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Car needed for Crete stay?

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We're looking for any advice regarding transportation options during our upcoming stay on Crete. We arrive at the Chania airport on May 18, stay 3 nights in Chania, then onto Porto Loutro for 5 nights. We plan to do as much hiking as is reasonable during the Porto Loutro portion of the trip, realizing that we may have few options given that it's only accessible by ferry or on foot.

We have a car reserved for these 8 days, but are beginning to doubt the wisdom of that option given the limitations at Porto Loutro. I saw a post on the RS Greece forum awhile back from someone who used the ferry service (almost?) exclusively for his stay. That sounds somewhat appealing, but we do have a 9:30am flight from Chania after our last day in Porto Loutro.

So the questions are:
1) Can we get to airport in time for our departing flight if we don't have a car?
2) If we do have a car can we expect to park it safely for one or two days at a stretch near Porto Loutro?

Thanks for any advice you can provide,
Mike

Posted by
1376 posts

It is very unlikely that you are going to get from Loutro to Chania to make a 9:30 flight.

Loutro is only accessible by ferry. There is no road. You will have to park your car in Chora Sfakion and will have to take the first ferry from Loutro to Chora Sfakion then drive over the white mountains to get to Chania.

To make matters worse sometimes the ferries are cancelled due to weather so you really need to be planning to be back in Chania the night before your flight.

Have you made your hotel reservations yet? Even if you have made reservations can you cancel. I would suggest you reverse your plan. Get to Chora Sfakion as soon as you arrive in Crete. There are at least three KTEL buses a day. Google KTEL Crete for the schedule and route. You could rent a car but its going to be sitting unattended for 5 nights in Chora Sfakion so isn't really a good plan. The bus schedule will give you time to get a ferry to Loutro. If ferry connections don't work there is a water taxi you can hire to take you to Loutro. My memory may be faulty but I believe if you charter the water taxi it was about 50 euros. If you luck out you may catch a regular schedule water taxi which was about 15 euros each

After Loutro get back to Sfakion and take the bus to Chania. Do your three nights there and you will be in Chania the night before the flight.

Here is what you are planning to do.
Chania http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157632117917828/
Ferry trip Libyan Sea https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157653434073393
Crete Libyan Sea villages https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/sets/72157645487373222/

Posted by
16 posts

Thanks stanbr for the advice, we have adjusted our plans accordingly. The last night will now be in Chania so as not to miss our flight out the next morning.

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