There are 7 ways to get from Crete to Istanbul by plane, car ferry, bus, ferry, or busferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Sitia Airport
best- Fly from Sitia Airport (JSH) to Istanbul (IST)plane JSH - IST
5h 1m₺5,000–16,000Fly from Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis”
cheapest- Fly from Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER) to Istanbul (IST)plane HER - IST
4h 43m₺3,741–11,050Car ferry, bus
- Take the car ferry from Heraklion Port to Port of Piraeuscarferry
- Take the bus from Athens to Istanbulbus
23h 9m₺8,568–10,572Ferry, bus
- Take the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodesferry Bsf
- Take the ferry from Port of Rhodes to Port of Marmarisferry
- Take the bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenlerbus
25h 41m₺4,611–5,761Fly from Chania International Airport
- Fly from Chania International Airport (CHQ) to Istanbul (IST)plane CHQ - IST
6h 56m₺5,237–15,476Ferry, bus via Marmaris
- Take the ferry from Heraklion to Rhodesferry Bsf
- Take the ferry from Port of Rhodes to Marmarisferry
- Take the bus from Marmaris to Istanbul Otogaribus
25h 53m₺4,872–5,172Bus and ferry, bus
- Take the busferry from Heraklion to Thessalonikibusferry
- Take the bus from Thessaloniki Simeonidis Tours Office to Istanbul Büyük Otogaribus Simeonidis Tours
26h₺6,542–8,808
Sitia Airport (JSH) to Istanbul (IST) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Crete to Istanbul is to ferry and bus via Marmaris which costs 4.800 ₺ - 5.200 ₺ and takes 25h 53m.
The fastest way to get from Crete to Istanbul is to fly which takes 4h 43m and costs 3.700 ₺ - 11.000 ₺.
No, there is no direct bus from Crete to Istanbul. However, there are services departing from Heraklion and arriving at Istanbul Büyük Otogari via Thessaloniki Simeonidis Tours Office. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 26h.
The distance between Crete and Istanbul is 753 km.
The best way to get from Crete to Istanbul without a car is to car ferry and bus which takes 23h 9m and costs 8.500 ₺ - 11.000 ₺.
It takes approximately 5h 1m to get from Crete to Istanbul, including transfers.
Crete to Istanbul bus services, operated by KTEL Irakleiou - Lasithiou S.A, depart from Heraklion station.
Crete to Istanbul bus services, operated by KTEL Irakleiou - Lasithiou S.A, arrive at Thessaloniki station.
Istanbul is 1h ahead of Crete. It is currently 1:00 PM in Crete and 2:00 PM in Istanbul.
There are 4352+ hotels available in Istanbul.
What companies run services between Crete, Greece and Istanbul, Turkey?
Olympic Air and Turkish Airlines fly from Sitia Airport (JSH) to Istanbul (IST) once daily.
- Website
- en.aegeanair.com
Flights from Sitia Airport to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺7,000–27,000
Flights from Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- ₺3,500–10,000
Flights from Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺3,500–24,000
Flights from Chania International Airport to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- ₺4,100–8,500
Flights from Chania International Airport to Istanbul via Thessaloniki
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- ₺4,100–8,500
- Website
- airserbia.com
Flights from Chania International Airport to Istanbul via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- ₺6,000–18,000
- Website
- ch.com
Flights from Chania International Airport to Istanbul via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- ₺3,800–16,000
- Phone
- +30 2310241545
- crazy.holidays.tours@gmail.com
- Website
- crazyholidays.gr
Bus from Athens to Istanbul
- Ave. Duration
- 14h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- ₺4,000–6,000
- Website
- https://www.crazyholidays.gr/root.en.aspx
- Phone
- 0 850 333 35 35
- info@pamukkale.com.tr
- Website
- pamukkale.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 29m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺1,200–1,700
- Schedules at
- pamukkale.com.tr
- Phone
- 0(850) 309 22 16
- bilgi@istanbulkalesi.com.tr
- Website
- istanbulkalesi.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺1,300
- Schedules at
- istanbulkalesi.com.tr
- Phone
- 444 0 562
- kamilkoc@kamilkoc.com.tr
- Website
- flixbus.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 5m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- ₺950–1,400
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com.tr
- Phone
- 444 50 33
- bilgi@villaseyahat.com
- Website
- villaseyahat.com
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,200
- Schedules at
- villaseyahat.com
- Phone
- 0850 577 99 99
- info@varan.com.tr
- Website
- varan.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,300–2,100
- Schedules at
- varan.com.tr
- Phone
- 0850 811 5959
- website@kaleseyahat.com.tr
- Website
- kaleseyahat.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to İstanbul Esenler
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺1,600
- Schedules at
- kaleseyahat.com.tr
- Phone
- 0850 222 34 55
- Website
- metroturizm.com.tr
Bus from Marmaris to Istanbul Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 31m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₺800–1,050
- Website
- https://www.metroturizm.com.tr/en
- Standard
- ₺800–1,000
- Phone
- +30 2810 24 50 20
- info@ktelherlas.gr
- Website
- ktelherlas.gr
Busferry from Heraklion to Thessaloniki
- Ave. Duration
- 16h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺4,000–5,500
- Schedules at
- ktelherlas.gr
- Phone
- +30-2310540970
- info@simeonidistours.gr
- Website
- simeonidistours.gr
Bus from Thessaloniki Simeonidis Tours Office to Istanbul Büyük Otogari
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- ₺2,200–3,500
- Schedules at
- simeonidistours.gr
- Phone
- +30 210 710 7 710
- reservations.dpt@seajets.gr
- Website
- seajets.com
Car ferry from Heraklion Port to Port of Piraeus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- ₺4,507–4,511
- Website
- https://www.seajets.com/
Ferry from Heraklion to Rhodes
- Ave. Duration
- 11h
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- ₺1,307
- Website
- https://www.bluestarferries.com/en-gb/
- Phone
- +30 22410 74 235
- info@seadreams.gr
- Website
- seadreams.gr
Ferry from Port of Rhodes to Port of Marmaris
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- ₺2,354
- Website
- https://seadreams.gr/
Ferry from Port of Rhodes to Marmaris
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- ₺2,765
- Website
- https://www.yesilmarmarislines.com/
Want to know more about travelling around Türkiye
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Getting around the Cyclades
Read the travel guide

















































