Chania Airport Transfer Costs to Every Destination

Transport prices from Chania Airport (CHQ) depend heavily on where you are going. Western Crete destinations are straightforward. Eastern Crete from this airport gets expensive quickly.

To Chania old town (14 km)

• Taxi: 25-35 EUR. A 20-25 minute drive.
• Pre-booked transfer: 25-45 EUR.
• KTEL bus: 2.50 EUR. Infrequent, no luggage storage, daytime only.

To Agia Marina / Platanias (18-22 km west)

• Taxi: 30-40 EUR.
• Pre-booked transfer: 30-45 EUR.

These are popular resort strips west of Chania, about 25-35 minutes from the airport.

To Georgioupolis (30 km east)

• Taxi: 40-55 EUR.
• Pre-booked transfer: 40-60 EUR.

Georgioupolis is a quieter resort town on the coast. The drive on the E75 highway is fast — about 30 minutes.

To Rethymno (60 km east)

• Taxi: 70-90 EUR.
• Pre-booked transfer: 55-80 EUR.

Rethymno is the most common long-distance destination from CHQ. The E75 makes it a 50-60 minute drive. At these prices, a pre-booked transfer consistently undercuts a taxi because drivers compete on fixed quotes.

To Paleochora / Sfakia area (65-80 km south)

• Taxi: 80-110 EUR.
• Pre-booked transfer: 70-95 EUR.

These south coast destinations involve mountain roads after the initial highway section. Allow 75-90 minutes.

To Heraklion (140 km)

• Taxi: 150-200 EUR (rarely worth it).
• Pre-booked transfer: 120-160 EUR.
• KTEL intercity bus from Chania town: around 15-18 EUR — by far the best value for this distance.

If your final destination is Heraklion or eastern Crete, you should have booked into Heraklion Airport (HER) instead.

What affects the price

Night surcharge: Taxis add 20-30% between midnight and 5 AM. Pre-booked transfers may include a fixed late fee — check at booking.

Vehicle size: Standard sedan pricing applies above. Minivans cost 10-20 EUR more and are necessary for groups of 4+ or heavy luggage.

Season: Taxi fares are metered/fixed and largely consistent year-round. Transfer prices may be marginally higher in peak July-August due to demand.

Return journeys: For the airport return, add 10% to taxi estimates — drivers sometimes apply an extra fuel surcharge for outbound-to-airport trips from distant locations.

Taxi vs transfer: where the cost difference matters

To Chania Town, taxis and transfers are essentially the same price. For anything over 40 km — Rethymno, Georgioupolis, south coast — pre-booked transfers are usually cheaper than taxis because transfer providers price competitively on longer routes.

Budget option

The KTEL bus to Chania costs 2.50 EUR. From Chania's central KTEL bus station, there are regular intercity services to Rethymno (about 7 EUR, 1 hour) and Heraklion (about 15 EUR, 3 hours). Total cost from airport to Rethymno by bus: around 10 EUR. Total time: 1.5-2 hours minimum, plus waiting. Practical for solo budget travellers. Not practical for families with luggage or late-night arrivals.