Could Cyprus one day have a train system connecting its major cities?

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades revealed in a recent interview on the Tsouroullis Uncensored podcast that the government is “looking into” the possibility of introducing a high-speed rail link between Nicosia, Limassol, and Larnaca.

Asked about Cyprus’s chronic traffic problem and whether public transport solutions extend beyond buses, Vafeades confirmed that both a tram and a train system are under consideration — but with significant caveats.

Regarding a tram network, the minister said that while the idea remains on the table, European studies have shown that Cyprus does not meet the required population density to justify the viability of such a project.

The real revelation, however, came when Vafeades turned to the prospect of a train. He explained that he has commissioned an exploration into how a railway — ideally high-speed — could serve the island’s main urban triangle. For such a project to be eligible for EU funding, the Nicosia–Limassol–Larnaca corridor would need to be integrated into the EU’s official railway network, which it currently is not.

“For decades, Cyprus prioritized highways and cars,” Vafeades noted. “We’re putting this issue back on the table to see whether the EU can support it financially.” According to the minister, a train system could not only ease congestion on the island’s busy motorways but also facilitate the transport of goods between cities, ultimately benefiting consumers’ pockets.

If implemented, the project would mark one of the most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in Cyprus’s history. Let’s just hope that, unlike other “major projects,” it doesn’t end up derailed by endless delays, postponements, or terminated contracts — a pattern that has lately become something of a national specialty.