Ferry from Santorini to Crete

How to Get from Santorini to Crete

Crete is one of the most popular Greek destinations, offering a wide range of activities to its visitors. The largest Greek island, spreading over 8.450 km2 (3.260 sq mi), blends majestic beaches with mountainous landscapes, scenic traditional villages with modern urban areas, and historical and cultural attractions with vibrant nightlife and a renowned dining scene. Therefore, it is no surprise that many of Santorini’s visitors choose Crete as their next destination. So, what is the most popular transit option from Santorini to Crete?

Most travelers choose to get from Santorini to Crete by ferry. All ferry routes from Santorini depart from Athinios Port, the Santorini Ferry Port, which handles all passenger traffic. Athinios Port can be found on the southwest part of the island. In detail, it lies 8km/4.9 miles from the island’s capital (Fira), where the Santorini Cruise Port is located, and 10km/6.2 miles from JTR Airport. Travelers wishing to reach Santorini Thira Port can catch one of the Santorini port taxis or reserve a luxurious private transfer. On the other hand, if you’ve rented a car during your stay, you can drop off your car rental at Athinios Port. Alternatively, bus journeys are a cheap way to travel. However, Athinios Port is connected by bus only to Fira. Therefore, if your departure point is another location in Santorini, you’ll have to travel to Fira first to catch the bus from Fira to Santorini Port.

Crete has many ports. In fact, there are six key ports in Crete: Rethymno Port, Heraklion Port, Sitia Port, Agios Nikolaos Port, Kissamos Port, and Chania Port. It’s important to remember that distances between Crete’s ports are quite long. Therefore, you should choose the port that best suits your destination. Ferries from Santorini to Crete head to three of those ports: Heraklion Port, Rethymno Port, and Sitia Port.

Types of Ferries from Santorini to Crete

Regular and high-speed ferries depart from Athinios Port, heading to Crete. Despite their differences, they are all safe and efficient, comply with high safety standards, and are designed to offer passengers a pleasant travel experience. Moreover, ferries can accommodate passengers with reduced mobility, featuring all the necessary amenities to ensure a smooth and comfortable journey. Additionally, they offer several services, including restrooms, coffee and snack bars, lounge areas, and comfortable seating zones. Some of the conventional ferries also have cabins, while many vessels house restaurants, VIP areas, and gift shops as well. Please keep in mind that they are all air-conditioned. In fact, the indoor areas can be quite chilly, so you should dress accordingly. On the other hand, if you plan to sit on the deck, you should wear a hat, apply sunscreen, and stay hydrated, as summer temperatures in Greece are usually high.

Which type of ferry should you choose for your journey from Santorini to Crete? Check each option’s pros and disadvantages:

* Weather-related delays and cancellations are less common on conventional ferries, while they are widely preferred by passengers prone to seasickness.

The Ferry Schedule from Santorini to Crete

Ferries depart daily from Santorini to Crete. However, not all Cretan ports are served with daily connections. Thus, there are available crossings from Santorini to Heraklion from Monday to Sunday, while ferry routes from Athinios to Rethymno are available only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Moreover, a ferry also runs from Santorini to Sitia on Wednesdays and Fridays. Expectantly, routes are less frequent during the winter when demand is lower. Schedules change each year, but not significantly. In any case, passengers are advised to book their tickets well in advance. Indeed, ferries from Athinios to Crete often fill up, and last-minute reservations usually come with higher prices.

The duration of the ferry journey depends on the vessel and route chosen. In-between stops increase travel time, especially during the peak tourist season, when boarding and disembarking are more time-consuming due to high passenger traffic. What’s more, the weather conditions also affect the ferry ride duration. Overall, the Santorini-to-Heraklion ferry time is around 1.5 to 3 hours, while ferries from the Port of Santorini take about 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to Rethymno and 6 hours and 40 minutes to reach Sitia.

Santorini has only one ferry port, Athinios Port, on its southwest side. While it handles all passenger traffic to and from the island, Athinios Port is limited in size and often gets overcrowded. Plus, the drive down to Athinios is both steep and winding, as well as busy. Consequently, passengers must schedule their arrival at the port carefully to be at the ferry docks on time to board the ferry. In general, they are recommended to be at Thira Port one hour before the sailing. However, travelers who haven’t booked their tickets online or used web check-in should keep in mind that lines at the port’s travel agencies for collecting paper tickets can be long.

Fares and Tickets for Ferries from Santorini to Crete

The price of Santorini port ferry tickets for crossings to Crete differs according to the destination port, the time of year, the type of reserved seating, and the chosen ferry company. Moreover, if you book a cabin or travel with a vehicle, the final cost will be considerably higher. Thus, tickets for the ferry route from Santorini to Heraklion* cost around €16-€93/$18-$104, while routes to Rethymno are priced at around €104/$117. On the other hand, sailings from Santorini to Sitia come with a €21,50/$24,12 price. Special deals are usually available for early reservations. Children aged 5 to 10 pay lower fares, while younger kids travel for free.

Tip to Know: Most ferry companies operating at Thira Port offer web check-in services. It is advisable to use that service to save time at the often congested Athinios Port.

*for an economy-class type of ticket, which is the most affordable option

Ferry Companies with Routes from Santorini to Crete

Routes and Fares of Ferry Companies from Santorini to Crete

Sailings from Santorini to Crete are more frequent in summer than at other times. If you plan to travel from Santorini to Crete, you should check the current timetable of the selected ferry company. In general, ferries from Athinios to Crete run as follows:

Hellenic Seaways Ferries from Santorini to Heraklion

Seajets Ferries from Santorini to Heraklion

Seajets Ferries from Santorini to Rethymno

Blue Star Ferries from Santorini to Heraklion

Blue Star Ferries from Santorini to Sitia

A Flight or a Ferry from Santorini to Crete?

Are you wondering how to get from Santorini to Crete? Apart from ferry journeys, flights also depart from Santorini Airport (JTR) to Crete. Crete has several airports. Hence, you can catch a flight to Heraklion Airport, Chania Airport, or Sitia Airport. However, none of these flights are direct but require a connecting flight. So, how will you travel from Santorini to Crete?

While flights from Santorini to Crete (Heraklion, Chania, or Sitia) aren’t direct, they are considered less tedious than long ferry journeys, especially when passengers book a cheap deck-lounge ticket. Moreover, the small Athinios Port gets easily crowded. Plus, the road to the port is steep and hilly, making it difficult to navigate. Thus, arriving at Thira Port and boarding the ferry can be challenging. Finally, a flight from Santorini is the only way, although indirect, to reach Chania.

Alternatively, ferry journeys are the most popular way to get from Santorini to Crete. They are cheap and don’t impose luggage restrictions. Therefore, you can board the ferry even with heavy bags without being charged extra. Moreover, they offer scenic routes across the Aegean Sea, providing stunning views of the sea and ports. In fact, many travelers consider the sea travel experience unmatched. Plus, Rethymno doesn’t have an airport. Therefore, if you want to travel from Santorini to Rethymno, the Power Jet ferry is your only option.

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