Getting from Chania to Katerini

If you are heading to Katerini from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to a city at the foot of Mount Olympus on the Pierian coast of northern Greece, with the mountain rising steeply behind it and the beaches of the Pieria coast below.

Getting there by air

Katerini has no airport. The nearest airport is Thessaloniki, around 70 kilometres to the north. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens and seasonal direct connections from Thessaloniki. Flying from Chania to Thessaloniki directly and then taking the KTEL bus or driving south to Katerini, which takes around 1 hour, gives a total journey time of around 3 to 4 hours and avoids Athens entirely. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chania to Katerini. Katerini is a mainland city with no ferry connection. Getting there by sea means taking the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, and then driving or taking the KTEL bus north to Katerini, which takes around 4 to 4.5 hours from Athens via the E75 motorway. The total journey takes the better part of two days.

Your best option

Fly from Chania to Thessaloniki directly when the seasonal schedule allows, then take the KTEL bus or drive south to Katerini. It avoids Athens entirely and is the most practical approach. If no direct flight is available, fly from Chania to Athens and then fly to Thessaloniki and take the KTEL bus or drive south to Katerini. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and drive north via the E75 motorway to Katerini.