Athens to Crete - Will we have enough time to make connection??

The "saver" fares went on sale a couple of months ago. What you see is what you get.

Lee, thanks. Any ideas about checking the ontime percentage?

The 5:40 is fine IF you are on time. Have no way to judge that potential. What is the downside risk if you miss the 5:40

You will have already passed through Passport Control and Customs in Madrid, so when you get to Athens all you'll have left to do is collect your bags-no customs inspection-and go upstairs to check in for your flight to Crete. As already stated, IF your flight arrives on time you will have time to make the 5:40 flight, but the 5:00 flight is cutting it way too close. Don't even think about that one. You don't say when you plan to be there but if it's during Peak Season when all the flights are sold out you won't be able to get space on a later flight if you miss the 5:40, so think about the consequences if you do miss it. A later flight would be a safer solution.

Thanks to you both for the info.

The downside is that if we don't make the 5:40 p.m. flight, we would be stuck taking a later flight. The next 2 flights from Athens to Crete are at 7:55 p.m., arriving Chania at 8:45 p.m. on Aegean, and at 9:00 p.m., arriving Chania 9:55 p.m. on Olympic.

It would be nice if we could avoid the later flights. We would have arrived at MIA at 3:00 p.m. the previous day. If we cound get the Chania flight at 5:40 p.m., we could possibly have some strolling time around the harbor and see some of the sights at night there. That was our reasoning for wanting to catch the earliest flight we could.

Anyone know how I would go about checking the ontime %'age of the Iberia flight MAD-ATH?

Thanks.

Oops. I actually don't see that the economy is available on either the 5:40 p.m. flight on Olympic or the 7:55 p.m. flight on Aegean.

Am I reading those timetables correctly or are they just not updated completely yet??

Not a clue, and really, that's only a statistic. It's not going to change what happens, and delays do happen.

Quick question:

Would Aegean hold the 5:40 p.m. at all if they knew we were on the Iberia flight? Second, if we miss the 5:40 p.m., would they put us on the 9:00 p.m. flight?

Thanks!

FYI- we decided to spend the 1 night of May 12th in Athens and take the first flight the next day on Olympic at 9:25 a.m., rather than continuing to speculate and brain-draining everybody helping us here. We plan to make the most of it by taking in a little Athens local culture for the 1 night.

Any recommendations for accomodations for the 1 night in Athens? Would it be a good idea to look for something around the Plaka or is that too far from the airport?

Thanks again for the help.

No, the Plaka is not too far from the airport. The Athens metro will whisk you right there. We stayed at the Hotel Plaka which is just a short walk from the Monastiraki metro stop.

The first Blue Line Metro out to the airport leaves the Central Athens Monastiraki Station around 5:35am and the Syntagma Square Station a couple of minutes later. It takes 45 minutes to reach the airport so you'll have plenty of time to check in for your flight to Crete. Tickets are €6 each, 2 for €10 or €15 for 3.

http://www.amel.gr/index.php?id=363&L=1

There's also an Airport Express Bus (X95) for €3.2 each that leaves from alongside Syntagma Square every 20-30 minutes 24/7/365. That early in the morning it will take about 45 minutes. Buy your ticket from the driver and validate it inside the bus in the ticket machine.

Hotels near the Syntagma Station include the Pan, Arethusa, Amazon and Metropolis. Hotels near the Monastiraki Station include the Attalos, Cecil, Magna Grecia and Acropolis View.

Lee, thanks for the tips on the hotels. We contacted some of those you mentioned and hope to hear back some time today or tomorrow.

I'm also looking into ferries from Crete to Santorini. I saw you had mentioned the FC4 in an earlier post. Is that one available from Chania to Santorini?

Don't see any info on that.

Thanks.

Sorry, no. There is no ferry whatsoever between Chania and Santorini. Anek Lines does make a run between Sitia and Santorini that stops in Heraklion but Sitia is on the east end of No. Crete and Chania is on the west end so that's no real option for you.

Ok. Thanks again, Lee. Looks like we'll have to plan to be in Heraklion to get the ferry.

Do you have any suggestions on Chania accomodations or your preferred location? We got quite a bit of feedback that the west side of Chania was the best location for us to stay. That's why we chose it instead of Heraklion.

It's my impression that the west side of Crete is the best part of the island, although I've only been to Chania and it was a very long time ago. Recently on another website this hotel was recommended as being close to Chania Town but in a favored location on a nice beach.

http://www.ammoshotel.com/default.asp?lang=en

Thanks, Lee. Will check it out.

We were on the fence about maintaining decision to stay in Chania, instead of Heraklion, for proximity to ferry... until I revisited Matt's page here:

http://www.greecetravel.com/crete/chania/chania-photos/index.htm

We're done now. Nuff said.

You'll have to get back to Heraklion to catch the hydrofoil to Santorini. Be aware there's only one a day and it leaves Heraklion at 0945. Good idea to make online advance reservations if you're traveling in high season.

www.hellenicseaways.gr

A superior place to stay in Chania is the Casa Delfino.

www.casadelfino.com

Thanks for the tips, Tom. Looks like a nice place. Do you happen to know distance from here to Heraklion ferry docks? Looks like FC4 is the best option.

It's about 2.5 hours between Chania and Heraklion by bus. There's one leaving early enough in the morning (with a stop at Rethymnon) that will get you to the port in plenty of time for the FC4. If you want to see Knossos outside of Heraklion you'll have to make the trip the day before with enough time left in the afternoon to take the bus to Knossos, which a lot of people like to do. That way they only have to spend one night in Heraklion, which is a big city and doesn't have much in the way of "Greek Island Charm".

http://www.bus-service-crete-ktel.com/timetabledet.php?line=1&lg=2

2 1/2 hours sounds about right. Chania is about 150 Km from Heraklion. We drove from Chania to Heraklion the day before our ferry departure, visited the Knossos ruins that afternoon, then spent the night in Heraklion (which I agree has no charm whatsoever). Then we were at the docks early the next morning to ditch our rental car and catch the hydrofoil. We were on Santorini in time for lunch.

Tom, on your rental car, did you do the pick up in Chania and dropoff in Heraklion? Also curious which rental car company you used.

Thanks.

No, we flew into Heraklion from Athens, picked up the rental car at the Heraklion airport, and drove to Chania. We used Budget Car Rental because our traveling companion was a Budget frequent renter and he got us a pretty good deal.

Even though they don't have an office at the docks, Budget let us leave the car there on return, instead of having to return it to the airport.

Greg, I've read in the past that there are car agents in Chania with offices in Heraklion where you can drop off a one-way car rental.

Thanks, Lee. I kinda thought that would be possible.

CARS -- I have rented cars 4 times in Crete ... 3 x at Autoway, which is a local car agency. It's a good idea to check the biggies first -- like Budget, Hertz etc -- and compare. In my experience Autoway has always had as good a price or better. The owner worked in Germany car rental for 10 years before starting an agency in Crete about 20 years ago; his drivers are prompt & vehicls in good condition. Also, almost all car agencies in Crete allow pick-up in one place, drop-off in another at no added charge, or only small added charge. We have had car delivered to our Hotel in West side of Chania ... or at the foot of Theotokopolou street there, and have dropped off in Heraklion either at port or airport, or just outside our hotel (which was on the seafront), leaving keys at hotel desk.

CHANIA HOTELS - If staying IN Chania, West side is IT! Theotokopolou St is a lovely flagstoned lane coming straight up from seafront (see on this map -- http://www.explorecrete.com/crete-maps/images/hania-city-map.gif ) Parking at foot of the street, it's no-cars from 9 am on. There are hotels all along this lane and just off it, many of them old Venetian buildings now modernized. Some Upscale hotels = Casa Delfino, Casa Leone, Amphora. Mid-range = Hotel Palazzo (my choice), Hotel El Greco .. and lots of small pensions with studio units = Hotel Madonna, Iason Studios, Hotel Hera, Pension Nora. Ammos, outside town, is if you have more time. For a 2-dayer, stay in town.

For those of you who have been so generously helping, I offer back up a little gem, and also for others seeking great info here, as well. Andreas' place is virtually next door to Casa Delfino.

http://www.vrbo.com/270153

Enjoy!

Anybody have a preference on which island to check out after Santorini? We're set up to leave Santorini on 5/22 and have reservations back in Athens starting 5/25.

Thanks!