Ferry from Chania to Athens

Ferry from Chania to Athens at a glance

The ferry from Chania to Athens in numbers, as operated by ANEK Lines: around 9 hours at sea, about 330 km, nightly, on overnight conventional ferry with seats and cabins. Departure from Souda Port, Chania; arrival at Piraeus Port, Athens. We offer foot-passenger tickets, vehicle tickets and cabins or reserved seats where the ship has them.

• Route: Chania to Athens (about 330 km by sea)
• Operator: ANEK Lines
• Crossing time: about 9 hours
• Vessels: overnight conventional ferry with seats and cabins
• Frequency: nightly
• Departure port: Souda Port, Chania
• Arrival port: Piraeus Port, Athens
• Vehicles: cars and motorbikes carried on the car ferries
• Booking: form on this page, confirmation through WhatsApp, e-ticket by message

The overnight ferry from Souda to Piraeus is the standard sea link between Crete and Athens, leaving in the evening and arriving early the next morning; cabins are worth booking for a proper night of sleep, and cars are carried.

Arrival: Piraeus Port, Athens

The ferry docks at Piraeus Port, Athens - Piraeus is the port of Athens and the main gateway to the Aegean islands, linked to central Athens by metro in about half an hour. From the pier you are minutes from taxis, buses and the town itself. Haqqi Tours offers a private transfer from the port to your hotel in Athens with a driver waiting at the exit, which for a family with bags is the easiest way to finish the Chania to Athens crossing.

Onward journeys from Athens - another ferry, a flight or a train the same day - can be added to the booking; tell us and we time the crossing to fit.

On board the Chania to Athens ferry: seats, cabins, cars and luggage

The ship makes the difference on this route: the conventional ferry has more space, open decks and a steadier ride; the high-speed boat has airline seating and gets you there faster. Both types on this route carry vehicles on some sailings; we tell you which. Children have their own fares, luggage travels free within limits, and pets are accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels.

• Pets accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels - let us know if one is travelling
• Seats: economy, airline-style, lounge and business on the fast boats; deck seats on the slow ferries
• Cabins with beds and showers on overnight sailings - two to four berths
• Café, bar or restaurant on most vessels; open decks on the conventional ferries

Things to do in Athens after the ferry

The reasons travellers take the ferry to Athens are Lycabettus Hill, the Panathenaic Stadium, Delphi, a day away, the Athens Riviera beaches and the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Piraeus is the port of Athens and the main gateway to the Aegean islands, linked to central Athens by metro in about half an hour. Eat a frappé in Plaka, souvlaki and gyros and moussaka while you are there.

Haqqi Tours provides guided tours, tickets, transfers and private drivers in Athens; ask when you book the ferry and we send the options.

Best time to take the ferry from Chania to Athens

April to June and September to October are ideal; July and August are very hot; winter is mild and quiet; the Attiki Odos motorway from the airport is quick outside rush hour. On the water, the season shows in sea conditions and availability more than in comfort: book early for summer, Easter and holiday weekends between Chania and Athens, and choose morning sailings when the wind is forecast.

Ferry or flight from Chania to Athens?

Ferry versus plane between Chania and Athens comes down to time, luggage and the view: the ferry has the deck, the luggage and the town-centre arrival; the plane has speed. On this route the ferry is the option Haqqi Tours recommends first for families and anyone with a car.

Return ferry from Athens to Chania

Coming back? Say so on the form. A return ferry ticket from Athens to Chania booked with the outbound is frequently cheaper than two separate bookings, and it keeps the whole trip on one WhatsApp thread with one point of contact.

How much does the ferry from Chania to Athens cost?

The cost of the ferry from Chania to Athens depends on the shipping line, the type of vessel, the date, whether you travel as a foot passenger or with a car, and the seat or cabin you choose. A conventional ferry is cheaper than a high-speed one; a summer Saturday costs more than a weekday in May; a car adds a vehicle fare; a cabin on an overnight sailing adds more. That is why Haqqi Tours does not print a price: we verify the live fares for your exact date and send the real cost by WhatsApp, with the options side by side.

Let us know for two or three sailings and we send the cost of each - fast boat and slow boat, morning and afternoon - so you can see the difference before you book the Chania to Athens ferry.

Cheapest ferry ticket from Chania to Athens: how to pay less

The cheapest ferry ticket from Chania to Athens is generally on the conventional ferry, booked early, on a weekday outside the peak weeks. These are the rules our booking desk applies:

• Travel on a weekday - Friday and Sunday sailings carry the highest fares
• Tell us if your dates are flexible; moving by a day frequently changes the fare
• Compare operators - on this route the cheapest company changes with the date
• Price the crossing with and without the car - for two people a rental at the other end is sometimes cheaper
• Book the return with the outbound - open returns and round-trip fares are cheaper on many operators
• Ask about children's, student and resident fares, and about vehicle offers outside high season

When you complete the form, say if you can move your dates. We compare the sailings around them and send the cheapest Chania to Athens ferry first, then the alternatives.

How to book ferry tickets from Chania to Athens with Haqqi Tours

Here is how to book Chania to Athens ferry tickets with Haqqi Tours: use the form above - date, one-way or return, passengers - and send it. Shortly afterwards we write to you on WhatsApp with the sailings, the vessel type and the price. Once you confirm and payment is arranged in the same conversation, we issue the ticket and send the e-ticket or boarding reference.

• Step 1 - fill in the form: date, one-way or return, adults and children
• Step 2 - we message you in the WhatsApp chat with the sailings, vessels, seats or cabins and the cost
• Step 3 - you confirm the sailing you prefer and we arrange payment in the same chat
• Step 4 - we issue the e-ticket and send it; we stay in touch until you land in Athens

Because a person books it, we can line the Chania to Athens ferry up with a flight or a train the same day, choose the sailing that leaves a safe margin, and warn you if the weather forecast makes the fast boat a risk.

Timetable and season of the Chania to Athens ferry

Sailing times on the Chania to Athens route depend on the operator and the month - as a rule nightly. Morning departures are normally the calmest and the most reliable; the last sailing of the day is the one to avoid if you have an onward connection. We choose the sailing to fit your plan and tell you the check-in time at Souda Port, Chania.

For a connection at Athens - a flight, a train or another ferry - let us know and we choose a sailing with a comfortable margin.

Departure: Souda Port, Chania

Your crossing starts at Souda Port, Chania. Large ports have several gates and the boarding gate is announced on the boards and on the ticket; we send the gate and the check-in time with your confirmation. A local bus links the airport with the Chania bus station in about 30 minutes, which suits one traveller going to the Old Town; hotels in Platanias, Kalyves, Georgioupolis or the south coast need a change of bus, so a private car to the door is simpler for families and luggage.

• Haqqi Tours can provide a private transfer from your accommodation in Chania to the port on request
• Just ask which gate or terminal your sailing uses - big ports have several
• Foot passengers: at the port 45-60 minutes before departure; vehicles 60-90 minutes
• Keep the e-ticket and the ID or passport used for booking together

Why book your Chania to Athens ferry ticket with Haqqi Tours

What we offer on the ferry from Chania to Athens: live fares checked across every operator for your date, fast boat and slow boat explained plainly, seats and cabins reserved, vehicles booked with the right dimensions, the electronic ticket delivered through WhatsApp and a team that answers at any hour if the weather changes the plan. Send the form and let us take the ferry off your list.