Getting to Crete: Chania (CHQ) vs Heraklion (HER) Airports and Santorini Ferries

Because Crete is 260 kilometres long, the single smartest planning decision you can make before booking your tickets is matching your arrival airport or ferry port to your hotel region, or booking an "open-jaw" ticket (flying into Chania in the west, and flying or sailing out of Heraklion in the east).

1. Arriving by Air: Chania Airport (CHQ) vs Heraklion Airport (HER)

• Chania International Airport "Ioannis Daskalogiannis" (CHQ, For Western Crete): located on the Akrotiri Peninsula just 14 kilometres (20 minutes) east of Chania Old Town and 1 hour from Rethymno. Public KTEL buses run every 30 to 45 minutes from right outside CHQ arrivals directly to Chania Central Bus Station . and taxis take 20 minutes. Fly into CHQ if your priority is Chania, Balos, Elafonisi and Samaria Gorge.
• Heraklion International Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis" (HER, For Central & Eastern Crete): Greece's second-busiest airport, sitting right on the coast only 4 kilometres (10 minutes) east of downtown Heraklion, Knossos Palace and Heraklion Ferry Port (and 45 minutes west of Agios Nikolaos / Elounda). Blue City Buses (Routes 6, 11, 12) run every 10 to 15 minutes from outside the terminal into downtown Heraklion .

2. Arriving or Departing by Ferry (Santorini, Mykonos & Athens Piraeus)

Crete is the southern anchor of the classic Greek island-hopping chain:

• The Crete ↔ Santorini High-Speed Ferry (1 Hour 50 Minutes): between April and late October, high-speed catamarans (SeaJets and Minoan Lines / Fast Ferries) depart daily around early in the morning to early in the morning from Heraklion Port and reach Santorini (Athinios Port) in just 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours (continuing north to Ios, Naxos, Paros and Mykonos), with return afternoon sailings from Santorini to Heraklion in the afternoon to in the early evening. (In peak summer, SeaJets also operates 2 to 3 weekly sailings directly from Rethymno Port to Santorini).
• The Overnight Ferry from Athens Piraeus (To Chania Souda Port or Heraklion Port): every evening late in the evening year-round, huge cruise-like ferries (ANEK-Superfast to Chania's Souda Port, and Minoan Lines / Blue Star to Heraklion Port) sail from Athens Piraeus, arriving early in the morning the next morning, booking a private 2- or 4-berth en-suite cabin saves a hotel night and lets you wake up in Crete.