Heraklion & Chania Airport to Town & Your Hotel – Transport Guide

Crete has two major airports, and getting from Heraklion airport to town or from Chania airport to your hotel is straightforward once you know the options. Heraklion Airport, officially named Nikos Kazantzakis with the code HER, lies around 5 kilometres east of Heraklion in the middle of the north coast and is the busiest. Chania Airport, named Ioannis Daskalogiannis with the code CHQ, sits on the Akrotiri peninsula around 15 kilometres north-east of Chania in the western part of the island. There are no trains on Crete, so you get around by city bus, KTEL regional buses, taxi, transfer or hire car.

Which airport and which type of transport suit you best depends on where on the island you’re staying. Here you’ll find all the options from both airports with prices, journey times and where to find them, and I explain when a hire car is the right choice and what you need to know about the roads before you drive.

Quick overview

• Heraklion, city bus to the centre: from €1.30 (around £1.10) with a ticket bought in advance and €1 more from the driver, around 20 minutes to the central bus station.
• Heraklion, regional buses heading east: around €4 to €5 (around £3.50 to £4) to Hersonissos and Malia and around €8 to €9 (around £7 to £7.50) to Agios Nikolaos.
• Chania, airport bus: around €2.50 to €3 (around £2 to £2.50) from the driver and around half an hour to the bus station in Chania.
• Rethymnon: direct bus from Chania Airport on some departures, otherwise a bus with a change in Chania or Heraklion.
• Taxi: around €15 to €20 (around £13 to £17) from Heraklion Airport to the centre and around €25 to €30 (around £20 to £25) from Chania Airport to the Old Town.
• Private transfer: from around €50 (around £40) for a car for up to four people on the short journeys, and it must be booked in advance.
• Hire car: desks or pick-up at both airports, and a car is the easiest choice if you plan to explore the island.

Which airport suits your trip?

Crete is around 260 kilometres long, so the airport you land at makes a big difference. Choose the wrong one and you can easily spend two to three hours in a car or on a bus on the day you arrive. In summer there are usually direct flights from the UK to both airports, so check both before you book.

The west: If you’re staying in Chania, in the beach resorts of Agia Marina and Platanias, in Kalyves and Almyrida or near Balos, Falassarna and Elafonisi, choose Chania Airport. The drive to Chania’s Old Town takes 20 to 25 minutes, and Agia Marina is around 35 to 40 minutes away.

The centre: Rethymnon lies almost halfway between the two airports. From Chania Airport the drive takes around an hour and from Heraklion Airport around an hour and a quarter, so here you can pick whichever airport has the flight that suits you best.

The east: If you’re staying in Heraklion, Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda or Sitia, choose Heraklion Airport. Hersonissos is around 25 minutes away by car, and Agios Nikolaos takes around an hour.

The south coast: Matala and Agia Galini are easiest to reach from Heraklion, while Paleochora and Sfakia are closest to Chania. To reach the south coast you have to cross the mountains, so allow more time than the distance suggests.

There is also a small airport at Sitia on the east coast, but it has only a few routes, so the vast majority of travellers land in Heraklion or Chania. If you’re unsure which part of the island to choose, read my guide to where to stay in Crete, where I go through the areas from Chania in the west to Sitia in the east.

How to find transport from Heraklion airport to town and from Chania airport

Heraklion: The airport is in the Nea Alikarnassos district right by the sea, so planes land close to the city. When you leave the arrivals hall, the taxi rank is just outside, and the city bus stops are right outside the terminal. The car hire companies have desks in and near the arrivals area, while many local firms instead meet you with a sign and walk you to the car in the car park. If you’ve booked a transfer, the driver usually waits in the arrivals area with your name on a sign.

In summer many charter flights land at the same time, and there can be long queues at the baggage carousels and for taxis. If you have a tight schedule on the day you arrive, a pre-booked transfer or hire car is the safest option.

Chania: The airport is smaller and easy to find your way around. Taxis wait outside the arrivals hall, and according to the airport’s own page about the bus, the bus stops opposite the departures area at the eastern end of the terminal, where you buy your ticket from the driver. The hire companies have desks in the arrivals area or meet you at the car park.

1. The city bus from Heraklion Airport to the centre

Heraklion’s blue city buses are run by Astiko KTEL Heraklion, and several of the routes run between the airport and the city. The journey to the central bus station takes about 20 minutes, and during the day there’s a bus every few minutes. The buses run from early morning until late evening, so if you land late, it’s a taxi or a pre-booked transfer.

Not every route passes the central bus station, which is where the regional buses to the rest of the island leave from. If you’re catching a regional bus onwards, ask the driver before you get on whether the bus stops at the bus station, or KTEL, as it’s known locally.

Fares and tickets

According to Astiko KTEL Heraklion’s fare list, a standard ticket costs 1.30 euros (around £1.10) in zone A and 1.80 euros (around £1.50) in zone B if you buy it before boarding, while it costs 1 euro more from the driver. You can buy tickets in the bus company’s app, among other places, or otherwise pay the driver in cash, so have coins and small notes ready. If you’ll be taking the bus several times on the same day, a day ticket costs 5 euros (around £4).

Where should you get off?

The central bus station is on Leoforos Ikarou, close to the harbour. From here it’s a 5 to 10-minute walk to Eleftherias Square and around 10 minutes to the Venetian harbour with Koules Fortress, so you can walk to most hotels in the centre. If you’re staying further into the city, ask the driver for the nearest stop, as the bus stops at several places along the way.

Close to both the bus station and Eleftherias Square is the five-star Aquila Atlantis Hotel with an outdoor pool, which is handy if you’re catching the bus onwards the next morning. Heraklion is a busy city rather than a beach resort, so most people stay here for a night or two and then head off along the coast.

2. Buses from Heraklion Airport to Hersonissos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos

The regional buses in the eastern part of Crete are run by KTEL Heraklion-Lasithi. According to Heraklion Municipality’s transport page, the routes from Heraklion towards Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra and Sitia go via the airport, and the eastbound buses pass Hersonissos and Malia on the way. This means you can get on at the airport without heading into town first.

Not every departure stops at the airport, and the bus stop isn’t always easy to find, so ask at the airport information desk where to wait and check the KTEL Heraklion-Lasithi timetables before you travel. The safe alternative is to take the city bus to the central bus station, where all the departures start and where you have the most buses to choose from.

To Hersonissos and Malia

Buses to Hersonissos and Malia run frequently in the summer season, and a ticket from Heraklion typically costs 4 to 5 euros (around £3.50 to £4). From the airport, allow half an hour to three quarters of an hour to Hersonissos and around an hour to Malia, depending on how many stops the bus makes along the way. Ask the driver for the nearest stop to your hotel when you get on.

If there are three or four of you going to the same hotel, a taxi costs roughly twice as much as the bus tickets, but it takes you right to the door. Malia is known for its nightlife, so if you want some peace and quiet, check how close your hotel is to the bars before you book.

To Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and Sitia

A ticket to Agios Nikolaos costs around 8 to 9 euros (around £7 to £7.50), and the journey takes about one to one and a half hours. If you’re going on to Elounda, change to the local bus at the bus station in Agios Nikolaos, or take a taxi for the last stretch of just over 10 kilometres. Fewer buses run to Sitia and Ierapetra, and the journey is long, so a hire car or a transfer is often easier here.

Where to buy your ticket

At the airport, you buy your ticket on board from the driver or conductor, and at the central bus station in Heraklion you can buy it at the ticket office. KTEL Heraklion-Lasithi also sells tickets on its website and in its app. Your suitcase goes in the luggage hold under the bus.

3. The bus from Chania Airport to Chania town

The bus between Chania Airport and the town is run by KTEL Chania-Rethymno. It stops opposite the departures area at the eastern end of the terminal and takes about half an hour to reach the bus station in Chania. You buy your ticket from the driver, and it costs around 2.50 to 3 euros (around £2 to £2.50), so have cash ready.

The bus runs from morning to evening, but it doesn’t wait for delayed flights, and departures are most frequent during the day and in the summer season. If you land late, check the KTEL Chania-Rethymno timetables before you travel, or plan on taking a taxi.

Where should you get off?

The bus terminates at the bus station on Kydonias by 1866 Square, and from here it’s about a 10-minute walk to the Venetian Harbour and the Old Town. The streets in the Old Town are narrow and cobbled, so if you have a heavy suitcase, it’s worth taking a taxi for the last stretch from the bus station.

Right by the bus station is the four-star Samaria Hotel with an outdoor pool, so you’re close to both the bus and the Old Town. If you’d like to see the other neighbourhoods and the beach resorts around Chania, with hotel suggestions in every price range, read my guide to where to stay in Chania.

4. From Chania Airport to Agia Marina, Platanias and Kissamos

To reach the beach resorts west of Chania, you usually have to change at the bus station in Chania. From here, buses head west along the coast through Agia Marina and Platanias, and in the summer season they run many times a day. From Chania, the journey takes about 20 to 30 minutes to Agia Marina and a little longer to Platanias, and a ticket costs a couple of euros.

Buses to Kissamos, also known as Kastelli, follow the same coastal route, and the journey from Chania takes about an hour and costs around 5 euros (around £4). Boats to Gramvousa and Balos leave from the harbour in Kissamos, and KTEL Chania-Rethymno runs buses to the harbour that connect with the boats.

With luggage and two buses, the journey from the airport to Agia Marina is a long detour. A taxi takes about 35 to 40 minutes, but it costs more than the ride to Chania because you have to go all the way through the town, so ask about the fare before you set off. If you’re travelling as a family, a transfer or a hire car is often the easiest option.

5. To Rethymnon and across the island by bus

Rethymnon lies in the middle of the north coast, and you can get there by bus from both airports. According to Chania Airport, buses from the airport run to both Chania and Rethymnon, and some departures include a direct bus to Rethymnon via Souda. The journey takes about an hour, and a ticket costs around 8 euros (around £7). If the direct bus doesn’t fit with your flight, take the airport bus to Chania and change to one of the many buses towards Rethymnon.

From Heraklion Airport, take the city bus to the central bus station and change there to the bus towards Rethymnon and Chania, which typically runs once an hour or more often. The journey to Rethymnon takes about one and a half hours and costs around 8 to 10 euros (around £7 to £8.50), and going all the way to Chania takes 2.5 to 3 hours and costs around 18 euros (around £15).

The bus station in Rethymnon is on the western edge of the centre, and from here it’s a 10 to 15-minute walk to the Old Town. In the Old Town you’ll find the four-star Mansio Boutique Hotel with a pool, about a 10-minute walk from the bus station.

If you’re travelling from one end of the island to the other, for example from Heraklion Airport to Chania, the bus is far cheaper than a taxi, but expect it to take most of an afternoon with changes and waiting time. If there are four of you with lots of luggage, a transfer or a hire car can be worth the money.

6. Taxi from Heraklion and Chania Airport

At both airports, the taxis queue up outside the arrivals hall. The taxis have meters, but on longer trips out of town it’s common to agree the fare before you set off, so ask the driver before you get in. At night, the taxis charge a higher rate, and you can always ask for a receipt. The prices below are approximate fares for the whole car, and they depend on the time of day and exactly where you’re going.

Heraklion

• Heraklion city centre: around €15 to €20 (around £13 to £17) and 10 to 15 minutes without traffic.
• Hersonissos: around €35 to €45 (around £30 to £40) and about 25 minutes.
• Agios Nikolaos: around €80 to €100 (around £65 to £85) and about an hour.
• Elounda: around €95 to €115 (around £80 to £95) and just over an hour.
• Rethymnon: around €100 to €140 (around £85 to £115) and about an hour and a quarter.
• Chania: around €180 to €200 (around £150 to £170) and about two hours.

Chania

A taxi to the Old Town in Chania costs around €25 to €30 (around £20 to £25) and takes 20 to 25 minutes without traffic. To Rethymnon, expect to pay around €90 to €100 (around £75 to £85), and it takes about an hour. A taxi is a good choice if there are several of you, or if you’re staying in the Old Town, where the bus doesn’t go, and if you land late, it’s often the only option unless you’ve booked a transfer.

7. Private transfer

A private transfer is a pre-booked car with a driver who waits for you in the arrivals hall and takes you straight to your hotel. On GetYourGuide, prices start from around €50 (around £40) for a car for up to four people on the short trips, and the price goes up with the distance. A transfer from Heraklion Airport all the way to Chania typically costs over €200 (around £170).

Book a private transfer from the airport to your hotel in Crete here.

A transfer is a good choice if you’re travelling with children, landing late or heading to a hotel with no bus connection, for example in the mountains or on the south coast. Book well in advance and enter your flight number when you book, so the driver can keep track if your flight is delayed.

8. Car Hire from Heraklion and Chania Airport

Crete is a big island, and many of the best beaches, mountain villages and gorges are a long way from the bus routes. If you want to explore the island, a hire car is therefore the easiest option. The big international rental companies have desks at both airports, and there are plenty of local hire firms, which usually meet you with a sign in the arrivals hall or in the car park. Check your confirmation to see where you need to meet them, and compare prices on car hire at Booking.com before you travel. In high season it pays to book well ahead, especially if you want an automatic.

Heraklion

The airport lies east of the city close to the main road along the north coast, so if you are heading east, you drive straight onto the road towards Hersonissos without having to go through Heraklion. Hersonissos takes about 25 minutes, Malia about 35 minutes and Agios Nikolaos about an hour. Heading west, you drive south of the centre and reach Rethymnon in about an hour and a quarter and Chania in about two hours.

Traffic in Heraklion itself is heavy, and parking in the centre is difficult. If you are staying in the city for the first few days, it therefore makes sense to pick up the car when you leave the city.

Chania

From the airport on Akrotiri, you drive into Chania in 20 to 25 minutes, further west to Agia Marina and Platanias in 35 to 40 minutes and to Kissamos in about an hour. To the east, Rethymnon is about an hour away. The Old Town in Chania is mostly pedestrianised, so park in one of the public car parks outside the city walls, and ask your hotel about parking before you book.

What You Need to Know About Driving in Crete

The main road along the north coast connects Kissamos, Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos. It is easy to find your way along, but in several places it is narrow with no central reservation, and many locals pull onto the hard shoulder to let faster cars pass. Keep a good distance, only overtake where you can see a long way ahead, and be prepared for others to overtake close to you.

Away from the coast, the roads are often narrow, steep and full of bends, and in the mountains there may be goats on the road. Allow more time than the distance suggests, especially to the south coast, and avoid driving the long mountain roads in the dark on your first evening. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs states in its travel advice for Greece that you should take care in traffic and that hire cars can be broken into, so never leave luggage, passports or valuables in the car.

You can find ideas for trips around the island once you have the car in my guide to things to do in Crete.

The Dirt Road to Balos

Balos Lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula west of Kissamos is one of the places many people want to visit with their hire car. The tarmac ends in the village of Kaliviani, and the last 8 kilometres or so are a potholed dirt road that takes half an hour or more. From the car park above the lagoon, you walk 20 to 30 minutes down a steep path and longer back up again, so bring good shoes and water.

Many rental agreements don’t cover damage to the underside and tyres or driving on dirt roads, so read the terms before you drive out there. Arrive early in summer, as the car park fills up quickly. If you’d rather not drive the dirt road, you can take a boat to Balos and Gramvousa from the harbour in Kissamos instead.

Getting Back to the Airport

Heraklion: The city buses run from the centre to the airport from early morning, and from the central bus station the journey takes about 20 minutes. A taxi takes 10 to 15 minutes without traffic. Many of the regional buses from Agios Nikolaos, Malia and Hersonissos towards Heraklion also run via the airport, so ask the driver whether the bus stops there. The airport can be very busy in high season, with queues at check-in and security, so arrive in good time.

Chania: The airport bus runs from the bus station in Chania and takes about half an hour, and a taxi from the Old Town takes 20 to 25 minutes. If you have an early flight before the bus starts running, your hotel reception can book a taxi for you.

If you are returning a hire car, allow extra time to fill up and drop off the car, especially if the rental company has its office outside the airport and takes you to the terminal by shuttle bus.

If you are changing planes in Athens and spending a couple of days in the city, you can read about where to stay in Athens, and see the metro, bus and taxi options in my guide to getting from Athens Airport to the city centre. If you want to combine Crete with other islands, such as Santorini, which you can sail to from the port of Heraklion in summer, you’ll find my suggestions in the guide to where to stay in Greece.

Which Option Should You Choose?

Here is my recommendation based on where you are staying:

Heraklion city: Take the city bus to the central bus station from €1.30 (around £1.10), or take a taxi for about €15 to €20 (around £13 to £17).

Hersonissos and Malia: Take the regional bus from the airport or from the central bus station. If there are three or four of you, a taxi is easier and not much more expensive.

Agios Nikolaos and Elounda: The bus to Agios Nikolaos is cheap, but with children or lots of luggage, a transfer or a hire car is far easier.

Chania and the Old Town: Take the airport bus to the bus station for about €2.50 to €3 (around £2 to £2.50), or take a taxi all the way to your hotel for about €25 to €30 (around £20 to £25).

Agia Marina and Platanias: Bus with a change in Chania if you have time, otherwise a taxi or transfer.

Rethymnon: Fly into Chania and take the direct bus if it fits with your flight. Otherwise, take the bus with a change in Chania or Heraklion.

If you land late: A taxi or a pre-booked transfer, as the buses don’t wait for delayed flights.

Around the island, Balos, Elafonisi and the south coast: Pick up a hire car at the airport, and choose the airport closest to the part of the island you’ll be seeing most of.

Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇

• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers

Psst 👀 Have you subscribed to my Youtube channel and my Instagram where I provide more useful travel tips?