How to Get Around Chania By Bus | The Mediterranean Traveller

Chania has an excellent bus service that will help you discover Chania Town, reach the main beach resorts, and explore further afield in Crete.

There are two types of buses – the small city buses and the coaches (run by a regional umbrella company called KTEL) that run routes from Chania Town around the prefecture of Chania. The coaches also connect Chania with other cities in Crete.

Here’s everything you need to know about getting around Chania by bus.

Chania City Buses

Chania Urban Buses serve Chania Town and the surrounding area, including the ferry port and nearby beaches (but not the airport). You can find timetables online at the Chania Urban Bus website.

During the summer season, schedules are updated frequently, often weekly, and it’s difficult to find them in advance.

The buses are smaller single-deckers, lower than the KTEL coaches and with more standing room.

Routes

The main routes are:

11 Halepa
12 Agios Ioannis
13 Souda (Port)
15 Daratso – Galato – Kalamaki
16 Pervolia
18 Kounoupidiana
19 Agia
20 Lentariana
17/24 Hospital
21 Kalamaki (Panorama)
22 Tsikalaria
23 Technical University of Crete

As a tourist, the main routes you’re likely to use are 13 to reach the ferry port and 15/21 to visit Chania’s city beaches, Nea Chora and Agii Apostopoli.

Read more: The Best Beaches Near Chania

Tickets

There are 2 pricing zones within the city. At the time of writing it’s €1.10 for zone A and €1.50 for zone B if you buy your ticket before you get on the bus from a kiosk or nearby shop.

If you buy your ticket on the bus it goes up to €2/2.50. If you can’t buy your ticket beforehand there’s usually a conductor on board who will sell you tickets in cash only.

Monthly passes are available if you plan on staying in the city for some time.

Bus Station

Most city buses (including those for both the port and the beaches) leave from the stops at Platia 1866, a shady square which is a short walk from the KTEL bus station and the Old Town, but do check the timetable as one or two have different departure points.

Note that there is less information for tourists here as most of the routes serve locals, but there is a small kiosk for information and tickets.

Chania KTEL Regional Buses

KTEL Chania coaches serve routes outside the city but within the Chania prefecture (basically most of Western Crete). You can find timetables and information online at the KTEL Chania website.

Routes

Chania Airport
Rethymno
Rethymno – Heraklion
Geourgioupolis – Kavros – Rethymno – Panormos – Bali – Heraklion
Kasteli – Kissamos (for Balos)
Sougia-Xyloskalo/Omalos
Chora Sfakion
Paleochora
Kolymbari
Stavros
Elafonisi
Vatolakos – Skines – Fournes
Platanias – Botanical Park
Sternes
Vamos
Almirida
Kalyves
Falassarna

Some of the above routes are seasonal and only run during the summer. Many only run once or twice a day. Most coaches have A/C but I have been on a few which don’t!

For destinations on the other side of the island check KTEL Heraklion.

There is also a bus route which runs west to the main beach resorts near Chania:

This bus runs from the KTEL bus station but it’s not a coach, it’s a single-decker bus. It runs very frequently and has its own stand (with a big map, you can’t miss it). It’s worth noting that it gets very busy, particularly on the run back to Chania in the late afternoon/early evening.

Visiting Chania’s Popular Attractions by Bus

No bus runs all the way to Balos Beach as the final section is an unpaved track, but you can take the bus to Kissamos Port and then once there buy a ticket for the boat trip around to the beach (the buses are timed for this).

Elafonisi Beach is straightforward by bus, as is Falassarna. Sometimes, in the peak summer months, there are also buses to Seitan Limani and Frangokastello.

To reach the Samaria Gorge take a morning bus to Omalos. Once you reach Agia Roumeli at the end of the hike, take a ferry to Chora Sfakion and then the bus back to Chania from there. Alternatively, you can buy an organised excursion which bundles the transfers and the ferry ticket for you (they’re all much of a muchness).

It’s a similar scenario if you want to visit the picturesque white seaside village of Loutro on the south coast – bus to Chora Sfakion and then ferry, return the same way.

KTEL Bus Station

The KTEL Bus Station is a 10-minute walk from the Venetian Harbour. It has good facilities including luggage storage, toilets, a cafe, fierce A/C, and a mini market. There is some seating both indoors and outdoors. You can pick up printed timetables too.

Tickets

You should buy your ticket before getting on the bus at the bus station – there are 2 ticket counters and you can pay by card. Staff are used to dealing with tourist queries and speak good English. It’s also possible to buy return tickets, this saves you having to figure out where to buy it at the other end.

For popular journeys/times, it’s worth turning up early or buying your ticket in advance. You can buy your tickets online.