As the largest Greek island, there is a plethora of ways for getting to Crete by ferry, no matter where your trip begins from. The main ports of Crete, that operate ferry connections to Piraeus port of Athens but also to other islands and cities of the mainland of Greece, are the ports of Chania and Heraklion, both located in the northern part of the island. The ports of Rethymno, Sitia, and Kissamos are secondary, but also connect Crete with the mainland of Greece and other Greek islands. On the other hand, the airports of the island are the Heraklion Airport “N. Kazantzakis”, the Chania International Airport “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” and the smallest one, the regional Sitia Public Airport. There are also other smaller ports that serve domestic ferry routes.
Ferryhopper.com is the ideal platform for you, if you want to organize a ferry trip to Crete, learn everything about the ferries schedule, compare ferry ticket prices and finally, book the tickets for your next trip to Crete.
Ferries from Piraeus port depart from gates E2 and E3 (Aghios Dionysos). You can reach these gates that are located on “Akti Ietionia”, by the free shuttle bus connecting gate E7 with the gates E3, E2 and E1. The bus runs approximately every 20 minutes, when there is a ferry departure from these gates. The shuttle bus stop is located inside gate E7, opposite to the Piraeus Metro station.
How to get a Ferry From Piraeus Port to Heraklion?
Heraklion is the main city of Crete. The port of Heraklion is the busiest of the island. Except for Piraeus, Heraklion is connected by ferry to Santorini, Paros, Ios, Mykonos, Naxos, Syros Karpathos, Kasos, Rhodes, and Halki island. The three main ferry companies that operate the Piraeus – Heraklion ferry route are the Minoan Lines, Anek Lines, and Blue Star Ferries, while the Aegeon Pelagos ferry company serves once per week the particular ferry route. In general, there are up to 16 ferry connecting routes per week during summer, a number that increases in July and August.
How long is the ferry ride from Athens to Heraklion?
The ferry connections are daily or overnight and usually, it takes from 7 to 11 hours to reach the island from Athens. The Minoan Lines service runs up to 11 times per week with a sailing duration of around 7 hours while the Anek Superfast service runs up to 7 times per week with a duration from 9 hr.
As for the ferry tickets, the adult fare is about €29.00 to €46.00 for the economy category. You have, additionally, the option of booking numbered seats which is a little bit more expensive, plus the option of booking different types of a cabin that offer a more relaxing trip at a higher price.
Which ferry company is the cheapest to reach Heraklion from Athens?
Ferry ticket prices between the ferry companies vary from €29.00 to €46.00, thus there is not so important difference between the ferry companies’ price list. The cost differs depending on the category of travel and the extra cabin addition option. Generally, the Minoan Lines ferry tickets are a little bit more expensive.
All ferries have restaurants, bars, TVs in the lounges, so even if you are a solo traveler or backpack traveler and you cannot afford booking a cabin, you can get yourself comfortable on board and spend your time using the ferry facilities.
If you choose to travel overnight, we recommend you book a cabin for a more relaxing and comfortable trip, especially if you travel with kids. In this case, it is wise to book well in advance to avoid any unpleasant surprises such as not finding available tickets.
Ferry from Athens to Heraklion Schedule
This is an indicative schedule of ferries getting to Heraklion from Piraeus Port during summer months.
Route | Depart – Arrive | Ferry Company |
Piraeus – Heraklion | 10:00 – 18:45 | ANEK LINES or BLUE STAR FERRIES |
Piraeus – Heraklion | 11:00 – 18:45 (18:30) | MINOAN LINES |
Piraeus – Heraklion | 21:00 – 06:00 | ANEK LINES or BLUE STAR FERRIES |
Piraeus – Heraklion | 21:00 (22:00) – 06:30 | MINOAN LINES |
On Fridays, there is an additional ferry crossing, operated by Aegeon Pelagos Ferries (18:00 – 10:20) and the trip duration is about 16 hours.
Ferry From Heraklion to Athens Schedule
This is an indicative schedule of ferries getting to Piraeus Port from Heraklion during summer months.
Route | Depart – Arrive | Ferry Company |
Heraklion – Piraeus | 10:00 – 18:00 | MINOAN LINES |
Heraklion – Piraeus | 20:30 – 07:15 | MINOAN LINES |
Heraklion – Piraeus | 21:00 – 06:00 | ANEK LINES or BLUE STAR FERRIES |
How to get from/to Heraklion Port by bus?
How to get from/to Heraklion Port on a taxi?
Contact us if you wish to book a private transfer from your hotel to Heraklion Port.
How to get a Ferry From Piraeus Port to Chania?
How long is the ferry ride from Athens to Chania?
Ferry from Athens to Chania Schedule
Route | Depart – Arrive | Ferry Company |
Piraeus – Chania | 20:30 – 04:30 | MINOAN LINES |
Piraeus – Chania | 21:00 – 06:00 | ANEK LINES or BLUE STAR FERRIES |
Ferry From Chania to Athens Schedule
Route | Depart – Arrive | Ferry Company |
Chania – Piraeus | 22:00 – 06:30 | ANEK LINES or BLUE STAR FERRIES |
Chania – Piraeus | 23:59 – 07:15 | MINOAN LINES |
How to get from/to Chania Port (Souda) by bus?
How to get from/to Chania Port (Souda) on a taxi?
If you don’t know which port is better to arrive at and you are between Chania and Heraklion, you can take into consideration to get from Athens to Chania and then return back or continue to another island from Heraklion. In this way, you have the chance to travel from the west to the east and explore a bigger part of the island.
