CreteLing 2024

Getting to Crete
Arriving in Crete by plane
Crete is served by 2 airports

Heraklion (Heraklion International Airport, Nikos Kazantzakis, IATA code: HER)
Chania (Chania International Airport, Ioannis Daskalogiannis, IATA code: CHQ)

In July there are some direct international flights to both Heraklion and Chania.

If you are flying from a Greek city to either Heraklion or Chania Airport, there are three airlines with (several) daily flights.

Aegean Airlines (A3): Tel: +30 210 6261700, +30 28210 63366
Olympic Airways (OA): Tel: +30 210 3550500, +30 28310 22257, +30 28310 24333
RyanAir (FR): (flights only between Athens and Chania)

Arriving in Crete by ferryboat
From Athens you have the option to reach Crete (Heraklion or Chania) by ferryboat. The ferries to Crete leave from the port of Piraeus. To get to Piraeus from the airport of Athens, you have the option to:

a) use the direct Airport Bus No. 96.
- Bus ticket: 6 €. The bus ride takes about 1.30 hr (more depending on the traffic).
b) use the underground (Metro). Take the blue Metro Line 3 to Monastiraki station and change to (green) Line 1 to Piraeus.
- Ticket 10€. Ride duration approx. 70-80 min.
c) get a taxi (costs approx. 60-70€ daytime fare).

Ferry routes

From Piraeus to Heraklion: for schedules & ticket prices see Anek Superfast, Blue Star Ferries, Minoan Lines
When you arrive in the port of Heraklion, the bus station (KTEL) is on Ikarou Ave. and Efessou Street (7 minute walk from the port).
From Piraeus to Chania: for schedules & ticket prices see Anek Superfast, Blue Star Ferries.
When you arrive in the port of Chania (Souda), the bus stop to Rethymnon is just outside the port area.

Getting to Rethymnon from the Heraklion or Chania airports
From Heraklion airport: distance to Rethymnon about 82 km

BY BUS: You need to go to the Heraklion central bus station (KTEL) near the harbor. You can get there by either taking the local shuttle buses (bus stop located outside the Arrivals building) or by taxi.
- Local shuttle buses to KTEL run every 10 minutes (from 6:00 to 23:00). [ATTENTION! Bus No.5 does not go to KTEL].
  The trip duration is approximately 20 minutes. Local bus phone number: (+30) 2810 245020
- A taxi from the airport to KTEL costs approx. 10-12€.
Once you arrive at KTEL, you take the intercity bus (also called supraregional bus) to Rethymnon (trip duration: approx. 90 min. Bus ticket: 8.30€ usually every hour, if not more often - check the timetable
BY TAXI: Getting directly from Heraklion airport to Rethymnon by taxi will cost approximately 100-120€ (trip duration: 60-70 min).

From Chania airport: distance to Rethymnon about 68 km

BY DIRECT BUS: There is a direct bus route from Chania Airport to Rethymnon (via Souda) and vice versa. (Trip duration: approx. 60-70 min. Bus ticket: 8 € - see the timetable)
BY non-direct BUS: You need to take a bus to Chania central bus station (KTEL). You can get there by either taking the local shuttle buses (bus stop located outside the Arrivals building on your right hand) or by taxi.
- Local shuttle buses to KTEL run almost every half hour (starting at 6:30 to 23:45). Trip duration: approx. 30 minutes. Ticket cost 2.50€. For more information please see the timetable.
- A taxi from the airport to KTEL costs approximately 22-25€
Once you arrive at KTEL, you take the intercity bus (trip duration: approx. 60-70 min. Bus ticket: 6.80€ - see the timetable).
BY TAXI: Getting directly from Chania airport to Rethymnon by taxi will cost approximately 90-100€ (trip duration: 1 h).

PLEASE NOTE that the last intercity buses from the Heraklion and Chania central bus stations (KTEL) to the Rethymnon bus station leave at 22:45 and 00:00 respectively.

Getting to the University Campus
The Gallos University Campus is located about 5 km from the Rethymnon town center.
You can take bus #10 (which runs every hour from downtown to the University) or any other bus that says University/ΠΑΝΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΙΟ. The bus route takes approx. 15-25 minutes. Ticket price: 1,30€
Alternatively, many CreteLingers in the past have shared taxis from downtown to campus (and back). The taxi fare to and from downtown is approx. 7-8€ (daytime fare).
Taxi ride/fare can be shared among four people. You may want to share a cab with other students from your dorm and then the cost of the taxi per person is not much higher than the bus ticket.

Getting to the Faculty of Letters & the Department of Philology from downtown
Please check the map route for how to get to the Philology Department and the Classrooms (either by bus or by taxi).
The bus leaves you at the main entrance of the campus.
A taxi can drop you off at the Department of Philology.

CSSL24 / Useful information / Traveling