Crete · Airport
Getting to Crete
Heraklion International Airport Nikos Kazantzakis (HER) is the main gateway for east Crete — Knossos, Spinalonga, and Lasithi plateau are within day-trip range of a Heraklion base.
Airports
Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis
Bus to city centre ~20 min — default airport for Minoan sites and east coast resorts.
Into the centre
Typical door-to-door options — verify fares locally before you travel.
- HER → Heraklion centre
- Bus line 1 or taxi ~20 min — port and museum walkable.
- €2.50 bus / €18 taxi
- HER → Knossos
- Bus 2 or taxi 5 km south of Heraklion.
- €2.50 / €12 taxi
- Heraklion → Rethymno
- KTEL north-coast bus ~1h 15min — hourly peak season.
- €8–10
- Car rental
- Automatic recommended for Lasithi mountain roads.
- €30–50/day
Worth knowing
- West Crete (Chania, Balos, Elafonissi) is a separate hub via CHQ — not a realistic day trip from Heraklion.
Common questions
HER to Knossos time?+
20–30 minutes by bus or taxi — palace is 5 km south of Heraklion centre.
Costs are research-based estimates, not live prices — verify before booking.