Athens (Piraeus) – Heraklion
Ferries to Crete
Athens (Piraeus) – Heraklion
Ferries to Crete
The Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferry is serviced by 2 ferry companies; Minoan Lines & SeaJets.Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferries take around 9 hours 30 minutes. The ferry costs between €82.05 and €604.61, depending on ticket details. Prices exclude any service fees. Ferry timetables change seasonally, use our Deal Finder to get live pricing and availability for ferries from Athens (Piraeus) to Heraklion.
The first Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferry typically departs from Athens (Piraeus) at around 01:00. The last ferry usually departs at 23:59.
The Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferry trip can take around 9 hours 30 minutes. The fastest sailings are approximately 7 hours 20 minutes. Sailing times can vary between ferry operators and can be impacted by weather conditions.
There is 33 weekly sailings from Athens (Piraeus) to Heraklion provided by Minoan Lines & SeaJets. Timetables can change from season to season.
Minoan Lines provide 8 sailings weekly. SeaJets provide 13 sailings weekly.
Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferry prices typically range between 82€* and 605€*. The average price is typically 226€*. The cheapest Athens (Piraeus) Heraklion ferry prices start from 82€*. The average price for a foot passenger is 150€*. The average price for a car is 333€*.
Pricing will vary depending on number of passengers, vehicle type, route and sailing times. Pricing is taken from searches over last 30 days and exclusive of service fees, last updated 1 April 2025.
The distance between Athens (Piraeus) to Heraklion is approximately 193.9 miles (312.1km) or 168.5 nautical miles.
Yes, Minoan Lines & SeaJets ferries allow cars on board ferries between Athens (Piraeus) and Heraklion. Use our Deal Finder to get live pricing for car ferries between Athens (Piraeus) and Heraklion.
Yes, foot passengers can travel with Minoan Lines & SeaJets ferries between Athens (Piraeus) and Heraklion.
Pets are allowed on ferries travelling from Athens (Piraeus) to Heraklion with Minoan Lines. Please also note that your pet may have to stay in the vehicle during the journey unless the ferry operator supplies pet accommodation.
More routes than anyone else.
Compare fares, times & routes in one place.
Change plans easily with flexi tickets.
Book e-tickets & manage trips in-app.
Live ship tracking & real-time updates.
Top-rated customer support when you need it.
| Athens (Piraeus) - Crete (Heraklion) Route summary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departure Country | Greece | |
| Destination Country | Greece | |
| No. of Operators | 2 | |
| Operators | Blue Star Ferries & SeaJets | |
| Average Price | 204 €* | |
| Average Daily Sailings | 1 | |
| Average Weekly Sailings | 8 | |
| Average Sailing Duration | 9h 37m | |
| Fastest Sailing Duration | 8h 5m | |
| First Ferry | 07:00 | |
| Last Ferry | 21:00 | |
| Distance | 168 nautical miles | |
* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-11-05.
The port city of Piraeus in Greece lies on the Saronic Gulf in the Attica region of the country and forms part of the Athens urban area, with the centre of Athens located some 12 km from the port. The centre of Piraeus is generally congested with traffic and tends not to be place where tourists would go. The area has many of the facilities you would expect of a non-tourist town: banks, public buildings, pedestrian areas, shopping streets and the like. The area around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano Harbour are perhaps the most attractive part of Piraeus and have a good selection of restaurants, cafes and bars.
Piraeus is Greece's main port and the largest in Europe and the third largest in the world. Unsurprisingly, it is the hub of Greece's maritime industries and the base for its merchant navy. Having recently undergone a refurbishment, facilities at the port have improved and include ATM's, bureau de change, restaurants, cafes, bars and a number of travel agencies selling ferry tickets. destinations served by the port include the island of Crete, the Cyclades Islands, the Dodecanese Islands, the eastern parts of Greece and parts of the northern and eastern Aegean Sea.
Located on the Greek island of Crete, Heraklion is the island's largest city and is one of the main urban centres in Greece. The city can trace its history back to at least the 9th century AD when its development began and then later came under the influence of the Arabs, the Venetians and the Ottomans. Popular sites in the city with tourists include the fortification walls that are essentially the boundary of the old city. These were first built by the Arabs and then reinforced by the Venetians. From the seven bastions, only the Martinengo bastion survives to this day and is where visitors will find the tomb of the renowned writer N. Kazantzakis, overlooking the city. The city was also a venue during the 2004 Olympic Games, and hosted games of the football tournament.
Located in the city's old port, visitors can still see the vaulted tarsanades where ships used to be built and also the 16th century Koule Fortress. From the port, ferries depart to destinations including Santorini, Ios, Paros, Mykonos and Rhodes. There are also ferry services to the Greek mainland port of Piraeus.
