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Rent From Locals

Car Rental Crete (Chania airport) - Rent From Locals

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100 cars available

100 cars

100 cars

How you pick up your car

Chania airport sits on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 15 km from the old harbour: 20-30 minutes by car. Depending on the supplier, they meet you when you land, send you directions to their office, or send a shuttle to take you there, and they confirm which after booking. Add your flight number when you book so the supplier can follow any delay.

The airport car park is free for the first 20 minutes and charged by the hour after that. If the supplier meets you at the terminal, agree beforehand which of you pays the parking.

The airport is also the closest pick-up for Seitan Limania and the Akrotiri beaches (Marathi, Stavros), all within 10-15 minutes of the terminal.

Distances from the airport

  • Chania Old Town14 km, 25-35 min
  • Souda port14 km, 25-35 min
  • Kissamos port (Balos boats)51 km, 65-85 min
  • Omalos (Samaria Gorge)51 km, 65-90 min
  • Falasarna67 km, 1.5-2 h
  • Rethymno77 km, 1.5-2 h
  • Frangokastello84 km, 2-2.5 h
  • Elafonisi86 km, 2-2.5 h

By road, without stops. Allow more time in summer.

Practical tips

  • Fuel before you return: the Shell at the airport entrance, about 450 m before the terminal, is the closest. It is open every day from 06:00 to 22:00, so for a later flight fill up earlier in the day.
  • The car park: the car park outside the terminal is free for 20 minutes, then 5 euros up to an hour and 6 euros up to two hours, in cash or by card.
  • Winter hours: from 1 November 2026 to 27 March 2027 the airport runs from 05:45 to 23:45 (the terminal opens at 04:00); in summer it is open around the clock. Agree very early or late hand-overs with the supplier.

Driving rules in Greece

  • Speed limits: in towns the limit has been 30 km/h since 1 January 2026, and 50 km/h on roads with two or more lanes in each direction, on one-way roads with two or more lanes and on roads with a central divider. Outside towns it is 90 km/h, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways. Signs can set other limits.
  • Alcohol: the limit is 0.5 g/l. It is 0.2 g/l for new drivers, and for motorcycle and moped riders.
  • Phones: hands-free only. Since the new traffic code of 2025, a first offence costs €350 and a 30-day licence suspension.
  • Helmets: compulsory on mopeds, motorcycles and quads, for the rider and the passenger.
  • In the car: a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher are compulsory. Check they're in the boot at pick-up.
  • Emergencies: call 112.

Places to visit by car

Distances from Crete.

  • Balos lagoon

    Balos lagoon

    53 km, about 1½ hours. The last 9 km from Kaliviani is a gravel track, slow but passable in an ordinary car. A small fee per person is collected at the start of the track and parking is paid. From the car park it's a 20-30 minute walk down a rocky path, and longer back up. In July and August arrive before 09:00. Before driving the track, check that your rental's insurance covers unpaved roads (see Practical).
  • Balos by boat instead

    Balos by boat instead

    drive to Kissamos port (42 km, about 50 minutes). Boats to Gramvousa and Balos leave around 10:30 from May to October and are cancelled in strong north winds.
  • Elafonisi

    Elafonisi

    73 km, 1½-2 hours. The last stretch via Topolia and Elos is narrow and winding: easy in a small car, slow in a big one. Cars are not allowed into the protected beach zone, so use the marked car parks.
  • Falasarna

    Falasarna

    54 km, about an hour. A long sandy beach on the west coast, best at sunset.
  • Seitan Limania

    Seitan Limania

    22 km, about 35 minutes, on Akrotiri near the airport. The last stretch is narrow. The path down is steep and loose with no handrail, 10-15 minutes each way, so wear proper shoes. Roadside parking fills by 09:00 in summer.
  • Marathi and Stavros (Akrotiri)

    Marathi and Stavros (Akrotiri)

    both about 16-18 km, under half an hour. Marathi faces Souda Bay and stays calm when the north wind blows. Stavros has a free car park behind the beach that is full by mid-morning in July and August.
  • Samaria Gorge

    Samaria Gorge

    the trailhead at Xyloskalo (Omalos) is 42 km away, about 50 minutes. The gorge is 16 km one way and ends at Agia Roumeli, which has no road. A car left at the top is therefore a problem: from Agia Roumeli the boats go to Chora Sfakion or Sougia, and Sfakia to Xyloskalo is over two hours by road. The simplest plan is to leave the car in Chania, take the morning KTEL bus up, and return by boat to Sfakia and the KTEL bus back. The gorge normally opens May to October. In October 2026 it was closed after storm damage, so check the official site (samaria-tickets.necca.gov.gr) before you go.
  • Lake Kournas

    Lake Kournas

    43 km, about 50 minutes, a short detour south of Georgioupoli off the coast road.
  • Rethymno

    Rethymno

    70 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes along the coast road: a day for the old town and the Venetian fortress.
  • Sfakia and Frangokastello

    Sfakia and Frangokastello

    over the White Mountains via the Askyfou plateau and down the hairpins to Chora Sfakion (69 km, about 1½ hours), then on to the castle and beach at Frangokastello (77 km). Fill up at Askyfou or Sfakia.

Questions and answers

Is Chania airport open at night?

From April to late October it is open 24 hours. From 1 November 2026 to 27 March 2027 it runs from 05:45 to 23:45, with the terminal opening at 04:00.

Where can I fill up before returning the car?

At the Shell at the airport entrance, about 450 m from the terminal, open every day from 06:00 to 22:00. The next stations are on the road to Chania, 3 to 4 km away.

Are there tolls between the airport and Chania or Rethymno?

No, Crete has no toll roads today. The northern road is being rebuilt under a 2026 concession, and tolls are planned only once its new sections open.

How far are Chania Old Town and Elafonisi?

Chania Old Town is 14 km away, 25 to 35 minutes. Elafonisi, in the south-west, is 86 km, about 2 hours on mountain roads.

Driving and parking in the city: Car Rental in Chania