Greece › Crete › Crete Bus Routes
By Santorini Dave
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The Crete public bus system is an excellent way to explore the island.
Getting Around Crete by Bus
The best and most affordable way to travel around Crete without a car is by using the island’s excellent public bus system, KTEL. The buses are modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coaches that run reliably and on time. The network is extensive, connecting all major towns, villages, and popular beaches. The main hubs are Heraklio, Rethymno, and Chania.
Crete Bus Websites & Schedules
Crete is served by two main KTEL companies, and it’s crucial to use the correct website for the region you are traveling in.• For West Crete (journeys involving Chania and Rethymno): Use e-ktel.com.
• For Central & East Crete (journeys involving Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Sitia): Use ktelherlas.gr.While the websites can feel a bit dated, they are the official and most accurate sources for schedules. The most popular routes, like Chania-Heraklion, have frequent service, often running hourly, so you rarely need to plan with to-the-minute precision. For absolute certainty, you can always visit the main bus station the day before your trip to confirm the posted schedule.
Booking Bus Tickets Online
For major long-distance routes (like Heraklion to Chania), it is highly recommended to book your tickets online in advance, especially during the busy summer months.• Go to the correct KTEL website for your departure city.
• Switch the site to English. Select your departure point, destination, and date of travel.
• Choose your desired departure time from the schedule.
• Select your seats from the bus layout map.
• Enter your name and email address, and pay with a credit or debit card.
• You will receive an e-ticket with a QR code via email. Simply show this on your phone when boarding the bus.
• For short, local trips or travel between smaller villages, buying your ticket at the station’s ticket window before you depart is easy and perfectly fine.Crete Bus Fares (Approximate for 2025)
Fares are very reasonable. Prices below are one-way for a single adult.• Heraklion to Chania: €15.10
• Heraklion to Rethymno: €8.30
• Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos: €7.70
• Heraklion City to Heraklion Airport: €2.00 (Note: This is a local city bus, not the intercity KTEL coach)
• Chania to Rethymno: €6.80
• Chania to Chania Airport: €2.50
• Chania to Souda Port: €2.0Popular 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 current bus schedules for all regional routes (not just the routes for this particular stop).
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