Greece › Crete › Crete Bus Routes
By Santorini Dave
See Also
- Crete – Where to Stay
- Best Hotels in Crete
- Best Hotels for Families in Crete
- Best Crete Tours
- Crete Travel Guide
The Crete public bus system is an excellent way to explore the island.
Getting Around Crete by Bus
The easiest and cheapest way to get around Crete and between the main towns, villages, and beaches is by using the island’s excellent public bus system. The coach-style buses are comfortable, air-conditioned, and generally on time. Heraklio, Rethymno, and Chania are the hubs for east, central, and western regions, respectively, of the island.
- Crete bus schedules: e-ktel.com for Chania and Rethymno-based routes and ktelherlas.gr for Heraklio-based routes. Both these websites are terrible, hard to navigate, and impossible to have much faith in. Though bus service in Crete is excellent, the lack of quality online information makes it hard to plan travel in advance. The good news is that the most popular routes have buses running almost hourly, so knowing exact schedules isn’t always vital. To be certain, visit the bus station the day before travel to check posted schedules.
- Crete bus fares: Heraklio-Chania: €13.80, Heraklio-Rethymno: €7.60, Heraklio-Agios Nikoloas: €9.00, Heraklio-Heraklion Airport: €2.50, Chania-Rethymno: €6.20, Chania-Chania Airport: €2.30, Chania-Chania Ferry Port (Souda): €1.70
Popular routes/schedules
*Some routes run less frequently on Saturday and Sunday
- CHANIA-GEORGIOUPOLIS-KAVROS-RETHYMNON-BALI-HERAKLION
Every day at 05:15 06:30 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 21:45- HERAKLION-BALI-RETHYMNON-KAVROS-GEORGIOUPOLIS-CHANIA
Every day at 05:30 06:30 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 21:30- RETHYMNON-CHANIA
Every day at 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00- RETHYMNON-HERAKLION
Every day at 06:30 07:45 08:45 09:45 10:45 11:45 12:45 13:45 14:45 15:45 16:45 17:45 18:45 19:45 20:45 21:45 23:00- CHANIA-STALOS-AG. MARINA-PLATANIAS-GERANI-MALEME-TAVRONITIS-KAMISIANA-SKOYTELONAS-KOLYMBARI
Every day at 06:15 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:20 08:40 09:00 09:20 09:40 10:00 10:20 10:40 11:00 11:20 11:40 12:00 12:20 12:40 13:00 13:20 13:40 14:00 14:20 14:30 15:00 15:20 15:40 16:00 16:20 16:40 17:00 17:20 17:40 18:00 18:20 18:40 19:00 19:20 19:40 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30 00:00- KOLYMBARI-SKOYTELONAS-KAMISIANA-TAVRONITIS-MALEME-GERANI-PLATANIAS-AG. MARINA-STALOS-CHANIA
Every day at 06:20 07:20 08:30 08:50 09:00 09:20 09:40 10:00 10:20 10:40 11:00 11:20 11:40 12:20 12:40 13:20 13:40 14:20 14:40 15:00 15:20 15:50 16:00 16:20 16:40 17:00 17:20 17:40 18:00 18:20 18:40 19:00 19:20 19:40 20:00 20:20 20:40 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30 00:00 00:30 01:00- HERAKLION-KOKKINI-GOUVES-HERSONISSOS-STALIDA-MALIA
Every day at 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:15 08:45 09:15 09:45 10:15 10:45 11:15 11:45 12:15 12:45 13:15 13:30 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:00 15:15 15:45 16:15 16:45 17:15 17:45 18:45 20:00 21:15 21:30 22:00- HERAKLION-AGIOS NIKOLAOS
06:30 07:00 08:15 09:15 09:45 10:45 11:45 12:45 13:45 14:45 15:45 16:45 17:45 18:45 20:00 21:30- AGIOS NIKOLAOS-HERAKLION
Every day at 06:00 06:30 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30 19:00 19:45 21:30- AGIOS NIKOLAOS-ELOUNDA
Every day at 06:45 07:45 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:25 19:45 22:00- ELOUNDA-AGIOS NIKOLAOS
Every day at 07:30 08:30 09:40 11:40 13:40 16:00 18:30 20:30
The main bus station in Heraklio for buses to Chania, Rethymno, Agios Nikolaos, and other north coast destinations. It’s located near the ferry port (5-minute walk from the ferry terminal). There’s a different bus station (Chanioporta Bus Station A) for south coast destinations.
Buy tickets inside the Heraklion bus station.
The bus stop at the Heraklion airport is directly across the street from the Arrivals terminal. Most buses heading east from the main Heraklion bus station will stop at the Heraklion airport. The exceptions are Express buses and buses that are already full. There are no direct buses from the Heraklion airport to the Heraklion port. Instead take any bus heading to Heraklio. They will all stop at the main Heraklion bus station. From there it’s 5-minute walk to the ferry port. If that sounds too far with your luggage then just take a taxi directly from the airport to the port.
Bus line #2 to Knossos leaves from the city bus station near the port. (This is different from the other two bus stations mentioned above.) The bus ticket to Knossos costs €1.70 when purchased from a kiosk. (€2.50 when purchased onboard the bus.) Buy two tickets at the bus station so that you don’t have to queue for return tickets in Knossos.
The Chania Bus Station is located in the city center.
Buy tickets inside the station.
There are buses for every arriving ferry to the Souda ferry port near Chania. Buy tickets from the kiosk.
The bus stop for the Chania ferry port is not at the Chania bus station but at a stop near the Old Town.
Buy tickets from the electronic kiosk beside the bus stop. The fare to and from the ferry port is €1.70 if you buy from a kiosk, €2.50 if you buy from the driver inside the bus.
Smaller towns have bus stops instead of full stations. Like this covered bus stop in Elounda.
Most bus stops have posted schedules, like this one for the Agios Nikolaos area, that show bus schedules for all regional routes (not just the routes for this particular stop).
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