Travel to Crete

There are three international airports: Heraklion airport, Akrotiri airport close to Chania and Sitia airport. For international flights you will usually have to fly via Athens, except for charter flights or a few companies that fly directly to Crete. Another way to travel from Athens is by ferry from Pireas, the port of Athens.

Airplane

There are daily flights to Crete from all major cities in Greece and from many European cities as well. The closest airport to the conference site is the Heraklion international airport, 23 km from the Aldemar Royal Knossos Village and 5 km from the city of Iraklio, the largest city in Crete. International delegates may need to fly through Athens, which is serviced by all major airlines. Flights from Athens to Heraklion are approximately 50-60 minutes. Flights from London to Heraklion are 3 hours 45 minutes.

Airlines:

Aegean Airlines (recommended for quality and service)
Olympic Airlines

Airports:

Heraklion Interrnational Airport in Crete (Code: HER), Tel: 0810-397129, 397136 (info 24hrs)
Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" (Code: ATH)

Boat

It is also possible to travel to Crete by ferry from Pireas, the port of Athens. The trip takes approximately 9 hours on standard ferries and 6 hours on the high-speed Knossos Palace and Festos Palace (of the Minoan Lines fleet). An overnight ferry from Pireas, Athens will arrive in Iraklio, Crete between 5:00 and 6:30 in the morning (departing approximately 19:00).
Each ship offers very good standards of accommodation in "Luxury", "First" and "Second" class cabins, most with private toilet and shower. Every ship also offers a "deck" class offering aircraft type seats.

Fleets:

Minoan Lines
ANEK

More information on Ferries, please click here.

Travel on the Island

Bus

There are regular buses between Heraklion airport and Eleftherias Square in the city of Iraklio. Tickets should be bought before boarding and cost (2 euros). However, there is no bus service between the airport and the Aldemar Royal Knossos Village.

Taxi

The one-way cost per taxi from the airport to the Aldemar Royal Knossos Village is approximately 35 Euros. The fare from the airport into the town is 5-6 Euros. There is an official charge when a taxi takes you to or from an airport or port, and luggage can be charged extra.

CreteTaxi offers a special price of 33 EUR for all the ESWC participants,  incl. VAT for the fare from Heraklion airport or Heraklion port to the Aldemar Royal Knossos Village in Anissaras/Chersonissos.  Participants that will arrive with the same flight/ferry or at the same time, will be asked if they want to share a taxi (and costs). The taxi sharing is possible  up to 3 passengers. To reserve the special fare, one has to send an email to   referring to the ESWC conference. The contact person, who speaks English, German, Dutch and Greek, will be at the airport to welcome your participants and she/he will coordinate all the fares. For more information contact CreteTaxi directly.