From Heraklion Airport (HER) to Plakias there are three ways to travel: a pre-booked private transfer (approximately €105, 1 hour 45 minutes, door-to-door with a fixed price), a street taxi (approximately €105, 1 hour 47 minutes, metered price), or the KTEL public bus (€17.10, approximately 4 hours 20 minutes, one change at Rethymno). Best Crete Transfer recommends pre-booking a private transfer to guarantee your price and have your driver waiting at arrivals. Heraklion Airport (HER) connects to Plakias via these three transport options - this guide covers all of them.
The fastest way from Heraklion Airport to Plakias is a pre-booked private transfer (1h 45m, ~€105 fixed price); the cheapest is the KTEL bus (€17.10, ~4h 20m with one change at Rethymno).
| Transport | Price | Journey Time | Booking | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Transfer (BCT) | ~€105 (1-3 pax) | ~1h 45m | Pre-book online, fixed price | Groups, families, luggage, convenience |
| Street Taxi | ~€105 (variable) | ~1h 47m | Taxi rank at arrivals | Solo travellers, flexible schedule |
| KTEL Bus | €17.10 | ~4h 20m | Heraklion Bus Station A | Budget travellers |
Price note: Transfer prices listed are approximate and based on pre-booked fixed-price transfers from Heraklion Airport (HER). Street taxi fares are metered and may differ. KTEL bus fares are set by the operator and subject to seasonal change. For a confirmed price, use our real-time quote tool above.
A private transfer from Heraklion Airport (HER) to Plakias covers the 114 km route in approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, door-to-door, for a fixed price of around €105 for up to 3 passengers. You book online in advance, your price is locked at booking, and your driver meets you at arrivals.
A street taxi from the rank at arrivals covers the same route in approximately 1 hour 47 minutes for around €105. The price is set by the meter and can vary, so there is no guaranteed fare before you set off.
The KTEL public bus is the cheapest option at €17.10 in total, but it requires a change at Rethymno Bus Station and takes approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
A private transfer from Heraklion Airport (HER) to Plakias costs approximately €105 for up to 3 passengers and takes around 1 hour 45 minutes door-to-door, with a fixed price confirmed at booking.
A private transfer from Heraklion Airport (HER) to Plakias with Best Crete Transfer costs approximately €105 for a standard saloon car (1-3 passengers) or €130-€150 for a minivan (up to 8 passengers). Journey time is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. Your price is fixed at booking - no meter, no surprises. Your English-speaking driver meets you at the arrivals hall with a name board, helps with your luggage, and takes you directly to your hotel or accommodation in Plakias. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure.
Best Crete Transfer handles every step of the journey - from arrivals pickup to hotel drop-off - so you arrive rested. This door-to-door, meet-and-greet service is especially helpful if you are travelling with a large group or have a lot of luggage.
Best Crete Transfer is fully licensed and accredited by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO). Our GNTO registration number is 1039E60000310701. All transfers comply with Greek Ministry of Transport regulations for private hire vehicles.
Traveller review: "Our driver was waiting at arrivals with our name on a sign. He helped with all the luggage and got us to Plakias in about 1 hour 45 minutes. The price was exactly what we booked - no extra charges." - Verified booking, Trustpilot
Your fixed-price private transfer includes a meet-and-greet at the arrivals hall, an English-speaking driver, luggage assistance, and direct door-to-door drop-off at your accommodation in Plakias. Prices vary by vehicle: a standard saloon car (up to 3 passengers) costs approximately €105; a minivan (up to 8 passengers) costs approximately €130-€150; a minibus (up to 13 passengers) is available on request. All prices are fixed and include luggage.
Pre-book your private transfer online and receive a confirmed fixed price. Choose the vehicle that suits your group size, select your arrival time, and your driver will be waiting at the arrivals terminal with a name board. With a private transfer you choose your own departure time, so you are not locked into rigid timetables. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure.
A street taxi from Heraklion Airport to Plakias costs approximately €105 and takes about 1 hour 47 minutes - but unlike a private transfer, the price is set by the meter and can vary.
A taxi from Heraklion Airport covers the 114 km route to Plakias in approximately 1 hour 47 minutes. A private transfer costs approximately €105 - more than the KTEL bus (€17.10) but far less time-consuming. Taxi services at Heraklion Airport are easy to find: you can catch one just outside the airport's arrivals area, where many taxis wait to take passengers to their destination. We do not recommend the street taxi as your first choice, because the price is set by the driver's meter and can vary a lot.
Vehicle type determines the price: a standard saloon seats 1-3 passengers at approximately €105; a minivan seats up to 8 at approximately €130-€150. You can get a real-time quote online to compare a fixed-price transfer against a metered taxi.
The KTEL public bus from Heraklion to Plakias costs €17.10 total but requires a change at Rethymno Bus Station - total journey time is approximately 4 hours 20 minutes.
Plakias is approximately 114 km from Heraklion International Airport (HER). There is no direct bus, so you travel in two legs with a change at Rethymno. A KTEL bus ticket from Heraklion to Plakias costs €17.10 in total (two legs: Heraklion to Rethymno, then Rethymno to Plakias). The full KTEL journey takes approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes. The bus is the most cost-effective choice for budget travellers, and it lets you stop at different locations along the way.
In Heraklion there are two bus stations. Heraklion Bus Station A is located near the city's port, and Heraklion Bus Station B is located near the old town's walls. KTEL buses for Rethymno and Plakias depart from Heraklion Bus Station A.
Intermediate stops on the way to Plakias:
When taking the bus, expect to make some stops along the way. The most popular intermediate stops are:
Heraklion (Airport) - Bali - Rethymno.
It is good to ask the driver before boarding whether the bus stops at any of these locations, so you can get off if you would like to explore.
Step 1: Take the airport shuttle bus or a taxi to Heraklion Bus Station A (near the port). The shuttle stops just outside the arrivals terminal.
Step 2: Board a KTEL bus to Rethymno Bus Station (journey approximately 1h 30m).
Step 3: Change at Rethymno and take the connecting KTEL bus to Plakias (approximately 50 min).
Total fare: €17.10.
Best Crete Transfer provides door-to-door private transfers across Crete for every group size and occasion:
See our full fleet of vehicles or book your Crete airport transfer online.
Below are the most common questions travellers ask about getting from Heraklion Airport (HER) to Plakias.
Plakias is approximately 114 km from Heraklion International Airport (HER). By private transfer or taxi the drive takes about 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 47 minutes.
The cheapest way is the KTEL public bus at €17.10 in total, with one change at Rethymno Bus Station. The trade-off is time: the bus takes approximately 4 hours 20 minutes versus around 1 hour 45 minutes for a private transfer.
No. There is no direct bus. You travel in two legs by KTEL bus - first from Heraklion Bus Station A to Rethymno Bus Station, then change at Rethymno for the connecting bus to Plakias.
Yes. Best Crete Transfer offers pre-booked private transfers from Heraklion Airport (HER) with a fixed price confirmed at booking and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. For the fastest, door-to-door option with your driver waiting at arrivals, book a private transfer online.
About Best Crete Transfer
Best Crete Transfer is a GNTO-licensed private transfer operator (registration no. 1039E60000310701) based at Heraklion Airport, Crete. Operating since 2015, we provide pre-booked private transfers to over 60 destinations across Crete Island, including Plakias, Rethymno, Chania, and Heraklion City. Our drivers are fully licensed, English-speaking, and professionally trained. All vehicles are regularly serviced and insured.
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Fares on this route are fixed per vehicle rather than per person, and confirmed before you travel. You can check the current price for every vehicle size on the Heraklion Airport to Plakias transfers page.
