The Heraklion Athens ferry route connects Crete with Athens and is currently operated by 3 ferry companies. Minoan Lines operate their crossing up to 12 times per week, Anek Lines 1 times per week & the Anek Superfast service is available up to 7 times per week.
There are a combined 20 sailings available per week on the Heraklion Piraeus crossing between Crete and Athens and with 3 ferry companies on offer it is advisable to compare all to make sure you get the best fare at the time that you want to travel.
| Crete (Heraklion) - Athens (Piraeus) Route summary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departure Country | Greece | |
| Destination Country | Greece | |
| No. of Operators | 5 | |
| Operators | Anek Lines, Anek Superfast, Blue Star Ferries, Cyclades Fast Ferries & Minoan Lines | |
| Average Price | £128* | |
| Average Daily Sailings | 2 | |
| Average Weekly Sailings | 20 | |
| Average Sailing Duration | 9h 23m | |
| Fastest Sailing Duration | 8h 45m | |
| First Ferry | 01:30 | |
| Last Ferry | 23:00 | |
| Distance | 168 nautical miles | |
* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2024-04-02.
"Excellent ferry "
We rented a cabin, everything was clean and worth every cent. There is plenty of restaurants and areas to keep kids occupied. I would definitely come with Minoan in the future.
'Knossos Palace' travelled on Knossos Palace
Read More Read Less"ATHENS TO Heraklion "
Very relaxing crossing. Comfy cabin and well priced food and beer.
'Festos Palace' travelled on Festos Palace
Read More Read Less"Excellent trip"
Professional, friendly, good food and service, clean well run ship
'Festos Palace' travelled on Festos Palace
Read More Read Less"Great trip"
Night time passage. Cabin was excellent, restaurant served good food at a reasonable cost. All very clean and bright
'Festos Palace' travelled on Festos Palace
Read More Read LessThe Greek city of Heraklion is the capital and largest city on the island of Crete. A popular visitor attraction near the city is Knossos, which is around 5 km from Heraklion. This important archaeological site was the Palace of King Minos and home to the Minotaur, if legend is to be believed. The palace was built over the remains of a former Neolithic settlement in around 1900 BC.
An important attraction in the city itself is the Archaeological Museum which can be found on one corner of the central Eleftherias Square, in a converted power station. The museum collects and displays many artefacts from Knossos, Archanes, Phaestos, Zakros and many other important archaeological sites on the island. The museum's collection spans several thousand years and includes the Phaestos disc, classic Hellenic and Roman sculptures, frescos, jewellery, wall paintings and pottery.
Visitors to Heraklion can take a ferry from the port, which is important for both passenger services and cargo, to destinations including Santorini, Ios, Paros, Mykonos and Rhodes. There are also daily sailings to the mainland port of Piraeus.
The Greek city and port of Piraeus is one of the largest ports in the whole of the Mediterranean, and the third largest in the world, and has become a major hub for the ferry network that spans the Aegean Sea. Piraeus is an important city in its own right despite the fact that it is frequently considered to be a suburb of Athens, the Greek capital, which is only a very short distance away. Despite its proximity to Athens, Piraeus' waterfront has its own distinct appearance and visitors will see that the most appealing parts of the city are located around its eastern quarter, alongside both Mikrolimano Harbour and Zea Marina. A popular event in Piraeus is the Ecocinema International Film Festival which is held annually in late February and is where a number of films are screened at the Atticon Cinema and the Cineac Cinema, which are both located in the city's Town Hall Square.
Full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs, the waterfront district was greatly redeveloped in time for the Athens Olympics and as a result a new harbour front promenade was created that is lined with trees and passes the medieval city walls. The walls serve as a reminder and as an insight into the city's rich past.
Ferry Timetables between 22/04/2024 and 28/04/2024
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Sailing Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Star Ferries | 05:15 | 14:20 | 9 hours 5 minutes | Sat |
| Minoan Lines | 09:30 | 18:30 | 9 hours | Sat |
| Blue Star Ferries | 21:00 | 06:15 | 9 hours 15 minutes | Everyday |
| Minoan Lines | 21:00 | 06:30 | 9 hours 30 minutes | Everyday |
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