How to Get from Santorini to Crete: Logistics and More!

The best way to get from Santorini to Crete is via ferry; though it can be pricey, it is the most efficient way to get to the island.

From the look of the map, you may think flying would be the best way to get to Santorini from Crete, but there isn’t even a direct flight from Santorini to Crete.

To fly to Crete from Santorini, you have to fly to Athens first and then fly to Crete. Though this isn’t as time consuming and expensive as you may think, it still isn’t as efficient as the ferry!

Crete Ports

You will ferry from the port of Athinios on Santorini to one of three ferry ports on Crete island. Where you ferry to depends on where you plan to stay!

The three ports to choose from are Heraklion, Rethymnon, and Sitia.

Heraklion: The biggest and busiest ferry port on Crete is the Heraklion ferry port. Also the most centrally located on the island.

Rethymnon: Closest port if you are going to Chania, Balos Beach, etc.

Sitia: Closest port if you are going to the east side of Crete such as Vai Beach.

High Speed Ferry

The fastest way to get from Santorini to Crete is via the high-speed ferry provided by Seajets.

High speed ferry timetables:

• To Heraklion: Operates daily, sometimes a few times a day during peak season (3:30pm is a popular time)
  • Duration: About an hour and a half
• To Rethymnon: Operates two days a week, typically Tuesday and Saturday (usually 5pm)
  • Duration: A little under 2.5 hours
• To Sitia: Seajets does not offer a high-speed option to Sitia from Santorini

Price: ~92 to 130 euros for a high speed ferry from Santorini to Crete

Pros: Faster, daytime travel. Cons: Expensive for a one-way ride, not many time options.

Book a high speed ferry from Santorini to Heraklion, Crete!

Overnight Ferry

An alternative ferry route is to take the overnight ferry from Santorini to Crete provided by Blue Star Ferries.

This is a more affordable travel option IF you choose a standard seat on the ferry. BUT they leave late (like 11:50pm), so these ferries are equipped with cabins with beds for the overnight journeys.

Overnight Ferry Routes:

• To Heraklion: Operates two days a week, typically Wednesday and Friday
  • Duration: 4.5 hours
• To Sitia: Operates two days a week, typically Wednesday and Friday
  • Duration: 7-8 hours
• To Reymnon: There are no overnight ferry options to Reymnon Port on Crete

Price: Of course, cabins with beds come with higher price tags as well.

• Around 22 to 35 euros for a standard cabin seat
• Around 107 euros if you opt for a cabin with a bed

Pros: Can be more affordable, you can save on one night accommodation if you opt for the overnight, Cons: Longer ride, the overnight time and duration put you on the island (Heraklion) at 3 or 4 am with little sleep (to other parts of the island with longer rides it would give you more rest time and a better arrival time)

Alternative Affordable Option

Blue Star Ferries also provides some daytime ferry options to Heraklion for the same cheaper price (they also have some faster daytime options, but they are the same price as Seajets, so I just recommend taking Seajet).

These cheaper, slower, daytime routes are few and far between, but they leave around 3pm, stop at one more port and then go to Heraklion, getting there around 7:15pm (about 4.5 hours)

Price: Around 22 euros with choosing a standard cabin seat

This is the best option if you want to get to Crete for the cheapest price but don’t want to take the overnight route that gets you to the island in the wee hours of the morning.

Booking Tickets

The best way to see all ferries available for your travel day is to go to a platform that shows all of the ferries companies available (rather than going directly to one ferry companies website.)

Omio or Ferryhopper are good sources for seeing all of the available ferries for your day and route. However, Omio adds the most service fees for the ferries, so I don’t recommend booking with them.

High Speed Ferries:

• You can book a high speed ferry to Heraklion through Get Your Guide for about 103 euros per person (same as Ferryhopper)
• Booking directly through Seajets is about 92 euros.
• If you are comfortable and familiar with Get Your Guide you can use them, but you will save about 10 euros by booking direct.

Overnight ferries will be booked directly through Blue Star Ferries.

How to Get to the Port

Santorinis ferry port, port of Athinios or Thira Port, is located on the west side of Santorini. The ferry terminal is located just west of Pygros and south of Fira.

Transportation Options

The port of Athinios is located DOWN a winding road to the bottom of the cliffside. To get there, you have a couple of options .

Rent a car and drop it off at the ferry terminal- If you plan to explore more of Santorini than just Oia or Fira (the Red Beach, Pygros, etc,) the best way to explore the whole island is to rent a car (or vespa.)

You can often rent a car at the airport and drop it off at the ferry terminal, just make sure when you rent your car.

Rent a Car to Explore Santorini!

Shuttle via your hotel– Most hotels offer airport and ferry port pick up and drop off. Price will vary depending on your distance from the ferry, but I would estimate 25 euros per person.

Hire a Transfer Ahead of time– If your hotel doesn’t offer, or if you would rather do it yourself, you can prebook a transfer to the port (and to the airport) via Get Your Guide. Here is a 5 star-rated transfer service that is about 23 euros per person (about the same as hotel shuttles and probably cheaper than taxi)

Take a taxi– You can also pre-book a taxi. However, taxis in Santorini are generally a bit pricey, so I would estimate a little more per person for a private taxi.

Take the bus– The cheapest option is to take the bus. All buses in Santorini run through Fira. This route is direct about 20-25 minutes and only costs about 3 euros (cash!) Buses are ran by KTEL and there are typically three buses that leave from Fira to the ferry port. Here is the bus schedule.

How Much Time Should You Allot?

The Santorini ferry port is about 20-25 minutes from Fira WITHOUT traffic. If you are staying in Oia, Santorini and are opting to hire a ride, it will take you around 35 minutes WITHOUT traffic to get to the port.

It is recommended to get to the ferry port about an hour before your designated ferry time.

If you have decided to rent a car, you need to ensure you have enough time to drop off your car.

I would plan to start heading to the ferry port an hour and a half to two hours before your ferry time.

To catch a 4:00pm ferry from Santorini, for example, you should plan to arrive around 3:00pm to beat the crowds which means you should likely arrange for your hotel pickup for around 2:30 pm or plan to catch the 2:30 bus from Fira.

What to Expect at the Ferry Terminal

The Santorini ferry terminal can be a little chaotic, especially during peak season. The terminal is very basic setup; it consists of a pretty small parking lot and concrete strip where the ferries dock.

Behind the parking lot is a line of buildings which consist of car rental agencies, ferry company storefronts and some restaurants and cafes.

You can get an idea of what it looks like in the picture below!

If you do arrive at the ferry terminal early, you can grab a drink at one of the restaurants that overlook the terminal. For such a small area, they know it is a high traffic area and money-making machine, so there are several restaurants and cafes to choose from at the port.

You can track your ferry with this live tracker to know exactly when your ferry will arrive!

Getting on/off the Ferry

When you book your ferry, it will tell you the name of the vessel you will be on (our Seajet ticket said Superrunner Jet.)

The ferry terminal has various piers/docking areas for the ferries (first photo below,) and I really don’t know if they have designated spots for ferries or if they just choose an open one when they arrive.

However, you will definitely see the ferries arrive, especially if you are tracking them. And, the locals at the restaurants often know the schedules well and can help direct you to which “gate” to go to!

You walk onto the ferry like a herd of cattle with your luggage, which will be stored on the bottom deck of the ferry (anything you want on the ferry needs to go with you!)

Getting off the ferry is a free-for-all. Once you get close to shore, people will starting making their way down to the bottom deck of the ferry to grab luggage and stand in line to prepare to exit the ferry. As the gate drops, you’ll probably feel something like the dinosaurs getting let off onto their new Jurassic World island.

Your alternative option to get to Crete from Santorini is to fly to Athens then Crete. If you are looking at a possibly guided tour from Santorini to Crete, you likely won’t find one.

You can find one FROM Crete to Santorini, but Crete is just too big of an island to really make a day trip of it.

Flying from Santorini to Crete

As I mentioned, flying is not the most practical option. But if you have an aversion to ferries or just prefer flying, you can definitely still get to Crete from Santorini in a reasonable amount of time.

The flight from Santorini to Athens is an hour or less as is the flight from Athens to Crete and is usually quit affordable (comparable to the high speed ferry really.)

Popular airlines that fly to/from Santorini and Crete are Ryanair, Aegean Airlines, Sky Express and Volotea.

Volotea and Ryanair are quite cheap, but you have to pay for luggage whereas Aegean is a little higher in price, but includes a carry-on at least.

You can fly from Santorini to Crete in between 2 hours and 45 minutes and 4 hours (depending on how close you want to push it on your layover in Athens),

Search flights from Santorini to Crete!

The processing of ferrying in Greece, especially in the summer time, can be a bit chaotic. But, in general, it is a pretty relaxed process. If you are nervous about it, just arrive early and you can enjoy a drink if you have spare time.

Just know, if you don’t know exactly where to go when you arrive, there will be people around to help guide you!

Here is a 7 day itinerary to Athens, Santorini and Crete!