Greece › Crete › Heraklion Car Rental
By Santorini Dave
The Heraklion airport is fairly small. The rental car parking lot is directly across from the terminal. It’s best to check prices and availability online and then pick up your car from the kiosks inside the Arrivals terminal.
Heraklion Airport Car Rental
My recommendation: Unlike most Greek islands, renting a car in Crete makes a big difference in what you can see and where you can go. Bus service between Crete’s most popular towns – Heraklio, Rethymno, Chania, and Elounda – is excellent, but getting to less popular towns, villages, and beaches is made much easier with a rental car. If you’re flying into Heraklio, then it’s best to reserve a car in advance at the Heraklion Airport.
Tip: If you need to rent a family minivan or a car with automatic transmission (most rental cars in Crete are manual) then definitely book in advance.
Rental car companies at Heraklion Airport: Budget • Sixt • Alamo • Greenmotion • SK Rent • Centauro • Europcar • Surprice • Goldcar
Car Rentals – Airport, Port, & Chania
- Booking.com is the best site for rental cars in Heraklio.
- You can also pick up and drop off rental cars at the Chania Airport.
- There is a wide variety of rental cars available including small budget sedans, family-friendly mini-vans, and large SUVs. I like reserving at airports because there are multiple rental car companies within steps of each other. If there’s a mistake in your reservation you walk a few feet in either direction and enquire about a different car.
- In theory, it’s possible to take rental cars to Santorini (or any other Greek island) but in practice it’s an expensive hassle that involves booking car ferry tickets and getting written permission from the rental car company. It’s much easier and cost effective to simply rent a car in Santorini or Mykonos when you get there.
- For most visitors, the Heraklion International Airport or the Chania International Airport are the best places to pick up and drop off rental cars.
If you want to pick up your rental car near the Heraklion ferry port then select “Crete – Heraklio Town”. There are several car rental companies within a short walk of the ferry port. The main Heraklion bus station is also nearby. The narrow busy streets of Heraklio are not ideal for renting a car (which is why I prefer pick up from the airport).
Heraklion Airport Car Rental
Booking.com is the best way to rent a car at the Heraklion International Airport. The rental car kiosks are inside the arrivals terminal. If you’re going to rent a car for Crete it’s much easier to get the car at the airport than in the city center of Heraklio. Even if you’re arriving by ferry it’s often best to hop in a taxi for the 8-minute drive to the airport to get your car. (There is only one airport in Heraklio.)
Heraklion International Airport is a pretty small airport. It has many daily flights but never feels too busy.
The terminal is small and it’s an easy walk between the Arrivals and Departures areas. (The rental car kiosks are in Arrivals.)
The rental car companies are found in the Arrivals terminal immediately after you pass immigration/customs and pick up your luggage.
There are many car rental companies at the airport. If you’ve reserved in advance with Booking.com or directly then picking up a car is quick and easy. If you haven’t booked in advance be prepared for a higher rates and a lot of haggling (last-minute bookings is how they make their money).
When you walk out of the Arrivals terminal of the airport turn left for the taxi stand and go straight for rental cars.
The rental car parking lot is directly across from the Arrivals Terminal at Heraklion Airport.
The parking lot for the rentral car companies is a short walk from the Arrivals terminal but there are free shuttle buses if you have a lot of luggage.
The bus stop is also across the street from the airport.
The taxi stand is steps from the main terminal.
Taxi fares from Heraklion Airport: Chania (174€), Rethymno (100€), Hersonisos (36€), Malia (46€), Elounda (90€), Agios Nikolaos (78€), Sitia (172€), Matala (93€). This is a few years old so prices have likely increased a little.
The main highway along the north of Crete (from Agios Nikolaos to Heraklio to Rethymno to Chania) is good quality road.
Most car rental companies will allow for drop-off at the Heraklion ferry port (or the Chania airport). There’s plenty of parking space steps from the ferries. Just ask your rental car company how and where to drop-off.
The ticket pick up for ferry tickets is located at the Heraklion ferry port. You can take a taxi right up to the ferry if you’re not dropping off a rental car.
At Chania Airport the rental car kiosks are inside the Arrivals terminal. Reserve on Booking.com for the best prices and variety.
Rental cars in Crete are new and well-maintained and come in everything from SUVs and mini-vans, to sports cars and convertibles.
The Heraklion Airport and Chania Airport have the best rates and largest inventory on Booking.com.
Read More
- Where to Stay in Crete
- Best Hotels in Crete
- Best Hotels in Crete for Families
- Where to Stay in Chania
- Where to Stay in Rethymno
- Where to Stay in Heraklio
- Where to Stay in Elounda
- Athens to Crete Ferry
- Crete to Athens Ferry
- Santorini to Crete Ferry
- Crete to Santorini Ferry
- Heraklion Ferry Port Guide
- Crete – Best Tours & Things To Do
- Crete Bus Routes & Schedules
About Santorini Dave