The airport is situated near the main road on Crete and is also well connected to the city bus network in Heraklion.

If you’re travelling to Crete with a travel agency, you won’t have to worry about transport at all. Simply step out of the arrivals hall and you’ll find your travel agency’s counters directly opposite, where a representative will direct you to a direct bus to your hotel.

Car hire

The best way to explore Crete on your own is by car. Buses often run only once or twice a day, particularly to remote mountain villages and lesser-known beaches.

There are many car hire companies, both local and international, in the arrivals hall. Standard prices during the peak season are around 54 eur per day for a week’s hire.

• Compare car hire prices and book a car

Public transport bus to Heraklion

Bus services in Heraklion are relatively reliable. Lines 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15 and 19 run between the city centre and the long-distance coach station and the airport, approximately every 6 to 10 minutes.

View hotels in Heraklion

Routes 6, 10, 11, 12, 15 and 19 follow the same route from the city centre to the airport; therefore, they are only designated as route 1 when travelling from the city centre (once they have joined the shared route from various directions) towards the airport. When travelling from the airport to the city centre, they retain their own numbers throughout the journey, as each route continues to a different destination after passing through the city centre.

Official public transport website:astiko-irakleiou.gr/en.

• City centre: lines 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 19
• Bus station: routes 1, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 19
• Amoudara Beach: route 6

A ticket costs 1,20 eur and can be purchased from a ticket machine at the stop, or from a ticket office at major stops (such as the airport). The ticket is single-journey only, and for a journey to the airport, simply buy an orange ticket for Zone A.

The first buses start running at around 6.00 am, and the last ones at 12.30 am.

Only at the ticket office can you buy a day ticket for the current calendar day for 5 eur or a 24-hour ticket for 6 eur. Single-journey tickets are available from the driver for 2 eur.

Payment is always by cash only, except when purchasing at the kiosk at the stop, where you can also pay by card.

You’ll find the bus stop on the main road, about 100 metres from the terminal. From the arrivals hall, turn left towards the taxi rank and then cross the car park at the pedestrian crossing towards the blue ‘Bus Station’ sign.

Intercity buses

Buses travelling eastwards from Heraklion also stop at the airport, specifically about 150 metres to the right of the terminal on the main road (location on google.com/maps).

You can buy a ticket at the kiosk right at the bus stop, where you can pay by cash or card.

All buses heading towards Kokkini Hani, Kato Gouves, Hersonissos, Stalida, Malia, Neapoli, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra and Sitia stop at the airport. On the Heraklion–Airport–Agios Nikolaos route, there are 1–2 buses per hour during the high season.

You can find the timetable on the website ktelherlas.gr, and enter the stop “D.Aerodromio (Airport)”. Please note that the times are very approximate and the bus may arrive 20 minutes later, or even 20 minutes earlier.

For other destinations, you’ll need to get to the city centre and the main bus station (location on google.com/maps), from where buses depart for all parts of Crete. You can find intercity services on the website ktelherlas.gr, and for journeys to Rethymno and Chania, visit e-ktel.com.

Taxis

A large number of licensed taxis are available for all arrivals and departures. The fare to Heraklion city centre is a fixed rate of 19 eur.