How to get around in Chania

Clyde
Jun 23
4 min read

Tired of asking for information the taxi drivers or at the corner kiosks? Here is your Chania transportation guide.

As the time passes on, the distinction between being a traveller or being a tourist in a foreign country is becoming more & more clear in today's world.

Having been an international traveller myself since the times, smart phones & wi-fi were not an option, slowly & consistently I have created my own traveller status.

It is more about having daily experiences that you might carry back home.

Like when you're trying to communicate with local people that have different culture and language, using the means of transportation that they use, tasting the flavours they do, discovering non touristy cafés & restaurants or even watching the local football team while trying to understand the local newspaper.

With these in mind, we have created a handy guide of Chania Travellers’ Information; the ways to get around in Chania & some local unwritten rules.

We hope that people who are looking for something beyond being around a swimming pool in an AI hotel, drinking no name beers & ouzo, will find this guide useful.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN CHANIA

(if not for a walking distance)

- Taxi Terminals:

You may find several taxi terminals in Chania. The available vehicles are plenty, so no worries. There might be some delays during the high season night time. The most popular taxi rides are priced on a board, just where the taxi terminal is. So you'll know in advance what exactly you have to pay. POS payments are acceptable according to the Greek law. You have the right to ask for your receipt as well.

- Radio Taxi Companies:

There are a couple of Radio taxi companies in Chania. Have in mind that there are extra service fees to cover: for the phone call & booking a ride in advance . During the high season months (July-September) make sure that you'll not make last minute calls as you might be on the line waiting, for a long time.

Always ask for the estimated time of arrival & your taxi number.

Now let's dive into the real thing. Chania busses!!

- URBAN Public Busses (Blue & White):

Chania Urban Busses is a very popular mean of transportation for the local population. They are going around or through the different neighborhoods of Chania. Some of them are really old, noisy & create a lot of smoke pollution. There are also some drivers that does not speak much English and official passenger reports state, that some of them have been unpolite.

So, better be prepared!

Make sure you have your ticket ready when you get on board or some coins to buy it from the driver (alternatively, you can buy your bus tickets from the white kiosks or coin machines, if any, at the bigger bus terminals or from other random places like super markets, cigarette kiosks etc.).

Do not risk trying to get your ticket with a 20 EURO bill or bigger on the bus!

There are very high chances that you’ll end up waiting for the next bus just because the driver hasn't got any change left!

Big plus: there is wi-fi connection inside the busses.

A very popular line is the one connecting Chania's Centre with Agioi Apostoloi beach. Most of the times, the bus is a long double-bus (super crowded during the high season months).

*bus line to the Hospital is # 24.

- Intercity Public Busses (Green) or KTEL for the locals

Better known as KTEL or Green Busses, the intercity busses connect Chania's city centre with many destinations all around the island of Crete.

Popular routes are Rethymno Heraklion, Airport, Sougia, Sfakia, Palaiochora or Kastelli.

These busses also connect Chania with the villages in country side or even carry kids to school every day, if there is no school nearby. There are also busses or minibuses to famous beaches such as: Platanias, Marathi, Falassarna etc.or to the entrance of Samaria gorge (Omalos). They keep updating their fleet and services.

It is a comfortable & affordable way to travel on Crete.

Their website is easy to navigate: KTEL CHANIA-RETHYMNO.

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By presenting the most popular means of transportation in Chania, we have completed our first chapter of our handy Chania Travel Information. Note that pedestrian streets downtown Chania are spreading more & more. They are making our city life more beautiful & accessible. Now we need also a lot of green (trees, bushes, flowers) downtown and we really hope that the municipality authorities will understand that, at some point. Of course, as we all know, walking is the best way of moving around and discovering a city.

We, at Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours, have the vision of paving our own route in the Travel sector by creating authentic lifetime experiences, while considering that travellers & eco-responsibility, are the core of our actions & maybe, the only way, for a sustainable future.

We promote walking, bicycles & public means of transportation as the best solution of moving around Chania, during the high season.

Car rental in Chania, is getting more expensive every year, with limited availability & an extremely high cost of gasoline.

Through our Small or Private Group non Touristy Tours and together with a network of local people & businesses, that we support & share the same values since 2021, we hope that the philosophy & culture of travelling, will change sooner than later!