Ierapetra Transfers

Ierapetra transfers are the booked private and shared rides that take travellers to Ierapetra, the town on the south-east coast of Crete in the Lasithi regional unit, from Heraklion Airport, Heraklion port and Sitia Airport, in a car, minivan or van arranged ahead. Booked rides across the rest of the country are listed on Greece Tours.

The sections below cover the airports, the meeting point, the route across the island, journey times, the beaches and villages the drivers reach around the town, booking and vehicles, and the tours that start with a pickup, with links into the Ierapetra pages. The transfers shown are checked on GetYourGuide and Viator.

What are Ierapetra transfers?

Ierapetra transfers are rides arranged in advance, in a car, minivan, van or taxi, that link an airport, a ferry port or a hotel with the town of Ierapetra, found on Crete’s south-east coast within the Lasithi regional unit.

Private Ierapetra transfers take a single party from door to door. The driver waits in the arrival hall with your name on a card and drives you straight to your hotel. For the journey back, the driver comes to the address you gave, at a time set from your flight details.

Shared Ierapetra transfers put you in a shuttle alongside other travellers, making up to 8 stops on the standard version and 4 on the speedy one, before the shuttle drops you at your hotel or as near to it as it can get. A taxi firm based in Ierapetra also covers the island’s airports and ports, 24 hours a day.

Where is Ierapetra and which airports serve Ierapetra transfers?

The town of Ierapetra lies on the south-east coast of Crete, south of Agios Nikolaos and south-west of Sitia. Ierapetra transfers run from two airports: Heraklion International Airport, 94 kilometres away, and the smaller Sitia Airport, 59 kilometres away.

Ierapetra is the largest town in the Lasithi regional unit and faces the Libyan Sea. The regional unit of Lasithi forms the eastern end of the island, with Agios Nikolaos as its capital, so Ierapetra transfers leaving the main airport travel east first and reach the town later.

Heraklion International Airport, code HER, is the main airport of Crete, about 5 kilometres east of Heraklion city centre, and the second busiest in Greece after Athens. Sitia Airport, code JSH, is a small community airport in the east of the island, and Ierapetra transfers from there run south-west to the town.

Which Ierapetra transfers run from Heraklion Airport?

At Heraklion Airport, Ierapetra transfers come in two forms: private rides in a car, minivan or van, and shared shuttles. In a private ride your party travels alone from the terminal to the hotel in Ierapetra; a shuttle picks up and drops other guests along the route.

One private listing for Ierapetra transfers on the Heraklion to south Crete route suits families and groups, books a private group only and offers pickup. Operators on the same eastern road also price Heraklion Airport rides to Agios Nikolaos in a premium Mercedes minivan.

Each Heraklion Airport booking for Ierapetra transfers comes with a voucher that explains how to locate your transfer, so open it before the flight lands and keep it to hand at the terminal.

Where do Ierapetra transfers meet arrivals at Heraklion Airport?

Ierapetra transfers meet you in the arrival hall at Heraklion Airport. On a private booking the driver waits there with a card showing your name, and the booking voucher explains how to locate your driver or, on a shared booking, your shuttle.

Flight tracking is part of the service on Ierapetra transfers: the operator follows your flight and coordinates the pickup around it. A meet-and-greet means the driver waits at the meeting point, so you have no search to make for the vehicle once you walk out of the terminal.

Shared Ierapetra transfers follow a timetable, which can mean waiting at the airport before the shuttle leaves, and each extra hotel stop lengthens the ride. For the return, the driver waits at your pickup point. The other routes from this terminal are on our Heraklion Airport transfers page.

Which route do Ierapetra transfers follow from Heraklion?

Ierapetra transfers from Heraklion follow the north-coast highway east until they pass Agios Nikolaos, then cut south over the Isthmus of Ierapetra, where Crete is at its narrowest point, and end on the Libyan Sea coast at the town itself.

The north-coast highway is Greek National Road 90, part of European route E75, and it links Heraklion with Agios Nikolaos. The road carries a single lane each way with no central barrier, so Ierapetra transfers move in the same traffic as every other vehicle on the eastern run.

The isthmus is 12 kilometres wide, running between the Mirabello Gulf on the north coast and the Libyan Sea on the south coast, and mountains rise on either side. Ierapetra transfers cover the last stretch south of Agios Nikolaos, about 30 kilometres, and our Crete transfers page covers the other routes across the island.

Which Ierapetra transfers run from Heraklion port and Sitia Airport?

Ierapetra transfers also run from Heraklion port and from Sitia Airport, the nearer of the two airports. Private cars, vans and taxis collect you at either point and take you door to door to your hotel or apartment in the town of Ierapetra.

Heraklion is an important ferry dock, and ferries from Piraeus arrive there. Operators list private port rides for the Heraklion area, and Ierapetra transfers by taxi cover every port of Crete from a base in the town. Our Heraklion port transfers page explains the ferry pickup.

Sitia Airport receives scheduled and charter flights, and Ierapetra transfers from its terminal cover 59 kilometres to the town. A luxury service based in Ierapetra runs airport pickups to and from both Sitia and Heraklion airports, and our Sitia Airport transfers page covers the rides from that airport.

How long do Ierapetra transfers take?

Ierapetra transfers take 1 hour 30 minutes from Heraklion city over 96 km and 3 hours 20 minutes from Chania city over 236 km, while Agios Nikolaos lies 30 km north of the town, so the pickup city sets the length of the ride.

Two booking platforms agree on the Heraklion run: the Heraklion to South Crete private transfer lists 1.5 hours, and a car platform gives 1 hour 30 minutes. Ierapetra transfers from Heraklion fit into half a day, and the driver adds optional stops that you choose when you book.

Western starts take longer. A private transfer from Chania Airport covers 242 km in 3 hours 36 minutes, so Ierapetra transfers from the west suit travellers who want a driver for the whole journey. Our page on Chania to Ierapetra covers that corridor in full.

Which beaches and villages near Ierapetra do Ierapetra transfers reach?

Ierapetra transfers reach Koutsounari, Ferma, Kakkos Bay, Agia Fotia, Makrigialos and Myrtos on this coast, because a door-to-door driver collects and drops at any address you name, so a hotel, a villa or an apartment near the beach becomes the drop-off point.

The municipality of Ierapetra also lists Gra Lygia, Kalamafka, Kavousi, Males and Pachia Ammos among its settlements, so each of them is a valid address for Ierapetra transfers. Kakkos Beach and Myrtos Beach also sit on the municipal beach list, so a villa near either one counts as a drop-off point.

Livadi Beach in Ferma, Koutsounari Long Beach and Agia Fotia Beach appear on the same list, and Ierapetra transfers end at the address you give rather than at the sand itself. Our pages on Makrigialos and Myrtos describe the villages.

• Koutsounari: 8 km east of Ierapetra.
• Ferma, with the Kakkos Bay hotel: 8 km from the town centre.
• Myrtos: 15 km west of Ierapetra.
• Koutsouras, former seat of the Makry Gialos municipality: 22 km east of Ierapetra.

How do you book Ierapetra transfers and which vehicles run?

You book Ierapetra transfers online by picking a shared or private ride and a vehicle: the car holds up to 4 passengers, the minivan up to 8 and the coach up to 84, and one platform lets you cancel free until 48 hours before pickup.

Ierapetra transfers on these platforms include a driver who waits at the meeting point and monitors your flight, and child seats come on request. On the shared shuttle each passenger brings 1 bag, whereas a private ride listed on another platform allows 1 suitcase plus 1 carry-on per passenger, and extra or oversized bags are added on request.

• Shared express shuttle: the lowest cost, with a shared ride and fewer stops.
• Private car: a dedicated vehicle for up to 4 passengers.
• Minivan: a private ride for up to 8 passengers.
• Coach: a private coach for up to 84 passengers.

Lead times differ by service. The private transfer listing on GetYourGuide asks for a booking at least 10 hours ahead, and a car platform gives free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. A local taxi firm takes bookings with no advance payment for Ierapetra transfers.

Which tours from Ierapetra include a pickup?

Four of the six tours from Ierapetra include a pickup on the booking page, so Ierapetra transfers only matter for the two Chrissi island boat trips, whose listings state no pickup; confirm the pickup point with the operator when you book.

Every listing offers free cancellation, which lets you pair Ierapetra transfers with a tour and still change the plan. Five ask for a booking at least 10 hours ahead, while Ierapetra in a Day asks for 30 minutes. Our page on Sarakina Gorge covers the walk behind the villages tour.

The Chrissi island trips differ in format: one is a semi-private yacht cruise with lunch, and the other is a private half-day boat tour whose listing names Makry Gialos. Neither shows a pickup, so book Ierapetra transfers to the boat. Our Chrissi island cruise page covers the crossing.

• Villages and Sarakina Gorge private tour: 7 hours, meal included, pickup available.
• Ierapetra in a Day: 12 hours, private group, meal included, pickup available.
• Makrigialos hidden villages and olive oil farm tour: 7 hours, pickup available.
• Eastern Crete jeep tour: 5 hours, pickup available.
• Chrissi island yacht cruise with lunch: 6 hours, no pickup listed.
• Chrissi island private boat tour: 5 hours, no pickup listed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Ierapetra transfers private or shared?

Ierapetra transfers run both ways. A private ride gives your party a dedicated car, minivan or coach, while a shared express shuttle gives you a seat with fewer stops and 1 bag each. Choose a private ride when your party needs a vehicle sized to its luggage.

Do Ierapetra transfers include child seats?

Yes, Ierapetra transfers carry child seats on request. One platform lists them as available on request, and a hotel in Ferma equips its cars with baby seats and a large boot for strollers. Add the request when you book so the driver brings the right seat.

How early do you book Ierapetra transfers?

Book Ierapetra transfers at least 10 hours ahead for the private transfer listed on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before departure on one platform and to 48 hours before pickup on another, so read the cancellation term at checkout before you pay for the ride.

Do Ierapetra transfers collect you from a hotel or villa?

Yes, Ierapetra transfers work door-to-door, with pickup and drop-off at any address, and a local taxi firm also moves guests from their hotel to the destination they choose. One operator adds a discount when you book the return ride together with the outward ride.