Getting from Zakynthos to Chania

If you are heading to Chania from Zakynthos you are making your way to the most beautiful city in Crete, with a Venetian old town wrapped around a harbour that has been in use for over three thousand years and the White Mountains rising steeply behind it.

Take the ferry

There is no direct ferry from Zakynthos to Chania. No Ionian island is connected by sea to any Aegean island. Getting there by sea means taking the bus and ferry from Zakynthos to Patras and then the overnight ferry from Patras to Chania, which takes around 8 to 9 hours. The total journey takes around 15 to 16 hours.

Getting there by air

Both Zakynthos and Chania have airports. Flying from Zakynthos to Athens and then Athens to Chania gives a total journey time of around 5 to 6 hours. In Greece, airlines do not operate direct inter island flights.

Your best option

Fly via Athens. It is the most practical approach for most travellers. If you are travelling with a car, take the ferry from Zakynthos to Patras and then the overnight ferry from Patras to Chania, which takes your vehicle directly to Crete and saves the drive to Piraeus.