Heraklion Airport (HER) to the City: Bus, Taxi, Transfer or Car
Bus 78 runs to Heraklion centre every 10–15 minutes for €1.30–2.30. Taxis are €15–20. Here is how to get out of HER, what each option costs, and which to pick with luggage, kids or a ferry to catch.
Heraklion International (HER) sits about 5km east of the city, close enough that the transfer is genuinely trivial and far enough that you need to decide how you are doing it before you are standing in arrivals with a suitcase.
Four options, in order of how often they are the right answer.
1. Bus 78 — the default
KTEL’s line 78 runs between the airport and the city centre roughly every 10–15 minutes, from early morning until around midnight — lines 1 and 34 also stop at the terminal. The trip takes about 20 minutes and ends at Plateia Eleftherias (Liberty Square) in the centre.
The airport and the city are both in Zone A: a single is €1.30 bought in advance — kiosk, ticket shop or the operator’s app — and €2.30 from the driver. Buy before you board.
The stop is the shelter directly opposite the terminal exit, and buses heading into town show ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ / IRAKLIO on the front. Liberty Square is walking distance from most central hotels and a short walk downhill from the ferry terminal side of town.
Pick it if: you are travelling light, arriving in daylight, and staying in the city.
2. Taxi — the shortcut
The rank is directly outside arrivals and staffed around the clock. Expect roughly €15–20 by day into the centre, with a supplement between 00:00 and 05:00 and on public holidays. Ten to fifteen minutes, door to door.
Insist on the meter, and be aware that fares to the resort strips — Hersonissos, Malia, Agia Pelagia — climb steeply with distance. Over about 25km, a pre-booked transfer is usually the cheaper instrument.
Pick it if: you have luggage, children, a late arrival, or an early ferry to make.
3. Pre-booked transfer — for the long hops
If your hotel is out at Hersonissos, Stalida, Agia Pelagia or further, a fixed-price transfer removes both the meter anxiety and the taxi queue at 23:40. It is also the only option that reliably provides child seats.
4. Rental car — if you are driving out today
The airport is the right place to collect a car if you are leaving the city immediately. If your first two nights are in Heraklion, collect in town later instead: central parking is scarce, the old town is a maze of one-ways, and a car sitting outside a hotel earns nothing. Our car rental guide covers the pricing, insurance and IDP rules in full.
Connecting straight to a ferry
This is the arrival worth planning properly. The ferry terminal is on the same coastal corridor, 15–20 minutes by taxi. Foot passengers check in 30–45 minutes before departure, and the high-speed departures for Santorini and the Cyclades leave in the morning, not the afternoon — so a same-day connection usually means an early flight and no margin for delay.
The full mechanics are in the Heraklion ferry port guide, and the arrival-side decision in arriving in Heraklion: airport or port.
Where to stay if you land late
Anything in the walkable centre works — the taxi is the same fare regardless of which central hotel you name. If you have an early ferry the next morning, prefer the port side, where the walk to the terminal replaces a 6am taxi.
Compare central hotels › · The 7 closest to the ferry terminal
Fares and times change
Bus fares, timetables and taxi tariffs are set locally and adjust between seasons. The figures above are the ranges to plan around, not quotes — check the KTEL timetable for your travel date, and the meter for your fare.
Keep reading
Car Rental in Heraklion: What It Costs and What to Watch For (2026)
Renting a car in Heraklion — airport versus town pickup, what a week actually costs, the insurance and fuel traps, and the days you genuinely need a car in Crete.
Arriving in Heraklion: Airport or Port? (And How to Move Between Them)
Heraklion has two front doors 5km apart. Which to arrive at, how to get between airport, port and city, and how to make a same-day ferry off an inbound flight.
Crete to the Cyclades: How to Sequence an Island-Hopping Route
Which island order actually works from Crete, how many nights each deserves, and where the ferry gaps bite — the sequencing guide most route planners skip.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get from Heraklion airport to the city centre? ▾
KTEL bus line 78 runs between the airport and Plateia Eleftherias about every 10–15 minutes from early morning until around midnight and takes roughly 20 minutes. Both ends are in Zone A, so a single is €1.30 bought in advance from a kiosk or the app and €2.30 from the driver. A taxi from the rank outside arrivals costs roughly €15–20 by day and takes 10–15 minutes.
Is there a bus from Heraklion airport at night? ▾
No. Line 78 stops running around midnight and there is no night service, so late arrivals mean a taxi or a pre-booked transfer. Taxi fares rise between 00:00 and 05:00.
How far is Heraklion airport from the ferry port? ▾
About 5km, and the port sits on the same coastal corridor as the city centre — 15–20 minutes by taxi in normal traffic. If you are connecting to a ferry the same day, work backwards from a check-in 30–45 minutes before departure and add a generous margin in July and August.
Should I book an airport transfer in advance? ▾
Worth it if you are landing late, travelling with children and car seats, or heading straight to a resort 25km+ away, where a metered taxi gets expensive. For a daytime arrival into the city, the rank outside arrivals is quick and the fare is predictable.
Can I walk from Heraklion airport to the city? ▾
Technically it is about an hour along a busy road with no continuous pavement. In practice, no. Take the bus.