Bus Transfers To and From Chania Airport

Chania Airport is international, and is located on the island of Crete, just fourteen kilometers from the city of Chania. Crete is the largest of the Greek islands, and a very popular holiday destination for local and international tourists alike. Chania Airport is nearby Souda Bay, on the Akrotiri peninsula, and is also well known as the Ioannis Daskalogiannis Airport, which was the name of a heroic Cretan who rebelled against the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century. Passengers needing to travel to or from Chania Airport will find local bus services and taxis available. The bus services are much cheaper than any other form of transport from the airport, and offer a reasonably reliable service.

Chania Airport is not as large as the other airport on Crete, known as Heraklion Airport, but still handles around three million passengers per year. It has just one terminal building, from where all domestic and international departures and arrivals are handled. Once passengers have collected their luggage from the baggage reclaim area, and are ready to leave the airport, the bus and taxi stops can be found just outside the arrival area. The bus services on the island of Crete are mainly operated by the KTEL Bus Company, and their local and regional services are available for transport to just about every village, town and city on the island.

Passengers wanting Chania Airport buses can find the bus services by KTEL to be very convenient, and they are mostly preferred to taxi services for their lower prices. A taxi to the city center of Chania will cost between 16 and 20 Euro, while the bus will only cost a few Euro at most. However, passengers who are in a hurry should rather catch a taxi, as the buses can be slow, and will make a couple of stops on the way to the main bus station in the city. The only drawback for the bus services to and from Chania Airport is that they are not available at frequent times during the day. There are only about three services per day. One earlier in the morning, around seven o'clock, another at about ten thirty and the last departs at about seven thirty in the evening. Although the buses provide a very convenient and low-cost journey to Chania, the intervals between their departures could pose problems for some passengers.

In the alternative direction, buses can be taken from the main bus terminal to reach Chania Airport, about three times a day as well. The earliest bus leaves around six o'clock, the second is available at nine o'clock and the last bus to head for the airport is at about six thirty in the evening. The journey by bus to Chania Airport will take between twenty and thirty minutes, depending on traffic conditions and the number of stops which are needed along the way.

There are two bus stations in Chania, one for regional bus services and the other for local bus services. In general, the blue coloured KTEL buses are used for travelling within the city, and the local bus station is found outside the court house in Chania, in front of the main market. They are said to be quite useful for getting around town, but may not always be very punctual. To other locations, the green KTEL buses are used. They travel to destinations that are further than about five kilometers from the center of the city. The regional bus station can be found by walking up to the top of Halidon Street and across the square. Turn to the right, and the bus station is about a hundred meters away on the left. From this bus station, passengers can travel to areas such as Agia Marina, Agia Triada, Sfakia, Elafonisi, Heraklion, Kastelli (Kissamos), Rethymno, Sternes and Therissos. Other destinations are also available, and the buses stop at the smaller towns along the way as well.

Rethymno's bus station is found on the coast of the city just west of the fortress, and in Lassithi, a popular area for visitors, Agios Nikolaos Bus Station C is nearby the hospital on the way to the town if you are coming in from the direction of Heraklion, and the Bus Station D of Sitia is just off Venizelou on the way out of the town. It is also nearby the sea front. Ierpetra has a bus terminal as well. A journey to Heraklion from Chania will take approximately two and a half hours by bus.

The buses of the KTEL Company are mostly air conditioned, in particular the buses for longer journeys, and are in good condition. KTEL has recently replaced their older buses with new ones; therefore passengers can expect to be transported in modern vehicles. Passengers are warned however, to refrain from eating or drinking on the buses, and they operate strictly on a non-smoking policy. Bus tickets for the majority of routes can be purchased at the bus stations, or from the driver of the bus, at no extra charge.

Another transport option for passengers arriving at Chania Airport are the hotel shuttle bus services. Many of the main hotels in the region offer transport services to and from the airport, and their buses may even be free of charge. Passengers are advised to find out in advance if their place of accommodation operates a shuttle bus, and to book the service if required. Sometimes a reservation for the transport is required. A hotel shuttle is perhaps the most convenient option for passengers who will be going directly to their hotel after arriving at Chania Airport. Further information regarding the local bus services is available from the information desk at the airport.