lauramsgarden

According to Michelin it would take about 4 hours to do said drive...does that sound about right? and they indicate many twisty turns - how bad is the road? and once in Chania is there a reason to keep a car or can one get about mostly by public transport?

clausar

The distance is about 210 km, and i would say no more than 3 hours.
The road is actually in very good shape and it is the main road connecting the biggest cities of Crete.

Public transport is very good on Crete and inexpensive.
From Chania you would have to take the bus to Heraklion, change to another bus to Agios Nikolaos, and from there take the local bus to Elounda.

I can only see the winter time table on the website of KTEL ( the coach company ) and i can't remember if there is a direct bus to Elounda from Heraklion in the summer.

Here is the website : http://www.ktelherlas.gr/page.php?ca...&id=39&lang=en

lauramsgarden

great, thanks. Once in Chania do you think we need a car? and would we be able to take a taxi to the ferry when we leave?

HappyTrvlr

How long will you be in Chania? We had a car as there are so many interesting places nearby too.

clausar

Crete is a big island with so much to see, a car will give you the flexibility of visiting all the nice places at your own pace....

While staying in the city, no car is needed, finding parking space especially in the high season is not easy.....

If you mean a taxi from Chania City to the port of Souda, you can certainly take a taxi.

lauramsgarden

HappyTrvlr - that is indeed the question. We were thinking five nights - maybe 3 at a resort and two in chania - this is our first trip to Greece and there is so much we want to see and experience. I know we could easily spend a week in Crete and not exhaust all there is to explore - but then there are all the other wonderful places. all advice happily received

And thanks Clausar - that was pretty much what I was thinking. Return car at Chania, explore on foot or by mass transit, and then take taxi to Souda or airport depending on what we figure out for our next stop

lauramsgarden

Yeeks, so excited, just booked our first hotel for Greece - the Alcanea in Chania - we are (theoretically) on our way!

sheila

I think it will easily take 4 hours to do the distance. IN fact, if I were doing it, I would take all day, because I would stop to see Knossos and maybe the national museum en route. I have done that road once, and twice more, the bit between Chania and Iraklion. It's not a fast road, but easy enough to drive

lauramsgarden

Thanks Sheila, that is pretty much exactly what we were planning. so appreciate the advice