Getting from Chania to Ioannina

If you are heading to Ioannina from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to a city in the mountains of Epirus in northwestern Greece, on the western shore of Lake Pamvotis with the Pindos range behind it and the Vikos Gorge, one of the deepest in the world, an hour away.

Getting there by air

Ioannina has its own airport with connections from Athens. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Chania to Athens and then Athens to Ioannina gives a total journey time of around 4 to 5 hours. The airport is just 4 kilometres from the city centre. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Ioannina. It is an inland city with no sea connection. Getting there by sea means taking the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, and then traveling northwest by road or air to Ioannina, which takes around 5 to 6 hours from Athens by KTEL bus. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Your best option

Fly from Chania to Athens and then fly to Ioannina. It is the most practical approach. The KTEL bus from Athens Kifissos terminal to Ioannina runs several times daily and takes around 6 to 7 hours, which is worth considering if you prefer not to fly the second leg. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and drive northwest via the E65 motorway to Ioannina, which takes around 5 to 6 hours from Athens.