminal and on the transfer get noticeably cooler.
- If you're picking someone up by car, drive straight to Ercan's car park — waiting on the flyover by arrivals is no longer allowed.
- Getting to Lefke is easier by KIBHAS shuttle than by taxi with changes — the route is in the airport's general timetable.