Most visitors reach Crete from Athens in one of two ways: a flight of about 45 minutes or an overnight ferry from Piraeus. For a first trip, the overnight boat is the better choice. It saves a hotel night, gives you a full last day in Athens and puts you in Heraklion at dawn, ready to start exploring.
How do you get to Crete from Athens?
You can fly to Heraklion or Chania, or take a ferry from Piraeus, the port of Athens, to either city. Sitia, a smaller town in the east, also has a ferry port, though it has fewer routes and the sea crossing there takes much longer.
Flying
Crete has two main airports, Heraklion and Chania, and both have direct flights from Athens. Aegean Airlines flies daily, and Sky Express also serves Heraklion, so departures are frequent. Time in the air runs from about 45 minutes to just under an hour. Fares vary with the airport and the date, so check current prices before you book.
Heraklion Airport (HER), also called Nikos Kazantzakis, is the second busiest in Greece. A new airport is being built at Kastelli, southeast of the city, but until it opens, all Heraklion flights use the existing one. Chania's airport sits on the Akrotiri Peninsula, east of town.
The overnight ferry
This is the classic crossing. The Minoan Lines ferry from Piraeus to Heraklion runs year-round, typically leaving at 9:00 p.m. and arriving around 6:30 a.m.; check the timetable for your date. The arrival time shown is when the ship reaches the pilot station, just before the harbor entrance, so docking happens a little later.
The boat doubles as your hotel, which saves real money and spares you the airport stress. You also get a higher baggage allowance, and you walk off with your bag instead of waiting at a carousel.
The daytime ferry
If you'd rather sail in daylight, Minoan Lines runs summer sailings that leave Piraeus in the morning and reach Heraklion in the early evening. That is most of a day at sea, so bring a book.
Getting to Piraeus
Metro Line 1 runs from central Athens to Piraeus Station, and the port is usually only 20 to 30 minutes from the center. Minoan Lines ships to Heraklion leave from Gate E2 on Hatzikyriakou Avenue. Chania ferries use Gate E3, and the ferry that calls at Santorini, Heraklion and Sitia on its way to Rhodes uses Gate E1. Your gate depends on the line, so confirm it on your ticket. Foot passengers should arrive at least an hour before departure.
Is it better to take the ferry or fly to Crete?
That depends on how you build the trip. The flight is short, but the day around it is not. You get to the airport about two hours early, queue at security and pay for the taxi ride out, which is not cheap. The airport can take an hour or more to reach in traffic. With an evening ferry, you can spend the day among the ruins and still board in good time.
A few rules of thumb hold:
- First trip: take the overnight ferry, for the reasons above.
- Family with luggage: the ferry again. Many travelers like the slower pace of the ferry, with no rush through security and the chance to rest in a cabin along the way.
- Tight budget: the ferry can work out cheaper once the saved hotel night is counted, though fares vary by date and operator. Deck passage is the budget option, and cabins cost more depending on the type.
- Short on time: fly. It is much quicker.
Whichever you choose, transportation strikes in Greece can interrupt seaports and airports alike. Leave some slack before the day you must catch your flight home.
How long is the ferry to Crete?
Crossing times depend on the route, the ship and the company. Piraeus to Heraklion takes 7 hr 50 min to 12 hr, Chania 8 hr to 9 hr 25 min, Kissamos 10 hr 15 min to 10 hr 50 min, and Sitia 13 hr 30 min to 17 hr.
In practice, conventional overnight boats take about 9 to 12 hours, sometimes with stops along the way. The fast daytime catamaran to Heraklion takes around 8 hours, and the quickest, run by Seajets, does it in 7 hr 50 min.
How do you get to Crete from other islands?
Santorini is the easy one. Boats from Santorini use Heraklion, not Chania, so if you're based in the west, take the bus between Chania and Heraklion.
Milos is connected too. Minoan Lines sails between Heraklion and Milos with no change of boat.
Combining islands also opens up an open-jaw trip: fly from Athens to Heraklion, take the ferry to Santorini, then fly back to Athens from there. That saves you backtracking.
How do you book ferries to Crete?
Book early in summer. From June through September, buying ahead is highly advisable, and Minoan Lines itself urges booking as soon as you can, especially in summer and on holidays. From November through March, it matters much less.
Seajets, Minoan Lines, Anek Lines, Hellenic Seaways and Blue Star Ferries all sail from Athens to Crete, with both conventional ferries and high-speed catamarans. The ships are of similar quality, so you're really choosing between price and schedule. Compare timetables and fares on Ferryhopper, Direct Ferries or Omio, or book direct with the operator. Prices tend to match those at travel agencies, and your tickets arrive by email. Minoan Lines tickets booked online can also be picked up at a partner agency if you bring your booking code, the surname on the booking and your ID.
Cabin or deck? For an overnight sailing, or if you simply want peace and quiet, booking a whole private cabin is a comfortable choice. A bed in a shared cabin suits a smaller budget, and a VIP numbered seat comes with a personal TV. Deck passage means no cabin, and you spend the trip in the restaurants and cafés.
Minoan Lines has offered these discounts (check current terms before you book):
- 20% off when you buy both directions together.
- 50% off for children 5 to 12, and younger children travel free on deck passage.
- 20% off for ages 13 to 18.
- 25% off for seniors 60 and over.
- 50% off for ISIC or European Youth Card holders, on all accommodation except Deluxe and A1 cabins.
The main operators also carry cars. Minoan Lines will ship your car to Crete on its own, without you on the same sailing.
How do you get from the port or airport to your hotel?
Heraklion is easy. The port sits within walking distance of the city center and the main bus station, with a taxi stand about 65 feet (20 m) from the port and a bus station about 130 feet (40 m) away. The airport is 3.1 miles (5 km) from town, and several buses run to the city terminal, the town and the port.
Chania takes a little more planning, because ferries dock at Souda, not at the old harbor. It's about 15 minutes by car to the old town, or about 30 minutes by public bus. Taxis usually wait outside, but you can also ask your hotel to arrange a pickup.
You don't need a rental car for your first nights in Chania, but one is the best way to reach western Crete and its beaches. If you rent, Greek law requires both a valid U.S. driver's license and an International Driving Permit.
What's the weather like for the crossing to Crete?
Wind matters more than anything else at sea. The fast catamarans have no open deck and can give a bumpy ride when it blows, and winds tend to be stronger in autumn.
Weather can sometimes affect sailings, so it is worth confirming your departure time with the operator before you head to the port.
Sources
- asinglewomantraveling.com (https://asinglewomantraveling.com/best-route-from-athens-to-crete-by-ferry/), checked October 18, 2026
- rome2rio.com (https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Athens/Crete-Greece), checked October 18, 2026
- community.ricksteves.com (https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/greece/athens-to-crete-then-santorini-or-athens-to-santorini-then-crete), checked October 18, 2026
- omio.com (https://www.omio.com/ferries/athens/crete-vtdun), checked October 18, 2026
- minoan.gr (https://www.minoan.gr/en/ferry-routes/crete), checked October 18, 2026
- U.S. Department of State (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Greece.html), checked October 15, 2026
- minoan.it (https://www.minoan.it/en/routes-fares-timetable-minoan-lines/timetable-ferry-piraeus-heraklion), checked October 15, 2026
- minoan.gr (https://www.minoan.gr/en/ferry-routes/heraklion-piraeus), checked October 15, 2026
- minoan.gr (https://www.minoan.gr/en), checked October 15, 2026
- anek.gr (https://www.anek.gr/en-gb/destinations/chania), checked October 15, 2026
- anek.gr (https://www.anek.gr/en-gb), checked October 15, 2026