Heraklion Airport to City Centre & Crete Resorts: 2026 Guide

Heraklion Airport is only about 5 km east of the city, so getting from Heraklion Airport to the city centre is quick: a city bus costs €1.30 if you buy the ticket before boarding and takes around 20–30 minutes, while a taxi takes around 10–15 minutes and costs roughly €15–20. For the beach resorts, KTEL intercity buses stop near the airport on their way to Hersonissos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos, and taxis or pre-booked transfers cover the rest. To book a driver in advance, compare operators on our Heraklion Airport transfers page.

Heraklion Airport to city centre and resorts: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
City bus (Astiko KTEL)	€1.30 bought before boarding (zone A), €2.30 on board	Around 20–30 min	Frequent daytime service, from early morning to around midnight	Heraklion centre and port on a budget
KTEL intercity bus	Around €3–5 to Hersonissos or Malia; around €8 to Agios Nikolaos	Around 30–45 min to Hersonissos; around 1 h 30 min to Agios Nikolaos	Several departures a day, more in summer	Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos on a budget
Taxi	Around €15–20 to the centre; around €35–45 to Hersonissos	Around 10–15 min to the centre	24/7 from the rank outside Arrivals	Families, luggage, late arrivals
Pre-booked private transfer	Fixed price agreed in advance	As taxi	24/7	Groups, child seats, Elounda and eastern Crete

Bus fares are per person; taxi and transfer prices are per vehicle. For two or more people heading to Hersonissos or Malia with suitcases, a taxi or transfer is often worth the extra cost compared with waiting for an intercity bus in the summer heat.

Heraklion Airport bus to the city centre

City buses in Heraklion are run by Astiko KTEL Irakliou. The stop is a short walk from the terminal on the main road outside the airport: leave Arrivals, pass the taxi rank and follow the bus signs. Several city lines link the airport with Eleftherias (Liberty) Square, the centre and the port area, where the main KTEL coach station is, and departures are frequent during the day. The service runs from early morning until around midnight, but timetables change by season, so check the latest PDF timetables on the operator’s website if you land late.

Heraklion Airport bus ticket price

According to Astiko KTEL’s ticket page, a regular zone A ticket (the city, within about 5 km) costs €1.30 if bought before boarding and €2.30 if bought on the bus; a zone B ticket costs €1.80 or €2.80. Some travel guides say the airport lines count as zone B, so check which ticket you need at the kiosk. Tickets are sold from the kiosk and machine at the stop and from kiosks in town. A day ticket costs €5 and a 24-hour ticket €6, which can make sense if you will use the bus again the same day. Validate your ticket as you board.

Buses get crowded in the summer, and there is little space for large suitcases. The journey to the centre normally takes around 20–30 minutes, longer in rush-hour traffic on the coast road.

KTEL Heraklion buses from the airport to Hersonissos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos

The intercity buses of KTEL Heraklion–Lasithi run east along the north coast from Heraklion’s central bus station towards Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra and Sitia. Many of these buses also call at a stop by the airport, on the main road a short walk to the right of the terminal (shown as “Airport” in KTEL timetables). In high season there are typically one or two buses an hour on the Heraklion–airport–Agios Nikolaos route; outside summer there are fewer.

• Hersonissos and Stalida: around 30–45 minutes from the airport, fare around €3–4.
• Malia: around 45 minutes to an hour, fare around €4–5.
• Agios Nikolaos: around 1 hour 30 minutes, fare around €8.
• Elounda: no direct bus from the airport. Take the bus to Agios Nikolaos and change to the local KTEL bus to Elounda, which takes around 20 minutes.

Tickets are sold at the airport kiosk or on board. Not every departure from Heraklion stops at the airport, and during road works on the national road earlier in 2026 KTEL served the airport stop only with selected departures, so check the stop list on the KTEL Heraklion–Lasithi timetables page before you travel. The summer timetable has more departures than the winter one, and buses can run up to 20 minutes early or late in heavy traffic.

Heraklion Airport taxi price

Licensed taxis wait at the rank outside Arrivals around the clock. In Heraklion they are grey-silver. Taxis are metered under the national Greek tariff, which includes an airport supplement, but for the short trip to the city centre many drivers charge a set price. Expect to pay roughly:

• Heraklion city centre: around €15–20, around 10–15 minutes;
• Hersonissos: around €35–45, around 25–30 minutes;
• Malia: around €45–55, around 30–40 minutes;
• Agios Nikolaos: around €80–100, around an hour;
• Elounda: around €95–115, around 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

These are typical figures reported in 2026, not an official price list. Fares are higher at night between midnight and 05:00. Always agree the price before you set off, or check that the meter is running, and ask for a receipt. Taxis are per vehicle, so four people sharing pay the same as one.

Uber and taxi apps in Heraklion

Uber does not operate on Crete. In Heraklion, local taxis can be booked through the FreeNow app, and Bolt has started operating on parts of the island, but coverage varies. Either way you are booking a licensed taxi, so the price is similar to the rank, and the main benefit is card payment and a booking record.

Arriving with children or lots of luggage

Families usually find a taxi or a pre-booked car easier than the bus, especially for the resorts. Standard taxis do not carry child seats, so if you need one, book a transfer and give your child’s age and weight. Groups of five or more, or anyone with golf bags, diving gear or bikes, should book a minivan in advance. In July and August the taxi queue at Heraklion can be long when several charter flights land together, which is another reason many families pre-book.

Pre-booked private transfers from Heraklion Airport

A pre-booked transfer is worth it when:

• you are staying in Malia, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda or further east, where taxi fares add up and a fixed price agreed in advance avoids surprises;
• you are a family or group needing a minivan or child seats;
• your flight lands late and you want a driver waiting in Arrivals with your name;
• you have bulky luggage or a pushchair.

Our Heraklion Airport transfers page lists operators you book directly, including CreteCab, CreteCarTransfers and Athens Taxi Hub, which operates on Crete as Crete Airport Shuttle. For trips around the city and the port, see Heraklion transfers. Confirm the price, vehicle size and meeting point in writing before you fly.

Heraklion Airport to Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos and Elounda

Heraklion Airport to Hersonissos

Hersonissos is about 25 km east of the airport, around 25–30 minutes by road. The KTEL bus is the cheapest way; a taxi costs around €35–45. Most hotels in Hersonissos, Anissaras and Koutouloufari are a short taxi ride from the bus stops on the main road.

Heraklion Airport to Malia

Malia is around 35 km from the airport, normally 30–40 minutes by car. KTEL buses stop on the main road through the town, from where much of the resort is within walking distance. Expect a taxi to cost around €45–55.

Heraklion Airport to Agios Nikolaos and Elounda

Agios Nikolaos is about 65 km east, around an hour by car, and Elounda is around 10 km further along the bay. Both are popular with families staying in larger resort hotels, which is why many visitors pre-book a transfer here: a taxi costs around €80–100 to Agios Nikolaos and around €95–115 to Elounda. On a budget, take the KTEL bus to Agios Nikolaos and the local bus on to Elounda.

Heraklion Airport to Chania and Rethymno

Rethymno is around 80 km west and Chania around 140 km, roughly 2 hours by road. KTEL runs buses between Heraklion’s bus station and Chania via Rethymno, including express services in summer, but they do not start at the airport. If Chania is your base, flying into Chania Airport is often more convenient; see our Chania transfers page for local operators such as Chania Taxi.

Kastelli: Crete’s new airport

A new airport for central and eastern Crete is being built at Kastelli, around 35 km south-east of Heraklion, to replace the current airport. In October 2026 the Greek transport minister said it is expected to open in November 2028 if construction continues to plan. Until then, all flights use the existing Nikos Kazantzakis airport described here.

Tips for arriving at Heraklion Airport

• Night arrivals: city buses run until around midnight and KTEL buses end in the evening. After that, take a taxi from the rank or a pre-booked car.
• Use the official rank: take a licensed taxi from the rank or the car you have booked rather than accepting offers inside the terminal.
• Agree the fare first: for trips to the resorts, confirm the price before you load your cases.
• Payment: not every taxi takes cards, so carry some euros in cash. Bus tickets bought before boarding are cheaper than on board.
• Tipping: rounding up the taxi fare is appreciated but not expected.
• Summer traffic: the airport is busy in July and August, and the national road east to Hersonissos and Malia is slow at peak times. Allow extra time for the return trip, especially on Saturday changeover days.