Ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes

Ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes at a glance

The ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes in numbers, as operated by Blue Star Ferries: around 12 hours at sea, about 300 km, 2-4 a week, on conventional ferry with cabins, calling at Kasos and Karpathos. Departure from Heraklion port, Crete; arrival at Rhodes main port. We offer foot-passenger tickets, vehicle tickets and cabins or reserved seats where the ship has them.

• Route: Heraklion to Rhodes (about 300 km by sea)
• Operator: Blue Star Ferries
• Crossing time: about 12 hours
• Vessels: conventional ferry with cabins, calling at Kasos and Karpathos
• Frequency: 2-4 a week
• Departure port: Heraklion port, Crete
• Arrival port: Rhodes main port
• Vehicles: cars and motorbikes carried on the car ferries
• Booking: form on this page, confirmation through WhatsApp, e-ticket by message

The all-year ferry to the Dodecanese calls at Kasos and Karpathos (and sometimes Sitia) before Rhodes; flights via Athens are quicker, but the ferry carries cars.

Timetable and season of the Heraklion to Rhodes ferry

The Heraklion to Rhodes ferry timetable is seasonal: high summer brings the fullest schedule and the earliest sell-outs; spring and autumn have fewer boats and better fares; winter runs a reduced service on many crossings. The crossing itself takes about 12 hours. Let us know the day and we send the sailings, and we flag the ones most exposed to a cancellation in bad weather.

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

Departure: Heraklion port, Crete

Heraklion port, Crete is where the Heraklion to Rhodes ferry begins. We tell you whether tickets are scanned at a gate or on board, whether an ID or passport is required, and how early to arrive for your sailing and vessel. On busy summer days the port is crowded, so the margin matters.

• Foot passengers: at the port 45-60 minutes before departure; vehicles 60-90 minutes
• Keep the electronic ticket and the ID or passport used for booking together
• Luggage is carried free within the shipping line's limits; large bags go on the racks or the car deck
• Cafés, kiosks and waiting halls at Heraklion port, Crete; some fast boats board only minutes before sailing

Arrival: Rhodes main port

The ferry docks at Rhodes main port - Rhodes has the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe, the Lindos acropolis and beaches on both coasts. From the pier you are minutes from taxis, buses and the town itself. Haqqi Tours provides a private transfer from the port to your hotel in Rhodes with a driver waiting at the exit, which for a family with bags is the easiest way to finish the Heraklion to Rhodes crossing.

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

On board the Heraklion to Rhodes ferry: seats, cabins, cars and luggage

On board, the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes is relaxed: you can walk about, sit inside or on deck, eat at the café and watch the coast. Seat classes differ in space and quiet - economy, airline seats, lounge or business on the fast boats; cabins of two to four berths on overnight ferries. Taking the car means driving on, parking as directed, and coming back down only at the arrival port.

• Vehicles on the car deck - give us the car's length and height when booking
• Children's fares by age; infants normally free
• Pets accepted on many ships in carriers or kennels - tell us if one is travelling
• Seats: economy, airline-style, lounge and business on the fast boats; deck seats on the slow ferries

Things to do in Rhodes after the ferry

Rhodes has the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe, the Lindos acropolis and beaches on both coasts. Arriving by sea puts you in the middle of it: the Old Town and the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Master, the acropolis of Lindos, Mandraki harbour and Filerimos hill are all reachable from Rhodes main port. For the first meal, try pitaroudia chickpea fritters, stuffed vine leaves and Greek salad with feta.

If you want the days in Rhodes organised - a driver, a boat trip, timed entry tickets - we do that too. Mention it by WhatsApp.

Best time to take the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes

May to October is warm and sunny, with July and August hottest and busiest; the west coast is windy in summer while the east coast is calmer; the coast road to the south-east is slow in peak season. On the water, the season shows in sea conditions and availability more than in comfort: book early for summer, Easter and holiday weekends between Heraklion and Rhodes, and choose morning sailings when the wind is forecast.

Ferry or flight from Heraklion to Rhodes?

For most travellers on this route the ferry is the better way: it leaves from the port in Heraklion and lands you in Rhodes itself, carries as much luggage as you can wheel and the car, and turns the journey into part of the holiday. A flight only wins when the crossing is long and time is short. Haqqi Tours can provide flights too, and says honestly which is better for your dates.

Return ferry from Rhodes to Heraklion

We book the return crossing from Rhodes to Heraklion just as easily, usually on the same confirmation. Round-trip fares and open returns are cheaper on many operators, so booking both directions together saves money. Let us know the day you want to come back on the form and we send both directions with the cost.

How much does the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes cost?

The cost of the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes 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 check the live fares for your exact date and send the real cost on WhatsApp, with the options side by side.

What we include in the price we send: the ticket for each passenger, the vehicle if you bring one, any reserved seat or cabin you asked for, port taxes, and our service - checking the timetable, booking, sending the electronic ticket and answering questions before and during the crossing.

Cheapest ferry ticket from Heraklion to Rhodes: how to pay less

Getting the lowest fare on the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes is a matter of vessel, timing and flexibility. Here is how Haqqi Tours finds you a cheap ferry ticket:

• 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
• Choose the conventional ferry over the high-speed boat when time allows - it is cheaper, steadier and frequently more scenic
• Book early for July, August, Easter and holiday weekends, when sailings sell out and fares rise
• Travel on a weekday - Friday and Sunday sailings carry the highest fares

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

How to book ferry tickets from Heraklion to Rhodes with Haqqi Tours

The easiest way to book a ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes is to let a person do it. The form asks for the essentials; the details - a car and its length, a cabin, a pushchair, a pet, a connection on arrival - you tell us in the WhatsApp chat when we message you to confirm. We provide the ticket, explain check-in at Heraklion port, Crete and stay reachable during the crossing.

• Step 1 - complete the form: date, one-way or return, adults and children
• Step 2 - we message you through WhatsApp 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 electronic ticket and send it; we stay in touch until you land in Rhodes

Haqqi Tours also provides what happens around the ferry: a private transfer from your hotel to Heraklion port, Crete with the luggage, a driver waiting at Rhodes main port, and tours in Rhodes. Mention it by WhatsApp and it goes on the same confirmation.

Why book your Heraklion to Rhodes ferry ticket with Haqqi Tours

Booking with Haqqi Tours means the ferry ticket from Heraklion to Rhodes is one message away, not one website away. We compare, we book, we send the ticket, and we stay reachable. Add a transfer or a tour and the whole journey sits on one confirmation. Fill in the form to start.