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Hiring a car on Crete is almost essential for any trip longer than a few days. The island stretches more than 260 km from west to east, public transport between regions is limited, and many of the places people come here for — Samaria Gorge, Balos Lagoon, the Lasithi Plateau, Arkadi Monastery or Preveli — sit well away from the main bus routes.
Without a car, you can enjoy a lovely five-day holiday in one corner of Crete. But seeing the island properly is a completely different experience altogether.
Crete has two international airports: Heraklion in the east and Chania in the west. Unlike many destinations in Europe, local Cretan rental companies often outperform the large international chains — especially when it comes to flexible deposits, cash payments and personal service.
Cretan car hire has its own character. Someone meets you personally, explains the mountain roads, warns you about goats on the bends, sketches a route on a map and leaves you a WhatsApp number for the whole trip.
One more thing travellers quickly appreciate: there are no toll roads anywhere on Crete. Your driving costs are simply fuel and parking.
Bewertungen von Autovermietungen auf Kreta
Where to stay: Heraklion or Chania
One of the biggest decisions when planning a Crete road trip is choosing where to base yourself.
Heraklion works best as a central hub for exploring Knossos, Lasithi, Spinalonga, Matala and the southern coast. Chania is the natural base for western Crete — Samaria Gorge, Balos, Elafonissi and Rethymno are all easier from here.
If you're spending a week or more on Crete and want to see both sides of the island, the smartest option is usually to collect the car in Heraklion and return it in Chania. One-way fees inside Crete are surprisingly reasonable — typically around $35–90.
The classic route looks like this: Heraklion → eastern Crete → central Crete → western Crete → Chania return.
Over a week, this lets you cover Knossos, Lasithi, Rethymno, Samaria Gorge and Chania without constantly retracing your steps.
If your plans focus entirely on western Crete, flying into Chania makes more sense. For the east and south of the island, Heraklion is perfectly sufficient.
Rethymno is often overlooked as a base, but it's one of the most practical choices on the island — positioned between both airports and ideal for day trips in every direction. Hotels here are often cheaper too.
Long-stay visitors and remote workers increasingly gravitate towards Chania thanks to its calmer atmosphere, easy access to nature and growing international community.
Toyota Yaris auf Kreta
Alles lief perfekt. Wir bekamen einen Peugeot 208 mit 750 km Laufleistung. Fast neu.
Volkswagen Up! auf Kreta
Ich danke Ihnen. Alles lief gut)
Nissan Micra auf Kreta
Alles war in Ordnung, es gab keine Probleme. Das Auto, das ich gebucht hatte, war weg, aber man bot mir einen Ersatz an. Es war sogar billiger als der ursprüngliche Preis. Es ist also in Ordnung.
Skoda Citigo auf Kreta
Sehr zufrieden mit diesem Mietservice. Es schien unmöglich, eine Woche vor der Ankunft auf Kreta ein Auto zu finden. Aber über diese Seite haben wir in kurzer Zeit einen komfortablen kleinen Neuwagen zu einem angemessenen Preis für uns gefunden. Auch bei unserer nächsten Reise werden wir diese Seite für unser Auto nutzen.
Renault Sandero Stepway auf Kreta
Alles war gut. Ich danke Ihnen!
Toyota Aygo X-Wave Open Top auf Kreta
Alles lief gut mit der Autovermietung Guter Service und die neuen Autos wurden sehr schnell geliefert, auch ohne Bezahlung und unnötige Fragen
Peugeot 107 auf Kreta
Der Service war perfekt
Citroen C3 auf Kreta
Der Citroen-Vertreter hat mich mit einem Schild an der Fähre abgeholt! Das Auto war neu, er hat mir alles erklärt, mir Tipps gegeben!
Opel Agila auf Kreta
Alles lief perfekt, kein Problem! Toller Service und Auto! Ich empfehle Sie meinen Freunden, die in der Zukunft in Kreta sein werden.
Hyundai Matrix auf Kreta
Alles war gut) Vielen Dank für den Service, auch wenn wir 2 Stunden zu früh ankamen, Ihr Manager brachte das Auto mit der frühen Ankunft im Auge. Das Auto entsprach seinen Spezifikationen. Preis=Qualität! Ich empfehle Ihren Service
Volkswagen Polo auf Kreta
Alles war großartig! Ich danke Ihnen! Mir hat alles sehr gut gefallen. Das Auto ist super gut, die Klimaanlage funktionierte. Wir trafen uns am Eingang, das Auto ist sauber, aufgetankt. Der Betrag der Berechnung, wie vereinbart, ohne zu schummeln! Bewertung 5+!
Skoda Citigo auf Kreta
Alles lief großartig, der Preis, das Auto und der Service waren großartig. Vielen Dank, ich werde Sie in der Zukunft kontaktieren.
Nissan Micra auf Kreta
Es lief großartig und wir hatten keine Probleme.
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Best places to visit by car on Crete
Samaria Gorge
One of the island's most famous experiences — a 16 km hike descending through the gorge from Omalos to Agia Roumeli.
Most travellers park at Omalos, complete the hike, take the ferry along the coast and then return by KTEL bus.
Samaria is a full-day commitment rather than a quick excursion. Most people leave Chania around sunrise and only return to the car in the evening.
The gorge normally closes between November and April.
Balos and Elafonissi
Balos Lagoon is one of Crete's postcard locations. However, the dirt road leading there is prohibited by many rental companies.
The safer and simpler option is the ferry from Kissamos.
Elafonissi, by contrast, is easily accessible via normal tarmac roads and works very well as a day trip from Chania.
Knossos and eastern Crete
Knossos lies just outside Heraklion and remains the island's best-known archaeological site.
Further east, Crete becomes quieter and more rural — Lasithi Plateau, Agios Nikolaos, Spinalonga and the far eastern coastline all reward slower travel.
From Heraklion, it's perfectly realistic to combine Knossos, Lasithi and Agios Nikolaos in a single day. The far east of Crete deserves at least an overnight stay.
Heraklion and Chania airports
Heraklion Airport is one of the busiest airports in Greece, especially between May and October. The city centre sits only around 10 minutes away by car. Vehicle choice here is excellent, with dozens of local rental companies operating directly from the airport.
Automatics are also easier to find here than on many smaller Greek islands.
At Heraklion Airport, many local operators meet customers directly inside arrivals. No shuttle buses, no remote depots — usually you're walking to the car within minutes.
Chania Airport, on the Akrotiri peninsula, is smaller and quieter. It sits roughly 14 km from the city centre, around a 20-minute drive away.
Because the airport handles fewer vehicles overall, automatics and SUVs often sell out weeks ahead in summer.
If you're arriving into Chania in July or August, booking early matters. During peak season, demand on Crete regularly exceeds supply.
Several local companies also offer hotel delivery across parts of the island — including Rethymno, Matala and Platanias — often free for rentals of five days or longer.
What to know about driving on Crete
There are a few Crete-specific rules many international booking platforms barely mention.
The first is important: rental cars hired on Crete are generally not allowed on ferries to mainland Greece. Taking the vehicle off the island usually voids both the contract and the insurance.
The unwritten rule of Cretan car hire is simple: the car stays on Crete. Ignore that, and your insurance may become worthless the moment the ferry leaves port.
The second thing visitors quickly notice is the livestock.
Goats and sheep regularly wander onto mountain and rural roads, especially around sunrise and sunset. Night driving in remote areas requires patience and slower speeds.
On Crete's mountain roads, rushing rarely saves time. Around the next corner there may well be an entire flock standing in the road.
On the positive side, there are no toll roads anywhere on the island.
The main BOAK motorway along the north coast is completely free, and for most itineraries you do not need a 4×4 vehicle. A standard compact car comfortably handles Knossos, Elafonissi, Lasithi and the roads around Samaria Gorge.
Balos is the one notable exception — though even there, the boat is usually the better choice.
Die Tarife auf Kreta variieren je nach Saison und Mietdauer.
- Januar
- Februar
- März
- April
- Mai
- Juni
- Juli
- August
- September
- Oktober
- November
- Dezember
- Jan
- Februar
- März
- Apr.
- Mai
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- Aug
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- Okt.
- Nov.
- Dez.
Wie teuer ist es, auf Kreta einen Wagen zu mieten: durchschnittliche Tagesraten für eine einwöchige Autovermietung, über alle Fahrzeugklassen. Lieferung in ganz Kreta nicht enthalten.