Reaching the City

There are airports in Heraklion (airport code: HER) and Chania (airport code: CHQ) with direct scheduled flights to/from Athens airport (duration 45 minutes), which is the main international hub for Greece. There are also scheduled flights to/from Thessaloniki and other domestic routes. Daily scheduled domestic and connecting flights are provided by Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air. In the summer months there are direct charter flights between the airports in Crete and most major European destinations.

Heraklion International Airport is the second busiest airport in Greece, and is located 4km away from the center of the city at Alikarnassos. Once you arrive, there are several ways for you to get around, including public transportation which is available all over the city, connecting all the main routes you may need.

Airport:

Heraklion Airport: (+30) 2810 397129, 397136 (info 24hrs)

From the city, Heraklion Airport is accessible by road ‘Ikarou’, in all other cases, the E75 motorway will get you there.
There is a bus service and taxi rank at Heraklion airport. Journey time between the airport and the center of town is approximately 10 minutes.

By Bus

KTEL Bus information Heraklion: (+30) 2810 221765, 220795

The public transport company KTEL operates from early mornings until the evening. Blue buses are city buses and green colored buses are intercity bus services. In order to reach the center of Heraklion, you have to take a blue bus.

Where do I get it from?

The stop for buses from the airport to the city center is outside the actual airport, in the inner ring road. You will need to head out of the arrivals terminal exit doors and to your right. Follow the side of the airport until you see the main road in front of you. Turn left onto the main road, and a few meters ahead of you is the bus stop.

Heraklion has two bus stations, as follows:

Bus Station A:
Busse nach: Agia Pelagia, Agios Nikolaos, Airport Heraklion, Archanes, Chania, Gournia, Hersonissos, Kastelli, Ierapetra, Istron, Lassithi Plateau, Malia, Milatos, Sitia, Rethymno, Sfakia, Sissi, Stalis/Stalida, Vrysses (und Orte dazwischen).

Bus Station B (Hanioporta):
Busse nach: Zaros, Agia Galini, Anogia, Matala, Mires, Phaestos (und Orte dazwischen).

The main routes from Heraklion are:

Heraklion-Lasithi (Chersonissos-Malia-Ag.Nikolaos-Ierapetra-Sitia-Viannos-Monofatsi)
Heraklion Port, 2810-245019, 245020
Heraklion - Chersonisos - Stalida - Malia
Heraklion - Airport - Agios Nikolaos - Ierapetra
Heraklion - Airport - Agios Nikolaos - Sitia
Heraklion - Sissi - Milatos
Heraklion - Lasithi Plateau
Heraklion - Archanes
Heraklion - Agia Pelagia
Heraklion - Viannos
Agios Nikolaos - Elounta - Plaka
Agios Nikolaos - Kritsa
Ierapetra - Sitia
Sitia - Palekastro - Zakros
Sitia - Vai

Heraklion-Messara (Messara-Milopotamos-Malevizi)
Chanion Gate (Chanioporta) 2810-255965
Heraklion - Faistos
Heraklion - Matala
Heraklion - Tympaki - Agia Galini
Heraklion - Lentas
Heraklion - Anogia
Heraklion - Moires

Chania-Rethymno

Heraklion Port, 2810-245019, 245020
Heraklion - Rethymno - Chania
Chania - Rethymno
Chania - Omalos (Samaria)
Chania - Sfakia
Chania - Sougia
Chania - Kissamos - Palaiochora
Chania - Therisso
Chania - Kolympari - Kissamos - Falasarna
Chania - Elafonisi
Chania - Kalyves - Almyrida
Rethymno - Amari
Rethymno - Agia Galini
Rethymno - Plakias - Preveli
Rethymno - Arkadi
Rethymno - Anogia
Rethymno - Elafonisi
Rethymno - Rodakino - Sfakia
Rethymno - Omalos
Rethymno - Panormo

Tickets can be booked online, bought at the ticket office inside the bus station or inside the bus if there are no available ticket offices.

Timetable, maps and more useful information can also be found online at https://e-ktel.com/en/ or https://www.ktelherlas.gr/ .

By Bus & Ferry

The public bus service KTEL has combined bus-ferry schedules running daily to/from Heraklion and major towns in mainland Greece, For timetables and prices see the inter-city KTEL site.

By Ferry

There are daily ferry services between Heraklion and the mainland port of Piraeus. Regular ferry services are also available directly between Piraeus to/from Rethymnon and to/from the Chania port of Souda. For information on schedules and prices see the websites of Minoan Lines, Superfast Ferries, ANEK Lines, and for Rethymnon also Cretan Lines.

By Taxi

Here are some well-rated taxi services:
Heraklion Taxi: +30 281 400 3084
Crete-Taxi-Services: +30 693 684 7951
CreteCab - Taxi & Airport Transfers Crete: +30 695 517 1473

Rent a Car

If you wish to get around Heraklion in a more autonomous way, there are several rent-a-car services near the Airport. Here is a small selection:
Autotrip: +30 694 480 7729, http://www.autotrip.gr/
Europcar: +30 281 022 5150, https://www.europcar.com/location/greece/heraklion
Airport Car Hire: +30 699 887 2190, http://www.airportcarhire.gr/
Citycar: +30 281 022 1801, http://www.citycar.gr/
Avis: +30 281 039 0373, https://www.avis.gr/en/
Minoan Tours: +30 697 464 3982, http://www.sitia-carrental.com/en/

Transport Help contacts:

Heraklion Technical Inspection of Vehicles ( K.T.E.O): 2810-380352
Road Help ELPA (OVELPA): 104
Road Help Express Service: 154
Road Help Hellas Service: 1057
Road Help Interamerican: 16

You can find the city map at: https://www.visitheraklion.eu/planing/cityroutes/map.html

https://www.heraklion.gr/en/visitor/local-trans/local-trans.html
https://www.cretetravel.com/travel_tips/crete-bus-schedules-heraklion-iraklion/
http://www.en.uoc.gr/university/access/access.html
https://www.visitheraklion.eu/planing/cityroutes/map.html