CreteForYou.com
Travel to Crete
Dedicated to travel between the UK and Crete
Back to top
Travel to Crete
Dedicated to travel between the UK and Crete
CRETE by RAIL and FERRY
Travelling to Crete by train isn’t suitable if you want to maximise a two weeks beach holiday in Crete but for a longer break it’s a relaxing way to travel and the journey is part of the holiday.
- No hours hanging around airports - 30 minutes check-in and away.
- No intrusive security checks or limitation on liquids.
- Take all the luggage you need without weight restriction.
- More interesting scenery than the back of a headrest or the tops of clouds.
- Comfortable seats with good legroom.
- Restaurant cars - you can even take your own favourite wine (and security won’t confiscate your corkscrew).
- Sleeper cars available.
- Stretch your legs walking along the corridor.
The quickest and cheapest route is via Bari, taking around 50 hours to Athens.
The Venice route takes longer as the cruise ferry to Patra is approximately 10 to 12 hours longer than the one from Bari. Option - spend a day or two in Venice.
A continuous journey on the longer routes via Vienna includes three overnight sections but you might want to break your journey at some of the fascinating cities en route.
You’ll pass through some spectacular scenery and comfortable sleeping cars can be booked the overnight sections.
From Athens you have the option of travelling to Crete by air or ferry.
If hiring a car in Crete arrange for a local company to meet you on arrival at the ferry port.
We have not (yet) travelled any of these routes. Most of the information on this page is paraphrased from another site.
That site, compiled by a long-time railwayman, has a huge mass of very readable information, tips and hints about rail travel.
It includes train times, on-board facilities, connections and much more. There are even detailed instructions on how to negotiate some of the less user-friendly web sites.
The site creator, Mark Smith, calls himself “the man in seat 61” - you’ll discover why on the site.
The whole site is a fascinating read even if you don’t plan to make any rail journeys.
Nor has Mark restricted himself to Europe but covers the UK and most of the rest of the world; anyone fancy Sydney-Adelaide-Perth?
Do visit seat 61
There are daily ferries between Athens (Piraeus) and Heraklion and Chania in Crete.
- ANEK have a daily, year-round service between Piraeus and Chania plus a second daily sailing during the July-September holiday peak . (Actual dates for 2012 had not been published at 31/01/2012).
- Minoan and ANEK-Superfast both operate year-round, daily services between Piraeus and Heraklion.
In all cases the journey times are about 7½ - 8½ hours.
You can usually board the Crete ferries that leave in the evening from about five o’clock. Some ferries have public showers so even without a cabin you can freshen up.
The ferries have full and self-service restaurants serving good food at prices comparable with those of a mid-range taverna.
CreteForYou.com
FLIGHTS - ATHENS <> CRETE
