Getting from Chania to Paxos

If you are heading to Paxos from Chania you are making your way from the most intimate of Crete's three main cities to a small island in the Ionian Sea, on the opposite side of Greece. It has ancient olive groves, turquoise coves and a Venetian harbour at Gaios that is one of the most charming in Greece.

Getting there by air

Paxos has no airport. The nearest airport is Corfu. Chania has an international airport with connections from Athens. Flying from Chania to Athens and then Athens to Corfu, followed by the ferry from Corfu to Paxos taking around 1 hour 30 minutes, gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Chania to Paxos. Getting there by sea means taking the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus, which takes around 8 to 9 hours, and then traveling northwest to Igoumenitsa by road for the ferry to Paxos, which takes around 1 hour 30 minutes. The total journey takes the better part of two days. Flying via Corfu is considerably more practical for most travelers.

Your best option

Fly from Chania to Athens and then fly to Corfu and take the ferry across to Paxos. It is the most practical approach. If you are traveling with a car, take the overnight ferry from Chania to Piraeus and drive northwest to Igoumenitsa for the daily car ferry to Paxos from there, as the Corfu to Paxos ferry does not carry vehicles.