Reaching Heraklion by air

The closest airport is Kazantzakis Airport of the city of Heraklion. Aegean Airlines flies regularly to Heraklion from Athens and Thessaloniki (Salonica). (Note that Aegean flights might not appear at travel agent computers in Europe and overseas).

From April to October there are also numerous direct charter flights from many places in Europe.

From the airport you can reach the center of Heraklion (~4 Kms) where most hotels are located, the seaside suburb of Amoudara (~8-9 Kms), where there are some more hotels as well as popular beaches, and the Physics Department (~13 Kms), either by taxi or by bus (see below).

Reaching Heraklion by sea

There are three major shipping companies that serve Heraklion out of the Piraeus port of Athens: Minoan Lines, ANEK Lines and Super Fast Ferries Lines.

There are also seasonal connections with Santorini, the Cycladic Islands and other islands in the Aegean sea. The Heraklion Port is very close to the city center (~1 Km). The best way to reach the Department of Physics from the port is again by taxi (~11 Kms). Some popular hotels are located by the beach in the Amoudara suburb. The best way to get there from the airport is again by taxi (~ 9 Kms) or bus. There is also a bus serving Amoudara starting from the center of Heraklion. See below for bus schedules.

Traveling by bus

From the airport and the port as well as from the city center, you can reach the Physics Department by bus, No.11 (PANEPISTIMIO/PAGNI),(this is the university hospital located 300 meters south of the Physics Department) and No.8 (ITE) (this is the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, 600m west of the Physics Department). Both buses stop in front of the physics building. There are bus stops of these lines at the city center. Two main stops are on Eleftherias square and Chanioporta.

In case you want to reach the Physics Department from Ammoudara you have to change bus once. First you take bus line No.6 (towards the center of the city) and exit at the Giofiro bus stop. There you have to take one of the two buses, No.11 or No.8 mentioned above.

To return to the city center from the Physics Department take bus No. 1 (to the Airport - AERODROMIO) or bus No. 20 (to the Port - LIMANI). Both busses pass through the city center. Be sure NOT to take bus No. 2, which goes to the university campus in Knossos, except if you want to visit the archaelogical site in Knossos.

You may check the official bus schedule here.

Bus tickets can be bought at kiosques (these are omnipresent in Greece as you will soon realize). They are also sold at the cantene in the basement of the Physics Building.

Keep in mind that there are two different bus tickets that you may need and this is because Heraklion city is divided into two zones, the center and the suburbs. The first, is painted orange (its cost is 1.10 euros) and it is valid from the airport and in the area of the city enclosed by the peripheral road (roughly to Carrefour shop (in the direction to Ammoudara) or the church of Estavromenos (in the direction to the university)).< To reach places in the second zone, where the Physics Department is, a blue ticket is needed (its cost is 1.50 euros). You can get an idea of the regions by looking at the maps below.

Using the taxi

Taxi is a very convenient means of transport as it is immediate and at reasonable prices. Below you may find some useful information related to commuting by taxi.

Current prices for taxi's are (spring 2012):

Starting charge=1.19 Euros,

cost per Km =0.68 Euros,

waiting time per hour charge =10.85 Euros,

cost per Km in double tariff area=1.19 euros,

special charge to and from the airport (but not other stations)=2.60 Euros,

for each luggage weighting more than 10 Kgs add 0.40 euros,

if you call by phone a taxi add 1.92 euros,

if you arrange in advance a later rendez-vous, add 3.39 to 5.65 euros.

Any taxi trip has a minimum 3.39 euros' fare.

Between 24:00-05:00, taxis run on double tarif on all routes, that means 1.19 per Km

Knowing the prices above almost gives you a good estimate on what you should expect to pay. Double tarif is applicable outside the peripheral (National) road (same area as for the blue bus ticket) but only if you are going outwards from the city center. You can get an idea of the region around Heraklion by looking at the maps below. For example taking a taxi from the airport to the department without heavy luggage is expected to cost (double tariff here) about 18 euros. Depending on traffic the trip may last 15-25 minutes. A taxi from the airport to the city center on the other hand is expected to cost 6-8 euros (single tarif, not from the National road). A similar cost is expected from Amoudara to the department.

Reaching the Department by car

If you are coming from another part of Crete most probably you are using the National Road that serves East-West the north coast of the island. There are 6 exits that serve the city of Heraklion and its surroundings.

- The first exit from the West is serving the suburb of Gazi.

- The next exit (second from West) is the one you have to exit in order to go to the Physics Department. If you are coming from the East, be careful as it is a double exit. If you want to go to the Physics Department exit at the second exit (500m after the first).

- The next one (third from the West) is almost immediately after the previous one and serves that Ag. Ioannis Hostos and Malades area. There is no exit here if you are coming from the East.

- The next one (fourth from the West) has traffic lights and an overpass and serves the city center.

- The one further East (fifth from the West) serves Eastern Heraklion and the final one serves the Heraklion airport.

After exiting the National road (coming from the West) you turn right on the perpendicular road. If you are coming from the East you should be careful to exit at the second exit, that will bring you to the same perpendicular road but now you should turn left. If you take the first exit by mistake you exit on the same road but you must turn in the opposite direction. Make a U-turn when you can).

This road leads to the south (direction Moires). You follow that road and in about 500 m there are some traffic lights. You continue straight and in about another 500m there are more traffic lights. You turn right following the signals to the Hospital and the Foundation for Research and Technology FORTH (ITE). You continue on that road as it winds for about 2 Kms, until you see on your right a kiosque and immediately afterwards you turn right (there is a sign indicating FORTH). You continue for about one kilometer. The third big white building on your right is the building of Physics and Biology. You proceed to the main entrance and enter. The ITCP is on level two, one level up from the main entrance.

If you are coming from the center of town you have to get on 62 Martiron Street and turn left onto the road that leads to Moires. You will pass under the National Road and then you follow the previous directions.

Warning

Once you arrive to the department, we recommend that you tie the end of a ball of string to the Department entrance. Labyrinth-like architechure is traditional in the local culture, so in all likelihood you will get lost. Please do not forget to submit, prior to your arrival, a signed form releasing the Department and the Organizers from all responsibility in the case of your demise through consumption by mythical beast.

Minotaur, a beast that was born out of the union of Minoan queen Pasiphae and a bull (in her defense, it was a particularly handsome bull), survives to modern times and occasionally eats visitors. If approached by a humongous creature featuring the head of a bull and the body of a tall strong man, we advise that you run as fast as you can.

Rent a car

Sometimes it is convenient to rent a car. We have been using the bestcars company that is providing reasonably priced mostly small cars with air-conditioning and full insurance. You should mention you are a visitor to the Physics Department.

There are several other local and international car rental companies, you may find at the airport.