Crete Bus Independent transit guide
Choose language: English

Explore

Explore Crete by bus

Arrive

Plan with confidence

Monastery above Rethymno

Arkadi Monastery

KTEL Chania–Rethymno publishes Rethymno–Arkadi every day in both directions; the first departure each way runs from Monday to Friday only.

By bus

Getting to Arkadi Monastery

Scheduled service

KTEL Chania–Rethymno's Rethymno edition prints Rethymno–Arkadi and the return every day, with the first departure each way marked as not running at weekends, and a daily Rethymno–Arkadi–Museum of Ancient Eleftherna–Margarites–Perama–Panormo loop in both directions.

  • At weekends the edition prints one departure fewer in each direction, because the first is marked as not running then.
  • The loop by the Museum of Ancient Eleftherna runs once a day each way; the card below shows the direct Rethymno–Arkadi rows.
  • Check the edition covering your travel date; this one prints no end date.

Source: KTEL Chania–Rethymno S.A.: Official routes, timetables and fares for west Crete

Check the Rethymno–Arkadi rows with KTEL

Before you go

Use Crete Bus on your trip

What the app does, and the App Store and Google Play links, are on the app page.

See Crete Bus for your trip Check the Rethymno–Arkadi rows with KTEL
Carved stonework on the façade of the church at Arkadi Monastery
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

Getting here

Build the transport plan separately

A step-by-step journey guide is not yet published. Use the current Rethymno–Arkadi rows; the first departure each way is weekdays only.

. Current times and fares remain with the operator.

Bus times published for Arkadi Monastery

Each card is one line an operator publishes between Arkadi Monastery and another place on the site, with the first and last departure and the number of departures for each day group. The figures come from a dated operator edition, shown until the date on the card; open the operator's current timetable before you travel.

  • Rethymno – Arkadi

    KTEL Chania–Rethymno edition from 28 September 2026, read 5 October 2026; times shown until 19 October 2026

    Times are departures from the first-named place of each row.

    Leaves Rethymno for Arkadi

    Mon–Fri
    3 departures, 06:00–14:15
    Sat–Sun
    2 departures, 10:15–14:15

    Leaves Arkadi for Rethymno

    Mon–Fri
    3 departures, 07:00–17:00
    Sat–Sun
    2 departures, 12:15–17:00

    Read from the operator's own timetable; two independent readings agree.

    Open the operator's timetable

Source: KTEL Chania–Rethymno timetable index, read 5 October 2026. Open the timetable index

Arkadi Monastery

The bus network over the terrain

Published by KTEL C-R

Terrain © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018, provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA

Worth your time

What Arkadi Monastery does best

The Monastery of Arkadi stands about 25 km from Rethymno, at the north-west foot of Psiloritis and at an altitude of about 500 m, according to the Region of Crete. The Greek National Tourism Organisation recounts how, besieged by the Ottomans, the monks and local people chose to blow up the gunpowder store rather than surrender. KTEL Chania–Rethymno's edition valid from 28 September 2026 publishes Rethymno–Arkadi every day in both directions.

  1. A 16th-century church front

    The Greek National Tourism Organisation points to the Renaissance façade of the church of Saints Constantine and Helen, built by the monks in the 16th century.

  2. The siege

    The national tourism organisation recounts the siege by the Ottomans, when those inside chose to blow up the gunpowder store rather than surrender.

  3. What you can see inside

    The national tourism guide lists the church, the old dining hall, the storerooms where flour and bread were kept, the gunpowder store, the museum and the gallery.

Good to know

  • At weekends, the edition's first departure each way does not run: start from the second.
  • A daily bus loop also links Arkadi with the Museum of Ancient Eleftherna, Margarites, Perama and Panormo.
  • Opening arrangements at the monastery are not a bus fact; check them with the monastery.

Optional experiences

Pairs well with the bus

These bookable options are optional. Check how their meeting point fits your independent bus plan.

How these links work

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.

  • GetYourGuide Island-wide · Crete

    Discover Crete-wide experiences

    Browse the current island-wide catalogue of tours, gorge walks and boat trips across Crete.

    Getting there: Many experiences include transport; where they do not, check the responsible KTEL company for the corridor before booking.

    Browse on GetYourGuide Opens in a new tab

Curated for this destination. The full list lives on the experiences page.

Keep exploring

Place sources