Use Chania Urban Buses inside the city, and KTEL Chania–Rethymno for the west's intercity corridors.
Crete by public bus
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Choose an arrival point or place. This finder opens our published guide; it does not check live departures or plan every possible trip.
Browse every published place and arrival guide
Places worth the ride
See the place before the timetable
Start with a real view, then open the guide for the transport shape and current official sources.
Knossos sits just south of Heraklion — check the city operator's current itineraries for the route serving it.
The checked KTEL Chania–Rethymno edition publishes Chania–Elafonisi; confirm the edition for your date.
KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi publishes the corridors serving Agios Nikolaos and the east.
Use the published Kissamos Port corridor, then plan lagoon access separately.
The checked operator edition publishes Sitia–Vai in both directions.
Popular journeys
6 published corridor guides
Each guide explains the journey shape and points you to the current operator source.
KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi + KTEL Chania–Rethymno Heraklion Chania Read the guide KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi + KTEL Chania–Rethymno Heraklion Rethymno Read the guide KTEL Chania–Rethymno Chania Rethymno Read the guide KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi Heraklion Agios Nikolaos Read the guide Heraklion Urban Buses + intercity KTEL Heraklion Airport Heraklion and onward Read the guide KTEL Chania–Rethymno Chania Airport (CHQ) Chania city Read the guide
Explore the island
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Markers show approximate destinations rather than exact bus stops.
Published place guides
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Select a place for a quick orientation, or open any guide directly. Map pins mark approximate places, not bus stops.
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All published guides remain available in the list.
Approximate place
Heraklion
Use Heraklion Urban Buses inside the city, and KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi when the journey leaves it eastward or south.
Planning note: Use the matching guide for a published intercity or airport corridor, then confirm current details with the responsible operator.
Open the Heraklion guideApproximate place
Chania
Use Chania Urban Buses inside the city, and KTEL Chania–Rethymno for the west's intercity corridors.
Planning note: Use the matching guide for a published intercity or airport corridor, then confirm current details with the responsible operator.
Open the Chania guideApproximate place
Rethymno
Rethymno sits between the two KTEL companies — check which one publishes your leg.
Planning note: Rethymno sits between separately published KTEL networks. Read the guide for the direction you need and check each leg.
Open the Rethymno guideApproximate place
Agios Nikolaos
KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi publishes the corridors serving Agios Nikolaos and the east.
Planning note: Use the published corridor guide for the Heraklion side of the journey, then confirm current details with the operator. Onward Lasithi travel remains a separate check.
Open the Agios Nikolaos guideApproximate place
Knossos
Knossos sits just south of Heraklion — check the city operator's current itineraries for the route serving it.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the official urban operator link below for the current itinerary.
Open the Knossos guideApproximate place
Elafonisi
The checked KTEL Chania–Rethymno edition publishes Chania–Elafonisi; confirm the edition for your date.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the dated official KTEL publication and confirm the return.
Open the Elafonisi guideApproximate place
Matala
The checked KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi edition publishes Heraklion–Matala in both directions.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the official KTEL link below for the current corridor.
Open the Matala guideApproximate place
Hersonissos
The checked KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi edition publishes Heraklion–Hersonissos in both directions.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the official KTEL link below for the current corridor.
Open the Hersonissos guideApproximate place
Malia
The checked KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi edition publishes Heraklion–Malia in both directions.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the official KTEL link below for the current corridor.
Open the Malia guideApproximate place
Sitia
The checked KTEL Heraklio–Lasithi editions publish Sitia pairs; match the origin and date to the current grid.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Match the origin and date to the current operator grid.
Open the Sitia guideApproximate place
Elounda
Treat Elounda as a separate local journey and confirm the operator's exact current destination row before relying on it.
Planning note: The bus leg and the separate boat leg to Spinalonga are not covered by one verified journey guide. Confirm each with its responsible operator.
Open the Elounda guideApproximate place
Chora Sfakion
The checked KTEL Chania–Rethymno edition publishes Chania–Chora Sfakion in both directions.
Planning note: The roadless coast needs a separate ferry leg that the bus source does not cover. The Samaria guide shows how independently published legs fit together.
Open the Chora Sfakion guideApproximate place
Balos
Use the published Kissamos Port corridor, then plan lagoon access separately.
Planning note: The verified KTEL corridor ends at Kissamos Port. Lagoon access is a separate leg and is not covered by the bus publication.
Open the Balos guideApproximate place
Falassarna
The checked Chania–Falassarna publication marks a change at Kasteli (Kissamos) for specified journeys.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Read the current KTEL edition and its Kasteli change marker.
Open the Falassarna guideApproximate place
Vai Palm Beach
The checked operator edition publishes Sitia–Vai in both directions.
Planning note: The checked edition is valid from 14 September 2026. Match the Sitia–Vai direction and day in the edition covering your date.
Open the Vai Palm Beach guideApproximate place
Preveli
The official Rethymno–Preveli journey requires a bus change at Plakias.
Planning note: The KTEL grid establishes a change at Plakias. The current drop-off point and final walk are not verified in this guide.
Open the Preveli guideApproximate place
Plakias
Direct KTEL service from Rethymno and the transfer point for Preveli.
Planning note: A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the current Rethymno–Plakias grid and read its footnotes.
Open the Plakias guide- Open the Heraklion guide Guide
- Open the Chania guide Guide
- Open the Rethymno guide Guide
- Open the Agios Nikolaos guide Guide
- Open the Knossos guide Guide
- Open the Elafonisi guide Guide
- Open the Matala guide Guide
- Open the Hersonissos guide Guide
- Open the Malia guide Guide
- Open the Sitia guide Guide
- Open the Elounda guide Guide
- Open the Chora Sfakion guide Guide
- Open the Balos guide Guide
- Open the Falassarna guide Guide
- Open the Vai Palm Beach guide Guide
- Open the Preveli guide Guide
- Open the Plakias guide Guide
Map of Crete with markers for all published destination guides, from Chania and Balos in the west to Sitia and Vai in the east.
Map loads as it enters view.
Approximate places only. Use each guide and its official sources to plan the journey.
Optional experiences
Ideas after you understand the journey
Selected options for Knossos, Samaria Gorge and Elafonisi keep the public-transport context nearby.
Marked GetYourGuide links are affiliate links. If you book after following one, this independent guide may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
History and culture Editor’s pick Palace of Knossos entrance ticket
Knossos, near Heraklion
Pre-book entry to the Minoan palace site just south of Heraklion and explore at your own pace.
Getting there: Knossos is reached from Heraklion; check Heraklion Urban Buses for the current city route before booking a time slot.
Check availability on GetYourGuide Photo: AI-generated illustration
Hiking and nature Editor’s pick Samaria Gorge guided trek from Chania
Samaria Gorge, west Crete
A guided one-way walk through the gorge, with the operator handling the road transfer up and the return chain back to Chania.
Getting there: Doing this independently means a bus to Omalos, a walk down, and a separate boat leg out of roadless Agia Roumeli before you rejoin a KTEL Chania–Rethymno corridor. Read the Samaria guide first, then decide whether an organised trip suits you better.
Check availability on GetYourGuide Photo: AI-generated illustration
Beaches and coast Editor’s pick Elafonisi day trip from Chania
Elafonisi, west Crete
A full-day organised trip to the south-west beach, with transport included from Chania.
Getting there: KTEL Chania–Rethymno publishes a Chania–Elafonisi corridor, but it is strongly seasonal. Check the operator's current publication before assuming the independent option exists on your date.
Check availability on GetYourGuide Photo: AI-generated illustrationCrete Bus app
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