Crete Public Bus

Greece › Crete › Crete Bus
Updated: September 17, 2022
By Santorini Dave

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Public bus in Crete.

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
Central bus station in Heraklion.

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.

Tickets at Heraklion Bus Station.

Buy tickets inside the Heraklion bus station.

Bus stop at Heraklion Airport.

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.

City bus to Knossos from Heraklion, Crete.

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.

Chania Bus Station.

The Chania Bus Station is located in the city center.

Chania Bus Tickets.

Buy tickets inside the station.

Souda to Chania bus.

There are buses for every arriving ferry to the Souda ferry port near Chania. Buy tickets from the kiosk.

Chania bus to ferry port.

The bus stop for the Chania ferry port is not at the Chania bus station but at a stop near the Old Town.

Bus tickets for Chania to Souda ferry port.

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.

Bus stop in Elounda.

Smaller towns have bus stops instead of full stations. Like this covered bus stop in Elounda.

Bus schedule for Heraklion, Crete bus routes.

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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About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave Author Bio. Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece and recommend the best hotels, best neighborhoods, and best family hotels in top destinations around the world. We also make hotel maps and travel videos. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.