Getting around Chania is straightforward: the Old Town is fully walkable, KTEL buses connect the city center to beaches and nearby towns from €2.50, taxis are plentiful with airport fares fixed at €30, and pre-booked private transfers from Best Crete Transfer offer door-to-door service with a fixed price and no negotiation. For remote beaches like Elafonisi, a rental car or scooter gives you the most flexibility.
Chania sits on the western side of Crete, 15 km west of its airport and roughly 142 km from Heraklion. This guide gives you the fares, distances, and drive times you need to plan any journey in and around the city.
Use this table to choose the right transport mode for your Chania trip based on cost, speed, and flexibility.
| Transport Mode | Cost | Journey Time (Airport→City) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| KTEL airport bus | €2.50 | 45 min | Budget travelers |
| Taxi | €30 fixed | 20–25 min | Small groups (1–3 pax) |
| Private transfer (BCT) | From €35 | 20–25 min | Families, airport pickups, late arrivals |
| Car hire | From €25/day | 20–25 min | Day trips to remote beaches |
| Scooter rental | From €20/day | 25–30 min | Solo/couple beach day trips |
| On foot | Free | City center only | Old Town sightseeing |
Prices correct as of June 2026. KTEL fares are set by the regional authority and change infrequently; taxi fares are metered and may differ from the indicative ranges above. Always confirm the fare before travel. For private transfers, Best Crete Transfer offers fixed prices - no surprises.
Chania's Old Town is entirely pedestrianised and the most rewarding way to explore the harbour, Venetian walls, and covered market is on foot - you need no vehicle for the city center.
Chania's Old Town is compact and fully walkable - most visitors explore the Venetian harbour, the covered market (Agora), and the main square on foot in under two hours. The lanes around Splantzia and the harbourfront are closed to most traffic, so walking is faster than driving. For day trips outside the center, you will need a bus, taxi, or rental vehicle.
KTEL (the green intercity buses) is the cheapest way to reach beaches and nearby towns from Chania, with fares starting at €2.50 and departures from the central station on Kydonias Street.
KTEL intercity buses depart from Chania Central Bus Station at Kydonias 73–77, a 10-minute walk from the Old Town. Buy tickets at the station ticket office before boarding. Clean, air-conditioned KTEL coaches serve Chania's main routes and offer the cheapest intercity connection across the island. Official Chania–Heraklion timetables and ticket purchase: ktelchaniaher.gr .
KTEL intercity buses run from Chania to towns and beaches across western and central Crete. Sample fares and times:
Frequency drops sharply in the afternoon on southern routes, so plan your return before 17:00. KTEL also runs to Georgioupolis, Apokoronas, and Sfakia. Check the current KTEL timetable at ktelchaniaher.gr before you travel.
Chania Airport (CHQ) is 15 km east of the city center - a journey that takes 20–25 minutes by taxi (€30 fixed) or up to 45 minutes by the airport bus (€2.50).
Chania Airport (CHQ) sits 15 km east of the city center on the Akrotiri peninsula. You have three main ways to reach town.
The KTEL airport bus departs from the bus stop outside the arrivals terminal. A one-way ticket costs €2.50 and the ride takes up to 45 minutes. The airport bus runs only a handful of times per day, so check the timetable at ktelchaniaher.gr and allow buffer time if you are connecting to an intercity coach.
A taxi from Chania Airport to Chania town costs a fixed €30 and takes 20–25 minutes. Taxis wait at the rank directly outside arrivals. In peak season (July–August), the airport taxi queue can stretch to 30–45 minutes after large charter arrivals - pre-booking a transfer eliminates this wait entirely.
Best Crete Transfer offers a pre-booked private airport transfer from a fixed price of €35, with meet-and-greet inside arrivals and no negotiation on arrival. Our drivers complete this 15 km route multiple times daily and track current road conditions and seasonal service changes. Vehicle options include sedans, SUVs, and Crete minivans transfers for families and larger groups, with free cancellation and 24/7 support.
Chania taxis are metered and plentiful - ranks are at Plateia 1866, the Venetian harbour, and the airport; expect to pay €10–15 for most in-town journeys.
You can hail a Chania taxi at ranks on Plateia 1866, the Venetian harbour, and Chania Airport, or book one via the Crete Taxi app. Fares are metered, starting at a €3.20 flagfall. Taxis are slightly more expensive than buses but get you to your destination faster and in comfort.
Typical metered fares to the beaches:
Renting a car in Chania unlocks the remote beaches and mountain villages that buses cannot reach; daily rates start from around €25–35 in shoulder season and rise to €45–70 in July–August.
A car is the best option for reaching Elafonisi (73 km), Balos (56 km), and Sfakia (72 km), which have limited or no public bus service. Car hire desks are at Chania Airport and in the city center. Full-coverage insurance is recommended for mountain roads, and an International Driving Permit is not required for EU licence holders.
You do not need a car to enjoy Chania itself - the Old Town is walkable and KTEL buses cover the main towns and popular beaches. A rental car becomes worthwhile when you want to reach the southern beaches and mountain villages that buses do not serve, or when you want to set your own schedule. For airport arrivals and single point-to-point trips, a pre-booked private transfer is often simpler than hiring a car.
Cretan mountain roads are narrow and winding - drive slowly on the coastal road between Chania and Kissamos, and allow extra time for the Samaria Gorge access road, which has one-lane sections. Crete's main roads are generally in good condition, but the island is mountainous, so plan for longer drive times than distance alone suggests.
Parking in central Chania is limited. Two practical options: the free parking area near the East Moat Theatre by Koum Kapi (a few meters from the theatre, busy on Saturdays during the farmers' market), and the free parking at Talos Square - follow the one-way road toward the waterfront, past the large Carrefour sign, until you reach the city walls, where there is a lot plus street parking. Ignore anyone who asks you to pay for free public parking; this is a known scam.
Scooters and ATVs are the most popular way for day-trippers to reach the beaches west of Chania independently; daily rental costs €20–35 for a 50cc scooter or €40–60 for a quad.
Rental shops along the harbour and near the bus station offer scooters and quad bikes. Prices: 50cc scooter from €20–25/day; 125cc from €30–40/day; quad/ATV from €40–60/day. A valid motorcycle licence (category A1/A2) is required for scooters over 50cc, and helmets are mandatory. Fuel is extra - budget €5–10/day for local trips. Scooters are ideal for the coastal road west to Nea Chora and Agioi Apostoloi beach (5 km).
Reaching Chania's most famous beaches - Elafonisi (73 km), Falassarna (57 km), and Balos lagoon (56 km) - requires either a rented vehicle, a taxi, a KTEL bus, or a seasonal boat.
Many visitors staying in Chania head out to Elafonisi, Falassarna, and Marmara beach, while hikers tackle the Samaria Gorge (44 km, around 45 minutes by road to the trailhead) or the quieter Aradena Gorge.
KTEL runs seasonal buses from Chania Central Bus Station to the most popular beaches in summer. Services are most frequent in July and August and reduced or suspended in the low season. The Elafonisi bus (73 km, around 1 h 30 min) typically departs once or twice in the morning and returns in the late afternoon, so confirm both legs at ktelchaniaher.gr before you set out.
If the bus times do not suit you, a taxi gives you flexibility. Approximate metered fares: Chania → Elafonisi €65–75 (73 km); Chania → Falassarna €40–50 (57 km). Agreeing a fixed price for the return trip, or pre-booking a private transfer, can work out cheaper than a one-way taxi each way.
In summer, boats serve beaches and coastal villages that are hard to reach by road. Several towns and islands in the Chania region - including Loutro, Glyka Nera, and Gavdos - are accessible only by boat. Boat trips are usually an affordable and scenic way to reach the southwest coast; check seasonal schedules at the harbour, as services run mainly from late spring to early autumn.
The 142 km journey from Heraklion Airport to Chania takes approximately 2 hours by taxi (€150–200 negotiated) or 2.5 hours by KTEL bus with a change at Heraklion bus station.
By taxi, negotiate and confirm the fare before you accept - do not pay more than around €200 for the 142 km trip. If you arrive late at night, pre-booking a private transfer with Best Crete Transfer is a safer and often cheaper alternative, with a fixed price and door-to-door service. You can break the journey with a short stop in Rethymno along the route.
You can get around Crete without a car for the coastal towns along the north highway, but a rental car or private transfer is needed for the southern beaches and mountain villages that buses do not reach.
KTEL buses cover all major towns and popular beaches across Crete, but frequency drops sharply in the afternoon - plan your return journey before 17:00 on southern routes. Some towns and islands, including Loutro, Glyka Nera, Gavdos, Dia Island, Chrissi Island, and Koufonissia, are reachable only by boat, which is usually a cheap and convenient way to travel the coast.
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.
Answers to the most common questions about getting around Chania, from bus schedules to taxi apps.
Walk in the Old Town (it is fully pedestrianised), take KTEL buses or a pre-booked private transfer for day trips, and use taxis, car hire, or a scooter for everything in between. Local urban bus journeys cost €1.70.
Yes. Chania's Old Town is compact and fully walkable - you can see the Venetian harbour, the covered market, and the main square on foot in under two hours, with no vehicle needed for the city center.
Yes. The KTEL airport bus costs €2.50 and takes up to 45 minutes, departing from outside the arrivals terminal. It runs only a few times per day, so check the timetable in advance.
The airport-to-city taxi is a fixed €30. In-town journeys are typically €10–15. Beach taxis are metered: Elafonisi €65–75, Falassarna €40–50.
Not for the city itself, which is walkable and served by buses. A car (or scooter) is worthwhile for remote beaches such as Elafonisi, Balos, and Sfakia, where buses are limited or seasonal.
By road it is 73 km, about 1 h 20 min. In summer a seasonal KTEL bus runs once or twice in the morning; otherwise a rental car, scooter, taxi (€65–75), or pre-booked transfer gives you the most flexibility.
No. Uber is not available in Chania. Use the Crete Taxi app for metered taxis, or pre-book a private transfer with Best Crete Transfer for scheduled trips across Crete.
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