Choosing a Crete airport for your route
Your Crete airport connection should fit your first base and the journeys you intend to make afterwards. Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis Airport and Chania Airport are separate gateways with different local transport arrangements. Start with the name on your flight ticket and your accommodation address, then choose between a bus, taxi, prearranged transfer or hire car. A later sightseeing excursion belongs to a different part of the itinerary.
For cultural visits around Heraklion, use the Heraklion excursion guide; for western departures, start with Chania. Keeping the airport journey separate makes it easier to compare an arrival-day transfer with transport included in a subsequent outing. Your flight arrival time, baggage collection and the actual meeting place all belong in the connection plan.
Taxi and transfer from Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis Airport (HER)
For a prearranged transfer, plan the specific journey from Heraklion Airport to Heraklion town. Use the town address as the destination and include your flight details when arranging collection. This is a practical arrival option for a stay in Heraklion itself. For accommodation elsewhere, match the destination and collection arrangements to that separate journey rather than treating a town transfer as island-wide transport.
The local bus alternative belongs to Heraklion’s city network. Line 6 links the airport and Ammoudara in the timetable effective from 1 November 2026. Choose the fare for your actual route and zone, and allow for onward travel beyond the city network. The Crete bus guide explains the difference between city tickets and regional journeys, which matters if your accommodation is outside Heraklion.
Reserve your transfer from Heraklion Airport (HER) in advance on Kiwitaxi.
Our picks: Airports
Plan a separate excursion after arrival: this Elafonisi trip includes a driver and guide.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
A later beach excursion from Heraklion
The Elafonisi outing is a sightseeing day with an air-conditioned vehicle, driver and guide. Arrange the airport journey separately.
Taxi and transfer from Chania Airport (CHQ)
At Chania Airport, the taxi rank is opposite Arrivals B. Use your destination address to arrange the ride and settle the fare and collection details for that journey. A transfer to Chania and a transfer to Rethymno are different routes. Compare them with the base you have chosen, rather than using an airport name as a substitute for the final destination.
The public bus stop is opposite the departures area on the east side of the terminal. Tickets are sold by the driver, and the airport directs passengers to the Chania and Rethymno regional network. Connections include Chania, Rethymno and other destinations. Read the timetable for your travel date and leave room for baggage collection before choosing a departure; flight delays can change which connection is practical.
Car hire and parking
A hire car suits an itinerary in which you want to organise the road journeys yourself. Decide whether collection begins on arrival or later in the stay, and compare the collection point, return arrangements and parking needs. Chania Airport has dedicated car-rental and parking information. For either gateway, use the actual booking and parking terms when estimating costs rather than assuming that an available parking area is free.
The car hire guide covers the distinction between normal road planning and the Balos gravel approach. The airport collection agreement is only one part of the decision: the places you want to drive to also affect the contract you need. Keep a guided excursion as an alternative for a particular day, rather than reading its vehicle transport as a rental agreement.
Ferries, Heraklion and Souda
If your wider route includes a ferry arrival through Heraklion or Souda, treat the port-to-base journey as its own connection. Match the port printed on the booking with the next departure point. An airport bus stop, a town address and an excursion meeting place serve different parts of a journey; put each one into the plan explicitly.
For a trip to Santorini, separate the ferry ticket from an organised sightseeing day. The historical Heraklion ferry timetable ended on 2 November 2026 and should not supply a current airport-to-ferry connection. Use the Santorini planning page for the distinction, then choose the date and transport appropriate to your trip.
Kastelli and the first sightseeing day
The new Heraklion airport at Kastelli is under construction. Plan your arrival using the airport on your issued flight booking rather than a projected opening date. This also keeps the onward journey tied to the terminal you will actually use.
The Elafonisi outing presented here is for a later sightseeing day. Its included services are an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional driver, a tour guide, liability insurance and fees and taxes. Arrange the meeting details for that outing separately from your arrival. Elafonisi is a protected lagoon and dune landscape; the Elafonisi guide helps you decide whether to make it part of your stay.
Questions about your journey
Which bus serves Heraklion Airport?
Line 6 connects the airport and Ammoudara in the city timetable effective from 1 November 2026. Use the current departure information and the correct fare zone for your route.
Where are the taxis and buses at Chania?
The taxi rank is opposite Arrivals B. The bus stop is opposite departures on the east side of the terminal, with tickets sold by the driver.
Is the Elafonisi excursion an airport transfer?
It is a later sightseeing outing with vehicle transport, a driver and a guide. Plan your arrival connection and your excursion meeting arrangements separately.