There are 8 ways to get from Istanbul to Rethymno by plane, shuttle, bus, car ferry, train, 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 Istanbul to Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis”, Private transfer
best- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER)plane IST - HER
- Take a shuttle bus from Heraklion Airport to Aquila Porto Rethymno, Rethymno Town
5h 57m€140–371Bus, bus and ferry #2
cheapest- Take the bus from Istanbul to Thessaloniki Macedonia KTEL Bus Stationbus
- Take the busferry from Thessaloniki Macedonia KTEL Bus Station to Chaniabusferry
- Take the bus from Chania to Rethymnobus
30h 55m€90–124Bus, car ferry
- Take the bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Thessaloniki stationbus
- Take the bus from Thessaloniki Monastiriou to Pireausbus
- Take the car ferry from Port of Piraeus to Thira Santorini Portcarferry
- Take the car ferry from Thira Santorini Port to Rethymnocarferry
26h 27m€234–350Fly Istanbul to Chania International Airport, Private transfer
- Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Chania International Airport (CHQ)plane IST - CHQ
- Take a shuttle bus from Chania Airport to Rethymno
7h 22m€135–309Bus to Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos, fly to Chania International Airport, Private transfer
- Take the bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Alexandroupoli Evros Bus Stationbus
- Fly from Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos (AXD) to Chania International Airport (CHQ)plane AXD - CHQ
- Take a shuttle bus from Chania Airport to Rethymno
11h 7m€139–420Bus, train, bus and ferry
- Take the bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Thessaloniki stationbus
- Take the train from Thessaloniki to Lianokladitrain Ic
- Take the busferry from Lamía to Chaniabusferry
- Take the bus from Chania to Rethymnobus
27h 44m€101–141Bus, bus and ferry via Lamía
- Take the bus from Istanbul to Lamiabus
- Take the busferry from Lamía to Chaniabusferry
- Take the bus from Chania to Rethymnobus
27h 46m€120–164Bus, bus and ferry
- Take the bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Thessaloniki stationbus
- Take the busferry from Thessaloniki to Heraklionbusferry
- Take the bus from Heraklion Central Station to Rethymnobus
28h 34m€125–179
Istanbul to Rethymno by bus, foot, and car ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Istanbul to Rethymno is to bus and bus and ferry which costs €90 - €130 and takes 30h 55m.
The fastest way to get from Istanbul to Rethymno is to fly and Private transfer which takes 5h 57m and costs €140 - €380.
No, there is no direct bus from Istanbul to Rethymno. However, there are services departing from Istanbul Esenler Otogari and arriving at Rethymno via Thessaloniki and Heraklion Central Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 28h 34m.
The distance between Istanbul and Rethymno is 850 km.
The best way to get from Istanbul to Rethymno without a car is to bus and car ferry which takes 26h 27m and costs €230 - €350.
It takes approximately 5h 57m to get from Istanbul to Rethymno, including transfers.
Istanbul to Rethymno bus services, operated by Arda Tur, depart from Istanbul Esenler Otogari station.
Istanbul to Rethymno bus services, operated by Arda Tur, arrive at Thessaloniki station.
Rethymno is 1h behind Istanbul. It is currently 4:42 PM in Istanbul and 3:42 PM in Rethymno.
There are 2804+ hotels available in Rethymno.
What companies run services between Istanbul, Turkey and Rethymno, Greece?
There is no direct connection from Istanbul to Rethymno. However, you can take the train to Gayrettepe, take the train to Istanbul Airport, walk to Istanbul (IST) airport, fly to Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER), walk to Heraklion Airport, then take the shuttle to Aquila Porto Rethymno, Rethymno Town. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Rethymno via Thessaloniki station, Thessaloniki Monastiriou, Pireaus, Port of Piraeus, and Thira Santorini Port in around 26h 27m.
- Website
- en.aegeanair.com
Flights from Istanbul to Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis”
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- €65–180
Flights from Istanbul to Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis” via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €65–430
Flights from Istanbul to Chania International Airport via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €75–160
Flights from Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos to Chania International Airport via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- €60–240
Flights from Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos to Chania International Airport via Heraklion International Airport, “Nikos Kazantzakis”, Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €70–270
- Website
- skyexpress.gr
Flights from Istanbul to Chania International Airport via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €65–270
Flights from Alexandroupoli Airport Dimokritos to Chania International Airport via Athens
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- €50–210
- Website
- airserbia.com
Flights from Istanbul to Chania International Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €100–300
- Website
- ryanair.com
Flights from Istanbul to Chania International Airport via Bucharest Otopeni
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- €55–240
- Website
- wizzair.com
Flights from Istanbul to Chania International Airport via Belgrade
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- €55–260
- Phone
- 14511
- Website
- hellenictrain.gr
Train from Thessaloniki to Lianokladi
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €12–18
- Website
- https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en
- Phone
- +30 693-724-9486
- info@cretetaxitransfers.gr
- Website
- cretetaxitransfers.gr
Shuttle from Heraklion Airport to Aquila Porto Rethymno, Rethymno Town
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- €70–165
- Book at
- Crete Taxi Transfers
- Car (4 passengers)
- €70–110
- Mini Van (8 passengers)
- €130–150
- Mini Bus (10 passengers)
- €150–165
Shuttle from Chania Airport to Rethymno
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- €55–140
- Book at
- Crete Taxi Transfers
- Car (4 passengers)
- €55–85
- Mini Van (8 passengers)
- €115–130
- Mini Bus (10 passengers)
- €130–140
- Phone
- +359 700 20 544
- Website
- ardatur.bg
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Thessaloniki station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €40–60
- Website
- https://ardatur.bg/en/
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Alexandroupoli Evros Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €25
- Website
- https://ardatur.bg/en/
- Phone
- +30 2310 500111
- ktel2310@gmail.com
- Website
- ktelthes.gr
Bus from Thessaloniki Monastiriou to Pireaus
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- €42
- Schedules at
- ktelthes.gr
- Book at
- ktelthes.e-ticketing.gr
- Phone
- +30 2310241545
- crazy.holidays.tours@gmail.com
- Website
- crazyholidays.gr
Bus from Istanbul Esenler Otogari to Alexandroupoli Evros Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- €45–60
- Website
- https://www.crazyholidays.gr/root.en.aspx
Bus from Istanbul to Lamia
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 30m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €75–110
- Website
- https://www.crazyholidays.gr/root.en.aspx
- Phone
- +302821093306
- info@e-ktel.gr
- Website
- e-ktel.com
Busferry from Lamía to Chania
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 16m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- €35–50
- Website
- https://www.e-ktel.com/en/
Bus from Chania to Rethymno
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €5–7
- Website
- https://www.e-ktel.com/en/
Busferry from Thessaloniki Macedonia KTEL Bus Station to Chania
- Ave. Duration
- 17h
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- €55–75
- Website
- https://www.e-ktel.com/en/
- Phone
- +30 2810 24 50 20
- info@ktelherlas.gr
- Website
- ktelherlas.gr
Busferry from Thessaloniki to Heraklion
- Ave. Duration
- 16h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €75–110
- Schedules at
- ktelherlas.gr
Bus from Heraklion Central Station to Rethymno
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- €7–11
- Schedules at
- ktelherlas.gr
- Phone
- +90 212 658 18 51
- info@alparturizm.com.tr
- Website
- alparturizm.com.tr
Bus from Istanbul to Thessaloniki Macedonia KTEL Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- €30–45
- Website
- https://www.alparturizm.com.tr/en/
- Phone
- +30 210 710 7 710
- reservations.dpt@seajets.gr
- Website
- seajets.com
Car ferry from Port of Piraeus to Thira Santorini Port
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- €89–90
- Website
- https://www.seajets.com/
Car ferry from Thira Santorini Port to Rethymno
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- €60–160
- Website
- https://www.seajets.com/
- Deck Fare Economy
- €60–90
- Deck Fare Economy & Car less than 4.25m
- €110–160
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