Taxi or bus in Crete? Most visitors ask it at least once: on the way from the airport to the hotel, or from the hotel to the beach. Both have their place. The public buses are cheap and cover the main towns, while a taxi or a private transfer takes you from door to door, at any hour.
We have driven taxis in Crete since 1979, and a taxi is not always the right answer. A few questions about your trip are usually enough to decide.
Taxi or bus in Crete: the short version
The intercity buses of Crete, run by the regional KTEL bus companies, connect the airports and the main towns of the north coast, such as Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion, with many villages and beaches. They are a good, low-cost way to travel when you have time and little luggage.
A taxi or a private transfer costs more for one person, but the price is per vehicle, so for a family or a group the difference gets smaller. You leave when you want, from your door, and you stop where you need to. In the end, choosing a taxi or bus in Crete depends on four things: your group, your luggage, your times and your address.
How many of you are travelling?
When you weigh up taxi or bus in Crete, start with the group. For one or two people, the bus is almost always cheaper. For four people, compare four bus tickets with the price of one taxi. For example, the indicative price of a taxi from Kolymbari to Chania is €38 for up to 4 passengers, about €9.50 per person. A mini bus for up to 8 passengers on the same route is €60, or €7.50 per person when it is full.
Groups of up to 20 people can travel together in more than one vehicle. See our group transfers.
How much luggage do you have?
On the first and the last day of a holiday you carry everything: suitcases, strollers, beach gear. On a bus that means lifting bags in and out, and sometimes changing buses at a station. In a taxi the driver loads the boot at your door and unloads it at the next one. Our estate taxis and mini buses have room for luggage, and if you carry something large, tell us when you book.
What time do you arrive or leave?
Buses run to a timetable, with fewer departures early in the morning, late at night and outside the summer season. Flights and ferries do not always fit. A taxi in Crete is booked for your time: we work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so a 5 a.m. flight or a ferry after midnight is just another ride.
Where exactly are you staying?
If your hotel is in the centre of Chania or Rethymno, the bus station may be a short walk away. Many villas and small hotels, though, are in villages above the coast or at the end of a narrow road, far from the nearest stop. From a bus stop on the national road you might still need a taxi for the last part of the trip, with your bags.
What is the trip for?
Getting to the beach on a quiet afternoon is different from catching a flight. For trips where the time matters, such as the airport, a ferry, a wedding or an appointment, it helps to know that a driver is coming for you. For relaxed trips, the bus can be part of the fun.
Some trips are harder by bus. Many of the best places in western Crete, like Balos, Elafonisi or the start of the Samaria Gorge, have only a few bus connections, mostly in the summer season. A private transfer in Crete or a private tour takes you there and back on your own schedule. For these trips, the choice between taxi or bus in Crete is often made by the timetable.
When the bus wins, and when the taxi does
The bus is usually the better choice when you travel alone or as a couple with light bags, you stay in the centre of a town with a bus station, your plans are flexible, and you are going between the big towns of the north coast during the day.
A taxi in Crete is usually the better choice when you are a family or a group sharing one price per vehicle, you land or leave very early or very late, you carry a lot of luggage or travel with small children, your hotel is away from the bus routes, or you want to stop on the way and see more than one place in a day.
What about a rental car?
For many holidays, the answer to taxi or bus in Crete is a bit of both. A rental car gives you freedom if you plan to drive every day and you are comfortable on mountain roads. You can also combine options: a transfer from the airport, a few days with a car, and a private tour for the long trips, such as Knossos or Elafonisi, where a local driver knows the road and you can enjoy the view.
Taxi, private transfer or shared shuttle?
With us, a private transfer is a taxi or a mini bus booked in advance, only for your group. There are no other passengers and no stops at other hotels, as there are with shared shuttle buses. A taxi from the rank works the same way but is not booked in advance, so at a busy airport or port you may have to wait in the queue.
Indicative prices for a taxi in Crete
A few examples from our price table, per vehicle, for a taxi with 1 to 4 passengers or a mini bus with 5 to 8:
- Kolymbari to Chania: €38 by taxi, €60 by mini bus
- Platanias to Chania: €18 by taxi, €28 by mini bus
- Kolymbari to Port of Souda: €43 by taxi, €60 by mini bus
- Chania Airport to Rethymno: €88 by taxi, €130 by mini bus
- Chania Airport to Heraklion: €165 by taxi, €210 by mini bus
All prices are indicative and we confirm the final price with your booking. See all routes on our price table, or read our guide from Chania Airport to Kolymbari.
Questions about taxi or bus in Crete
Taxi or bus in Crete: which is better from the airport?
For one person with a small bag and a daytime flight, the bus works well. For families, groups, late arrivals or hotels away from the bus routes, a taxi or a private transfer is usually easier, and the price per person gets closer to the bus.
Is a taxi in Crete expensive?
For one person, a taxi costs more than the bus. For a group, the price is shared: the indicative price from Platanias to Chania is €18 for a taxi with up to 4 passengers, and €28 for a mini bus with up to 8.
Do I need to book a taxi in advance?
At a busy airport or port, a booking means your driver is already waiting for you with a sign with your name. For early flights and ferries, book a day or more before.
Can a taxi take us where the bus does not go?
Yes. A taxi takes you to the door of a villa in the hills, to a beach without a bus stop, or to several places in one day, with stops where you need them.
Still deciding between a taxi or bus in Crete?
Tell us where you are going and how many you are, and we tell you the price, with no obligation. Use our booking form, call us on +30 28240 84575 or email info@taxi-kolymbari.gr.
