Getting from Chania to Patras

If you are heading to Patras from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to the third largest city in Greece on the southern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, the main gateway to the Ionian islands and western Europe.

Getting there by air

Patras has a small seasonal airport at Araxos, around 40 kilometres from the city, operating limited flights from May to October only. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Chania to Athens and then taking the train from Athens to Kiato and the bus to Patras gives a total journey time of around 8 hours. In most cases the combination of ferry and road is more practical than flying for this route.

Take the ferry

There is a direct bus and ferry service from Chania to Patras running twice a week, which combines the overnight Chania to Piraeus ferry with a bus connection to Patras and takes around 13 to 14 hours in total. Alternatively take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and then drive or take the KTEL bus west to Patras, which takes around 2.5 to 3 hours from Athens via the E65 motorway. There is also a seasonal direct bus and ferry from Chania to Patras which is the most economical option.

Your best option

Take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and drive or take the KTEL bus west to Patras. It avoids flying entirely, saves a night's accommodation on the ferry and delivers you to Patras by mid-morning. If you are traveling with a car, the overnight ferry from Chania takes your vehicle to Piraeus and you drive west to Patras from there, which takes around 2.5 to 3 hours.