Getting from Astypalaia to Crete

If you are heading to Crete from Astypalaia you are making your way from a butterfly-shaped island between the Cyclades and the Dodecanese to the largest island in Greece, with ancient Minoan sites, mountain gorges, excellent food and a coastline that stretches for hundreds of kilometres.

Take the ferry

There is a seasonal direct ferry from Astypalaia to Heraklion in Crete running in summer on the wider Blue Star route. The service runs a limited number of times per week and takes around 6 to 8 hours depending on the vessel and stops. It is a good option if you want to travel by sea and avoid going through Athens entirely. Alternatively take the ferry from Astypalaia to Naxos and then the direct Naxos to Heraklion ferry, which keeps the journey within the island network and avoids Athens.

Getting there by air

Both Heraklion and Chania have airports with daily connections from Athens. Astypalaia has its own small airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Astypalaia to Athens and then Athens to Heraklion or Chania takes around 50 minutes on the second leg. Total journey time is around 4 to 5 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly from Astypalaia to Athens and then fly to Crete. Choose Heraklion for central and eastern Crete, Chania for the west. If you prefer to travel by sea, check whether the seasonal direct ferry from Astypalaia aligns with your dates as it avoids Athens entirely. If you are traveling with a car, take the ferry from Astypalaia to Piraeus and board the overnight Piraeus to Crete ferry, which takes your vehicle directly to the island and arrives in the morning ready to go.