How to Get from Heraklion to Chania (and back): Car Rental, Bus, Taxi, Flight

Heraklion Airport handled about 2.4 times as many passengers as Chania Airport (CHQ) in 2025, so many visitors land in Heraklion and spend their holiday in the west. A car collected at Heraklion Airport leaves straight from the terminal and can stop in Rethymno on the way, which the non-stop EXPRESS bus cannot do. Rental Center Crete’s economy cars cost about €24 ($27.55, £20.34) a day on a 7-day rental from January to April and about €51 ($58.55, £43.22) a day in August, with €0 excess excess, no deposit and unlimited mileage. Returning the car at Chania Airport instead of Heraklion adds a flat €60 ($68.89, £50.85), so a fly-in, fly-out holiday never doubles back along the same road.

What is Heraklion?

Heraklion is the capital and largest city of Crete, and the usual starting point for the drive west to Chania. Heraklion sits on the island’s northern coast between Rethymno and Lassithi, at coordinates 35.341846, 25.148254. The Heraklion region holds the Palace of Knossos and the Palace of Phaistos, 2 of the 6 sites in the Minoan Palatial Centres that UNESCO inscribed on the World Heritage List in July 2025. In Heraklion town you can see the Koules fortress, the Venetian harbour, the Venetian Loggia, Venetian and Turkish fountains, and the Archaeological Museum. Our Heraklion travel guide covers the city’s sights, beaches and neighbourhoods in more detail. Heraklion Airport lies about 5 km (3.11 miles) east of the centre, so a car collected there joins the westbound highway without crossing the old town.

How do you get from Heraklion to Chania?

You can get from Heraklion to Chania by rental car, KTEL bus, taxi, private transfer, or 2 flights via Athens. The 5 options are listed below in order of flexibility.

1. Car Rental: A rental car gives you full control of the timetable and lets you stop in Rethymno, Bali or Georgioupolis on the way.
2. Bus (KTEL): The KTEL bus is the cheapest option at €17.60 ($20.21, £14.92), with hourly regular buses and 4 non-stop EXPRESS departures a day.
3. Taxi: A taxi takes you door to door in about 2 hours, for about €128–177 ($146.96–203.21, £108.48–150.01) on the meter.
4. Private Transfer: A private transfer is a pre-booked car or van with a fixed price per vehicle, from about €153 ($175.66, £129.67) for the whole trip.
5. Flight: A flight is the least practical option, because no airline runs a scheduled Heraklion to Chania service and flying means a change in Athens.

1. Car Rental

Car rental is the most flexible way to travel from Heraklion to Chania. A rental car lets you leave when you like, stop for lunch in Rethymno, and reach beaches and villages that the bus does not serve. Rental Center Crete requires a driving licence held for at least 1 year and a minimum age of 21 for economy and compact cars, rising to 23 or 25 for larger categories. Drivers with a licence from outside the EU, US, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and a few other listed countries need an International Driving Permit. Booking with a local Crete car rental company that includes €0 ($0.00, £0.00) excess insurance keeps the cost of the trip fixed before you set off.

Rental Center Crete’s quoted price for a 7-day economy rental changes with the season. The table below shows the October 2026 quotes for group A cars (Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 or VW Up class) collected at Heraklion Airport.

Every quote includes €0 ($0.00, £0.00) excess insurance, theft protection, unlimited mileage, a free additional driver and 24% VAT, with no deposit held on a credit card. A one-way rental from Heraklion Airport to Chania Airport adds €60 ($68.89, £50.85) to any of these prices, the same in May and in August. Visitors to Crete stayed 7.7 nights on average in 2025, according to the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE), so a weekly rental covers a typical holiday.

The drive itself costs about €19 ($21.81, £16.10) in fuel one way, by our calculation. Unleaded 95 averaged €2.235 ($2.57, £1.89) a litre in Heraklion and €2.208 ($2.54, £1.87) in Chania on 25 September 2026, according to the Greek Fuel Price Observatory (fuelprices.gr). A small car using 6 litres per 100 kilometres burns about 8.4 litres over 140 km (86.99 miles). No tolls are charged on the road today.

The car rental table below sets the main advantages of driving yourself against its main disadvantages.

What should you know before driving from Heraklion to Chania?

Drivers leaving Heraklion for Chania should know the route, the roadworks and the local overtaking habit before setting off. The 3 practical points are listed below.

1. Follow the Chania signs: Follow the signs for Rethymno and Chania onto the north-coast highway (E75, national road 90), known locally as the VOAK, which runs the whole way to Chania.
2. Allow for roadworks: Allow extra time near work zones, because KTEL has posted delay notices for roadworks on the VOAK at Kalyves and for resurfacing between Rethymno and Chania.
3. Use the hard shoulder with care: Move onto the hard shoulder to let faster cars pass only when it is clear, and watch for parked cars, cyclists and pedestrians on it.

Greek speed limits, signs and parking rules are covered in our guide to driving in Crete.

2. Bus (KTEL)

The KTEL bus is the cheapest way to travel from Heraklion to Chania, at €17.60 ($20.21, £14.92) for a single ticket on both the regular bus and the EXPRESS, according to KTEL’s official fare tool. KTEL publishes no return fare, so budget for 2 single tickets on a round trip. Buses leave from Heraklion Central Bus Station A, near the old port, and the service is run jointly by KTEL Heraklion-Lassithi and KTEL Chania-Rethymno.

Regular buses leave Heraklion every hour from 05:30 to 21:30, 17 departures a day, under the KTEL Heraklion-Lassithi timetable valid from 11 September 2026. The regular trip takes about 2.5 to 3 hours, because the bus stops at Bali, Rethymno, Kavros and Georgioupolis on the way. Rethymno is the main stop, so you can get off, explore for a few hours, and continue on a later bus with a new ticket.

The KTEL EXPRESS has run on the Heraklion to Chania line since 16 June 2025. EXPRESS buses leave Heraklion at 09:30, 12:45, 15:30 and 18:45 every day and reach Chania’s central bus station in about 2 hours, with no stops. KTEL Heraklion-Lassithi lists this EXPRESS timetable as valid from 1 July to 31 October 2026.

The EXPRESS timetable changes with the season. In winter 2026, from 6 February to 31 March, the EXPRESS ran only on Fridays (4 departures) and Sundays (15:30 and 18:30), and the daily summer service restarted on 4 May 2026. No 2026-27 winter EXPRESS timetable had been published by 10 October 2026, so check ktelherlas.gr or e-ktel.com before travelling after 31 October. Stations, tickets and other routes are covered in our guide to KTEL buses in Crete.

The bus table below sets the main advantages of the KTEL service against its main disadvantages.

How do you get from Heraklion Airport to the bus station?

To get from Heraklion Airport to Central Bus Station A, take a Heraklion city bus (Astiko KTEL) into the centre, a trip of about 5 km (3.11 miles). A standard Zone A city-bus ticket costs €1.30 ($1.49, £1.10) bought before boarding or €2.30 ($2.64, £1.95) bought on the bus, according to the Heraklion urban bus company. A taxi covers the same short trip on the meter, with the €4 ($4.59, £3.39) airport surcharge added. Allow about 3 to 3.5 hours from landing at Heraklion Airport to arriving in Chania by bus, including the change.

3. Taxi

A taxi is the fastest door-to-door way to travel from Heraklion to Chania, taking about 2 hours. Greek taxi meters follow a national tariff that has applied since 18 September 2026, with a €1.80 ($2.07, £1.53) flag fall, €0.90 ($1.03, £0.76) per km on Tariff 1, €1.25 ($1.44, £1.06) per km on Tariff 2, a €4 ($4.59, £3.39) minimum fare and a €4 ($4.59, £3.39) airport surcharge. On a metered 140 km (86.99 miles) trip, those rates give about €128 ($146.96, £108.48) on Tariff 1 and about €177 ($203.21, £150.01) on Tariff 2, by our calculation. Tariff 2 applies from 00:00 to 05:00 and outside the taxi’s home zone, so most of an intercity trip runs on the higher rate.

Pre-booked fixed taxi fares sit at the top of that metered range. Kretarides, a Crete taxi and transfer company, lists €175 ($200.92, £148.31) from Heraklion Airport to Chania for 1 to 4 passengers. A fixed fare protects you from traffic delays on the meter, while a metered daytime ride from Heraklion town can cost less.

The taxi table below sets the main advantages of a taxi against its main disadvantages.

4. Private Transfer

A private transfer is a pre-booked car or van with a fixed price per vehicle, and it suits groups and families. The driver meets you at arrivals with a name sign, loads the luggage, and drives straight to your hotel in Chania in about 2 hours. Two Heraklion transfer companies published the one-way prices below from Heraklion Airport to Chania town on 5 October 2026.

Both companies quoted the same prices for November 2026 and July 2027, and at 02:00 and 12:00, so neither adds a night or peak-season surcharge to online bookings. Both include free child seats. Split 4 ways, a €163 ($187.14, £138.14) transfer costs about €41 ($47.07, £34.75) per person, against €17.60 ($20.21, £14.92) for a bus seat.

5. Flight

A flight is the least practical way to travel from Heraklion to Chania, because no airline runs a scheduled service between Heraklion Airport (HER) and Chania Airport (CHQ). Some flight search sites show an occasional Heraklion to Chania fare, but no regular route exists. Flying means 2 flights with a change in Athens, on airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Olympic Air and Sky Express, and the whole trip takes several hours, longer than the drive.

Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport handled 10,033,151 passengers in 2025, about 2.4 times the 4,126,799 at Chania “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” Airport, according to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA). Heraklion’s wider choice of flights is one reason many visitors land there and drive west with a one-way rental. Our comparison of Crete airports, Heraklion vs Chania explains which airport suits which part of the island.

Heraklion Airport keeps growing, with 1,850,790 passengers in August 2026 alone, up 3.4% on a year earlier (HCAA). A new airport at Kastelli, about 39 km (24.23 miles) south-east of Heraklion, was 67% built in January 2026 and targets a 2028 opening. Drivers heading to Chania from Kastelli will add about 40 km (24.85 miles) to the trip once the new airport opens.

The flight table below sets the main advantages of flying against its main disadvantages.

6. Is there a ferry from Heraklion to Chania?

No, there is no ferry from Heraklion to Chania. Some booking sites show a “Heraklion to Chania ferry” result, but no operator sails between Heraklion port and Souda, Chania’s port. Ships from both ports sail to Piraeus and other islands, so a car, bus, taxi or transfer is the only way along the coast.

What is the best way to get from Heraklion to Chania?

Car rental is the best way to get from Heraklion to Chania, because it combines a 2-hour drive with free stops and a €60 ($68.89, £50.85) one-way drop at Chania Airport. The KTEL EXPRESS suits a tight budget, since it covers the route non-stop in about 2 hours for €17.60 ($20.21, £14.92). A private transfer suits a family with luggage that does not want to drive, at €153–187 ($175.66–214.69, £129.67–158.48) per vehicle.

A one-way trip cost is the price one traveller or one vehicle pays to get from Heraklion to Chania, without the return journey. The table below compares that cost and the journey time for each option.

Where can you stop between Heraklion and Chania?

You can stop at 5 well-known places between Heraklion and Chania, listed below from east to west along the highway.

1. Ammoudara: Ammoudara is a long sandy beach on Heraklion’s western edge, the first stretch of coast after you leave the city.
2. Bali: Bali is a small resort village on the coast between Heraklion and Rethymno, with sheltered coves and a stop on the regular KTEL bus.
3. Rethymno: Rethymno is the halfway town, about 80 km (49.71 miles) from Heraklion Airport, with a Venetian old town and the Fortezza fortress above it.
4. Georgioupolis and Lake Kournas: Georgioupolis is a beach town on the bus route, and Lake Kournas, Crete’s only freshwater lake, lies a few kilometres inland.
5. Ancient Aptera: Ancient Aptera is an archaeological site on a hill above Souda Bay, the last stop before Chania.

A same-day return from Heraklion means 4 to 5 hours of driving, so a night in Chania or Rethymno leaves more time for the old towns. Our Rethymno travel guide covers the old town, beaches and parking for a midway stop.

Where do you park and return the car in Chania?

To park in Chania, use the municipal i-PARK street zones, the KYDON multi-storey car park, or the free park-and-ride lots outside the centre. The i-PARK zones charge €1 ($1.15, £0.85) for 1 hour and €4.80 ($5.51, £4.07) for the maximum 4 hours, from Monday to Saturday between 07:00 and 21:00, and are free on Sundays, public holidays and from 21:00 to 07:00, according to the Municipality of Chania. The KYDON car park at Peridou 22 has 320 spaces. The free park-and-ride lots at Kladissos and at the former Markopoulou army camp connect to the centre by free electric shuttle buses. Old-town lanes and harbour streets have little parking, so our guide to parking in Chania lists the car parks closest to each part of town.

Chania Airport (CHQ) sits on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 15 km (9.32 miles) from Chania town, which makes it the natural place to return a one-way rental before a flight home. A KTEL bus links Chania town with the airport for €2.70 ($3.10, £2.29). Rental Center Crete adds a flat €60 ($68.89, £50.85) when you collect the car at Heraklion Airport and return it at Chania Airport.

What are the tours from Heraklion to Chania?

The tours from Heraklion to Chania are coach day trips that combine Chania, Lake Kournas and Rethymno in one day. The coach drives west from the Heraklion resorts along the north coast, with stops in Rethymno old town, at Lake Kournas and in Chania’s Venetian harbour. A tour suits visitors who want to see Chania once without driving 4 to 5 hours themselves. The other day trips on offer around the city are listed in our guide to tours in Heraklion.

How far is Heraklion to Chania?

Heraklion is about 140 km (86.99 miles) to 150 km (93.21 miles) from Chania by road, and roughly 102 km (63.38 miles) in a straight line. KTEL gives about 140 km (86.99 miles) between the 2 central bus stations, a centre-to-centre route check gives about 149 km (92.58 miles), and Heraklion Airport to Chania Airport measures about 162 km (100.66 miles). The whole route follows the E75 north-coast highway (national road 90) through Rethymno. A rental car covers the distance in about 2 to 2.5 hours, with the freedom to stop on the way.

Is a new motorway being built between Heraklion and Chania?

Yes, a new motorway is being built between Heraklion and Chania, with completion expected around 2030. The project turns the Northern Road Axis of Crete (BOAK) between the 2 cities into a 157 km (97.56 miles) toll motorway. Law 5204/2025 ratified the 35-year concession, which took effect on 4 February 2026 and reserves its first 5 years for design and construction. Diktaion Concessions, a company led by GEK TERNA, holds the concession. The European Commission approved the Greek State funding in July 2025, in press release IP/25/1846, and part of the money comes from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

Drivers pay no tolls between Heraklion and Chania today. The concession caps the car toll at €0.053 ($0.06, £0.04) per km before VAT, at 2022 prices, which equals about €8.32 ($9.55, £7.05) before VAT, or about €10.32 ($11.85, £8.75) with 24% VAT, over the full 157 km (97.56 miles), by our calculation. The cap is indexed, so the real toll at opening is likely to be higher. Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Nikos Tachiaos told Parliament that trips “with urban characteristics” will not pay tolls, and the law exempts short local trips between set junctions. The Greek State pays the concessionaire a “shadow toll” of 64.62% on top of each toll charged, because toll income alone does not cover the cost.

The BOAK upgrade has waited decades. A 2008 written question to the European Parliament, citing the Technical Chamber of Greece, said that only 37 km (22.99 miles) (12%) of the 312 km (193.87 miles) northern axis had been built with separate carriageways in the previous 20 years.

How long does it take to get from Heraklion to Chania?

It takes 2 to 3 hours to get from Heraklion to Chania, depending on how you travel. A rental car takes about 2 to 2.5 hours, and up to 3 hours in July and August or near roadworks. The KTEL EXPRESS takes about 2 hours non-stop, the regular bus about 2.5 to 3 hours, and a taxi or private transfer about 2 hours. A flight takes several hours in total, because of the change in Athens. Traffic is lighter from October to April. Greece-wide, June has the most injury road accidents (1,090) and July the most road deaths (79, or 11.9% of the year), according to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) figures for 2024.

What are the best restaurants in Heraklion and Chania?

The restaurants worth booking at either end of the drive are Peskesi and Thigaterra in Heraklion and Tamam in Chania. Peskesi serves traditional Cretan cuisine in a restored historic mansion in central Heraklion. Thigaterra serves Cretan and Greek dishes with an eco-gastronomy focus in Ammoudara, about 5 km (3.11 miles) west of Heraklion, on the way out of town towards Chania. Tamam, on Zampeliou street in Chania old town, serves traditional Greek food with Eastern Mediterranean influences. More addresses for your arrival are listed in our guide to restaurants in Chania.

What are the best hotels in Heraklion and Chania?

The hotels that suit this trip are DOM Boutique Hotel and Domus Ariadne in Heraklion and Ambassadors Residence Boutique Hotel in Chania. DOM Boutique Hotel stands in downtown Heraklion. Domus Ariadne is a 6-room boutique hotel inspired by the painter Giorgio de Chirico, close to the Archaeological Museum. Ambassadors Residence Boutique Hotel faces the water on Chania’s Venetian harbour, where parking is scarce, so drivers arriving from Heraklion do better leaving the car at a park-and-ride lot. More places to stay at the western end are compared in our guide to hotels in Chania.

Is there a train from Heraklion to Chania?

No, there is no train from Heraklion to Chania, because Crete has no railway. The KTEL bus is the only public transport on the route, and a rental car, taxi or private transfer covers the rest.

Is it easy to get from Heraklion to Chania?

Yes, it is easy to get from Heraklion to Chania. The route covers about 140 km (86.99 miles) by road on a single highway, and you can choose a rental car, bus, taxi, private transfer, or 2 flights via Athens. Land transport is the practical choice, because flying requires a change in Athens. The trip takes about 2 to 3 hours depending on the option you choose.

Is it safe to travel from Heraklion to Chania?

Yes, it is safe to travel from Heraklion to Chania for a careful driver, although Crete’s roads are more dangerous than the Greek average. Crete recorded 53 road deaths in 2024, or 85.3 per million residents against 64.0 for Greece as a whole, according to ELSTAT’s 2024 road accident report. Crete has 1.8% of Greece’s injury road accidents but 8.0% of its road deaths, so crashes on the island are rarer but more severe. Crete ranks 6th of 13 Greek regions for road deaths per million residents, so it is not the worst region in the country.

A road death rate is the number of people killed on the roads in a year for every million residents. The table below shows how Crete’s rate has fallen since 2000.

The long fall has paused in 2026. Provisional ELSTAT monthly figures show 21 road deaths on Crete from January to July 2026, up from 14 in the same months of 2025. Greece-wide, entering the opposite lane was the manoeuvre most often linked to road deaths in 2024 (125 deaths, 18.8%), followed by speeding (111, 16.7%), and 93.9% of injury accidents happened in fine weather. To drive the route safely, follow the 3 habits below.

1. Drive in daylight: Drive the route in daylight to see bends, junctions and slow vehicles clearly on the old national road.
2. Wait on blind bends: Wait behind slower traffic until the road ahead is visible, which avoids the opposite-lane manoeuvre linked to the most deaths.
3. Keep to the limit: Keep to the posted speed limit for the whole drive, including on the straight sections near Rethymno.