Greece › Greek Ferries › Crete to Athens
By Santorini Dave
See Also:
- Best Hotels in Crete
- Best Hotels in Crete for Families
- Heraklio (Crete) Ferry Port Guide
- Where to Stay in Crete
- Best Hotels in Athens
- Best Hotels in Athens for Families
- Piraeus (Athens) Ferry Port Guide
- Where to Stay in Athens
The Heraklio ferry port is close to several good Heraklio hotels and walking distance from downtown. You can purchase tickets at the port though I recommend passengers buy ferry tickets online.
Souda Bay is the ferry port for Chania. It’s 10-20 minutes by taxi or bus from Old Town Chania.
Ferries from Crete arrive at the Piraeus ferry port, 30-minutes by taxi or train from central Athens.
Crete to Athens – Ferry Essentials
- Ferryhopper.com is the best way to buy ferry tickets for Athens to Crete ferries. It’s also good for researching ferry timetables, costs, and schedules.
- Most ferries do not sell out. But for peace of mind, book tickets 2 to 3 months in advance.
- Most tickets (when booked at Ferryhopper) are e-tickets which means you do not have to pick up a paper ticket before boarding.
- If a ticket purchased online doesn’t have a barcode, you’ll need to pick up a real ticket when in Greece. This is most often done at the ferry port 30 to 45 minutes before departure. Don’t worry about pick up – it’s easy and effortless and usually very close to your actual ferry.
- Ferries will leave on time from their first departure port in the morning (usually large ports like Piraeus, Heraklio, and Chania) but will be late arriving and departing from all onward ports (e.g. Naxos). Usually getting later as the day progresses.
- Most areas in Greece, including Athens and Crete, have public transportation strikes throughout the year. These strikes can affect all forms of transit, including, buses, trains, ferries, flights, and taxis. During strikes no buses, no ferries, and only a handful of trains and flights will depart on time (or at all); taxis tend to be the least affected mode of transport. Though strikes can occur any time, there is always a huge strike on May 1. Avoid booking any ferries, flights, or trains that day.
Crete to Athens Ferry Schedule
The “Blue Horizon” Blue Star ferry in Heraklio bound for Athens.
The “Blue Galaxy” Blue Star ferry in Chania bound for Athens.
Example Crete to Athens Ferry Schedule
Crete-Athens ferry schedule and prices on ferryhopper.com. Ferries depart from Chania and Heraklio.
There are ferries from Heraklio and Chania to Athens year-round, with frequency increasing in the summer months. Ferries depart from the ports at Heraklio (near downtown) and Chania (6 km west of central Chania) and arrive in Athens at the Piraeus Port. The length of the ride varies from 7.5 to 9.5 hours, with many routes traveling through the night. It’s a good idea to book a cabin on an overnight ferry – the large boats that service this route are slow and stable and the cabin berths are fairly comfortable for sleeping. Ferry tickets from Athens to Crete cost €30 to €120, depending on the ferry line and class of ticket.
I recommend Business or First Class seats for the longish ride from Crete to Athens. For a bit more money you get added room and a quieter, more relaxed environment.
Sleeping cabins are available in two and four-bed layouts. This is the four-person sleeping cabin. It has a small private bathroom and shower.
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