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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.
Autoverhuur beoordelingen op 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.
Citroen C3 op Kreta
De agent van Citroën ontmoette me met een bord bij de veerboot! De auto was nieuw, hij legde alles uit, gaf me tips!
Fiat 500 op Kreta
We vonden alles goed, alles was zoals afgesproken qua geld en tijd, niets extra. We hebben geen aanbetaling gedaan. De auto is oud, maar er waren geen klachten over het werk. We vonden het fijn dat de auto direct bij het hotel werd afgeleverd!
Volkswagen Up! op Kreta
Jullie autoverhuurdiensten voor 5 ballen. Jullie waren geweldig. Alles was prima.
Nissan Micra Cabrio op Kreta
Het was prima
Fiat 500 op Kreta
Over het algemeen was ik er tevreden over, maar de fiat was ons natuurlijk al vaak voor geweest in gevechten. Over het algemeen was het oud en doods.
Skoda Fabia op Kreta
Alles is geweldig, de auto is prachtig, werd precies op tijd opgehaald. Alle details waren van tevoren afgesproken, alles was perfect.
SEAT Ibiza op Kreta
Alles ging goed, geen problemen. De service is uitstekend.
Peugeot 301 op Kreta
Alles was goed, bedankt!
Ford Focus op Kreta
Ik was helemaal tevreden over zowel de service als de machine zelf. Ford focus had het druk die dag en ze gaven me een auto uit een hogere klasse. Ik vond het fijn dat ik bij het overhandigen van de auto op het vliegveld werd opgewacht met een bordje (ik hoefde zelf niet te zoeken).
Citroen C3 op Kreta
Alles was zeer aangenaam, afgeleverd zoals besteld direct bij het hotel op de aangegeven tijd, en de sleutels daar achtergelaten, de auto werd later opgehaald. Service is super. Bedankt, we zullen jullie aanbevelen.
Nissan Micra op Kreta
Bedankt, alles is in orde, de auto werd afgeleverd bij het hotel op de aangegeven plaats en tijd, de auto was in gemiddelde staat.... tevreden !!!!
Hyundai Verna op Kreta
Alles was in orde. Hoewel de auto niet nieuw is, is hij goed te verdragen. De linker luidspreker achter de bestuurder piept (piept) in de lage tonen.
Toyota Yaris op Kreta
Ik ontving de auto snel, maar in plaats van Toyota Yaris was er Fiat Tipo 1,6 diesel. Kilometerstand 48 duizend, in zeer goede staat. Alles beviel me, vooral het verbruik, minder dan 5l/100km.
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1. Vergelijk auto's op Kreta
We maken het gemakkelijk om prijzen en huurvoorwaarden te vergelijken op Kreta zodat je gemakkelijker een auto kunt huren.
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2. Zeker je online boeking
Reserveer je voertuig met een kleine aanbetaling en we garanderen dat het op je wacht bij aankomst op Kreta.
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3. Deel je huurervaring
Help anderen de juiste keuze te maken bij het huren van auto's op TakeCars Kreta.
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.
De prijs van autoverhuur op Kreta hangt af van het seizoen en de lengte van de huurperiode.
- januari
- februari
- maart
- april
- Mei
- juni
- juli
- augustus
- september
- oktober
- november
- december
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Mei
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Okt
- Nov
- Dec
Hoeveel kost het om een auto te huren op Kreta: gemiddelde dagprijs voor alle autoklassen bij een huurperiode van 7 dagen.