Crete
Travel Information
CRETE BY ROAD AND SEA
See all UK ferry routes at
The most popular cross Channel route is Dover to Calais with frequent crossings by P & O Ferries and Sea France. This is probably the best option if you plan to drive through France and on to an Italian port.
An alternative, which we prefer, is to take a Norfolk Lines ferry to Dunkirk and drive through Germany and Austria and on to an Italian port.
Booking your ferry crossings on the Internet. On one occasion we failed to do so. The Internet fare for a car and two passengers was under £25 but booking at Dover for the same crossing cost over £62
Once across the Channel there are two options
- Drive to an Italian port, take a ferry to the Greek mainland, drive to Piraeus [Athens’ port] then take another ferry to complete the journey to Crete.
- Drive across Europe and through the Balkans to Athens and take a ferry to Crete.
Popular routes are through northern Europe -
We have made extensive use of the Michelin web site for route planning and have found it invaluable. Our preferred route, once across the Channel is from Dunkirk through Belgium, Germany and Austria into NE Italy and on to Ancona for the ferry to Patra on the Greek mainland.
We have also driven from Calais to Ancona via Chambéry and Turin and a much more leisurely route through eastern France, Germany, along the north side of the Bodensee and through the Alps into NE Italy and on to Ancona via Verona.
It is possible to get from Calais or Dunkirk in about 24 hours, especially with two drivers, taking frequent short breaks for comfort and snacks but we’d recommend a more relaxed pace for holiday travel.
The Michelin web site makes planning easy with free route maps and detailed directions.
Choose from Michelin recommended, shortest or quickest route either using or avoiding
M-
The site has a mass of useful information including toll charges, estimated fuel cost, places to see or stay, road works and much more.
We avoid Switzerland as there is an annual motorway road tax of €27 to be paid which we considered excessive for use of less than an hour.
The final stages of the journey are from Patra to Piraeus by road and Piraeus to Chania or Heraklion by ferry.
The drive to Piraeus is 217 Km [135 mls] takes 2 to 2˝ hours depending on traffic
conditions. Much of the route is modern, high standard motorway. There are two small
toll to pay -
To obtain substantial discounts book ALL your Italian and Greek ferry crossings [international and domestic in both directions] at the same time, with the same company.
Effectively, this means booking with Anek or Minoan/Hellenic/Superfast.
Driving to Greece through the Balkans is only for the more intrepid traveller. On the shortest routes many roads are terrible so progress is slow and alternative routes with somewhat better roads increase the distance.
A typical route recommended by Michelin is from France, through Belgium, Netherlands,Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Macedonia to Greece. This is about 3,000 Km [1,860 mls.] from Dunkirk and is estimated to take about 30 hours driving time, not counting any stops.
Anek Lines:
Chania [Souda]
Heraklion daily.
Minoan Lines:
Heraklion daily.
Superfast/Blue Star
Heraklion daily
Click logos to visit company sites.
The shipping lines have extra sailings around major holidays, e.g. Easter [Greek], and the main holiday period from late July until early September.
Click logos to visit company sites.
The alternative means of crossing the channel is Eurotunnel. With a travelling time
of just 35 minutes from Folkestone to Calais and direct motorway links at both ends
it’s the quickest means of reaching mainland Europe. It’s also excellent if you are
transporting animals; pets stay with you throughout the journey. On the Eurotunnel
website you will also find recommendations for pet-