Getting Around Heraklion: Airport, Buses, Taxis & Car Rental (2026)
How to get from Heraklion Airport to the city, use the local and KTEL buses, take taxis, and decide whether to rent a car — a practical transport guide to Heraklion, Crete.
Heraklion Is Easy — Until You Leave the City
Good news for anyone who hates logistics: Heraklion is one of the simplest places in Greece to arrive in. The airport is practically in town, the old centre is walkable end to end, and the single most important sight — Knossos — is a cheap bus ride away. The complexity only begins when you want to reach Crete’s beaches, mountains and wine villages, which are scattered and thinly served by public transport. Here’s how it all works.
From Heraklion Airport (HER) to the City
Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport is Crete’s busiest, and it sits just 5km east of the centre — one of the shortest airport-to-city hops in the Mediterranean.
- Taxi: 10–15 minutes, roughly €15–20 to central hotels. Taxis wait outside arrivals; agree the fare or check the meter is running.
- City bus: Lines 1 and 1A stop near the terminal and run to the centre and the port for about €1.50–2. Buy tickets from the machine or kiosk, not the driver, for the lower fare.
- Car rental: All the major desks are in the terminal. If you’re heading straight to a beach resort or driving across the island, picking the car up here saves a trip back.
Getting Around the City
The historic core — from the Koules fortress and old harbour up through Lions Square and the market to the Archaeological Museum — is entirely walkable, typically 15 minutes from one end to the other. You won’t need transport inside the walls.
City buses (blue) cover the suburbs and nearby beaches like Ammoudara, Karteros and Kokkini Hani, plus the short hop to Knossos (bus line 2 from the centre).
Taxis are metered, reasonably priced and easy to find at ranks around Lions Square and the port.
Intercity Travel: KTEL Buses
Crete’s green KTEL buses are the backbone of public transport between towns. From Heraklion’s main bus station (by the port) you can reach:
- Chania — ~2.5 hours, roughly €14
- Rethymno — ~1.5 hours
- Agios Nikolaos & the east — ~1.5 hours
- Plus seasonal services to south-coast beaches like Matala
Buses are comfortable and reliable, but frequencies drop sharply outside summer and to smaller villages — always check the current KTEL timetable.
Renting a Car
For most visitors who want to see more than the city, a rental car is the difference between a good trip and a great one. The Peza and Archanes wine villages, the south-coast beaches, Malia and Phaistos palaces, and the mountain villages of Psiloritis are all realistic day trips by car and awkward or impossible by bus. Book ahead in July and August, when demand spikes and prices climb.
Compare Heraklion car rental prices →
Driving tips: Cretans drive assertively; slower traffic is expected to hug the hard shoulder to let cars pass. Fuel stations are plentiful near towns but sparse in the mountains, so fill up before heading inland. Parking in central Heraklion is tight — use a hotel with parking or the paid lots near the port.
Heraklion as a Base for All of Crete
Because it’s central and has the island’s main airport and ferry port, Heraklion makes a strong base for exploring in every direction. Many travellers split a week between Heraklion and the west — see how the two compare in planning a route, and use our 3-day Heraklion itinerary to structure your time before you branch out across the island.
Keep reading
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informational 3 Days in Heraklion: The Perfect Itinerary
A detailed 3-day Heraklion itinerary covering Knossos, the old town, south coast beaches, and a wine tasting day trip — with maps and tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get from Heraklion Airport to the city centre? ▾
Heraklion Airport (HER) is only about 5km from the centre. A taxi takes 10–15 minutes and costs roughly €15–20. City bus lines 1 and 1A run from just outside the terminal to the centre and the port for around €1.50–2. Many hotels also offer paid transfers, and car-rental desks are in the terminal if you're driving on.
Do you need a car in Heraklion? ▾
Not for the city itself — the historic centre is compact and walkable, and Knossos is a short bus ride away. But Crete's best beaches, wine villages and archaeological sites are spread out, and bus services to them are limited. If you plan to explore beyond the city, a rental car is by far the most flexible option.
How do you travel between Heraklion and Chania? ▾
The two cities are about 140km apart, roughly a 2-hour drive on the E75 national road. KTEL intercity buses run frequently between Heraklion and Chania bus stations (about 2.5 hours, ~€14). A popular strategy for seeing all of Crete is to fly into one airport and out of the other, renting a car one-way.