Public transport in Crete: bus schedule, location of bus stations

To travel around Crete, you can choose a car or public transport. In the latter case, you need to study the transport system of the island. Buses in Crete will be able to deliver a tourist to any resort. But for this you need to know their route, the rules for purchasing tickets, behavior. Ideally, for independent travel, you can not rent a car, but use only the public transport system.

Description of the public transport network

There are no private carriers operating on urban and intercity bus routes on the island. The state organization – KTEL (ΚΤΕΛ) (Κοινά Ταμεία Εισπράξεων Λεωφορείων) is responsible for this. Its structure is divided into two directions – western and eastern. The first is the buses of Crete, traveling along the route Rethymno-Chania. Eastern network – Heraklion-Lassithi. Thus, the public transport system of Crete covers all the resorts of the island.

Information about the schedule of bus routes is available on the official websites of organizations – https://e-ktel.com and https://www.ktelherlas.gr . It is dubbed in Greek and English. There you can also find out the fare from different resorts of the island.

What you need to know about Crete’s public transport system:

• Divided into two networks – intracity and intercity.
• Tickets for travel can be bought at the bus station or from the driver if boarding is carried out at intermediate stops.
• There are baggage restrictions. On urban routes, only hand luggage is allowed.
• The intracity network is developed only in the large resorts of the island –

To move from the eastern to the western part of the island or vice versa, you need to schedule transfers. You can do it in big cities. It is recommended to study the Crete bus schedule in advance so as not to waste time waiting for the desired route.

Buying tickets

For the convenience of local residents, tourists and independent travelers, a large network for the sale of bus tickets has been created. The easiest way to pay the fare is to buy a ticket at the bus station. If you plan to land at an intermediate stop, this can be done with the driver. But in intercity buses of Crete, standing places are prohibited, so if the seats are fully occupied in the cabin, you won’t be able to get through. You can stand on city routes.

Alternative ways to buy tickets for routes that are convenient for vacationers:

• In special machines, which are located at large bus stations.
• in big supermarkets. There are special places for selling passes and tickets. Landmark – the name of the Bus Ticket.
• In hotels, hotels of the island. This possibility must be obtained from the administration.

The cost of tickets does not differ from the place of purchase. This is not affected by the timing of the acquisition, there are no discounts for early reservation. If the amount of luggage exceeds the allowable figure, you need to pay extra for its transportation on the buses of Crete. This information can be found on the official website of the transport companies of the island.

Location of bus stations

There is a bus station in every resort town in Greece. Here you can buy flight tickets, find out the bus schedule in Crete, create a travel route. The latter can be done on the website of the state carrier. The advantage of the island’s bus stations is that you can take several tickets at once if transfers are planned along the way.

Information about bus stations in Crete:

• Heraklion . Central , KTEL Bus Station A or Station at the port. Routes to all resort areas of the island begin here. This is the only bus station to which buses run from the international airport. Alternative place landings – KTEL Bus Station B or Station at Chanioporta. Routes run through it to the central and southern part of Crete.
• Rethymno. The bus station is located in the central part of the city. From here you can go to Kavros, Chania, Mili Agia Irini. Advantages – convenient location, there is an interactive bus schedule in Crete.
• Chania. Located near the old market. Bus routes from Chania Airport come here. Tickets can be bought at the box office or reserved online. From Chania airport there is a direct flight to Rethymno. An intermediate stop is the port of Souda.
• Agios Nikolaos. The bus station of this resort of Crete is located in the business part of the city. The building is relatively small, there is a waiting room, cash desks work, including automatic ones.
• Sitia. Located next to the old market. Here you can get tickets to Heraklion, Zakros, Ierapetra, Makryialos. Online checkouts are open. Many tourists and solo travelers stay longer here to see the local sights.
• Ierapetra. This is a relatively small bus station located in the central area of the city. Buses across Crete depart from here, there is also a network of city bus routes. Directions – Sitia, Makryialos, Heraklion, Myrtos, Agios Nikolaos.

To form a route, you can order tickets for several buses at once. This can be done online, which saves time. Each bus station on the island has a bus schedule. It can be found on the official website of the carrier.

Directions

The ticket price depends on the route – 1.2-26 Euro. Tickets can be purchased at the box office of the station, from the driver or at other points of sale. If you plan to travel between resorts, tickets are purchased at the bus station. The exception is landing at intermediate stops. Then you can pay the fare to the driver. Controllers work on intercity and local bus routes. There are relatively large fines for ticketless travel.

What you need to know about travel by bus in Crete, tips:

• In long-distance there are only seats. Luggage fits into special niches. In urban areas, you can ride standing up, luggage is placed only in the cabin. Therefore, there are restrictions on its volume.
• Disembarkation at an intermediate stop. You can ask the driver to announce it. Sometimes bus drivers themselves announce the name of the stop. More often choose the first option.
• In the east of the island, the numbering of stops starts from Heraklion. This is indicated on the ticket. In the west, Chania, in addition to the number, the name of the settlement is written.
• The stops of city and intercity buses in Crete may not coincide. This needs to be specified on the map.

For a comfortable journey by bus, it is recommended to make a route in advance, so it is convenient to move between resorts. The schedule in Crete hardly changes. You can check the current version at bus stations or on the official website of the transport service.