Heraklion Airport (Crete): location and infrastructure

In fact, the airport of Heraklion is named after Nikos Kazantzakis, a Greek philosopher and writer, a local native. But since the hub serves almost all the resort towns of the island, it is called by the nearby city. And sometimes even so: "Crete-Heraklion airport". This is the second largest passenger hub in Greece (after Eleftherios Venizelos in Athens). It accepts both international and domestic flights. In the summer months, work at the airport is particularly stressful because of the many charters. This circumstance, aggravated by the congenital slowness of the Greeks, must be taken into account when arriving at the landing. What other surprises await us in the Nikos Kazantzakis hub? Let's consider.

What flies to Crete

The hub serves as a home port for Bluebird Airways. From Athens, Olympic Air and Aegean fly here. For lovers of low-cost, it will be interesting to know that the airport "Crete-Heraklion" accepts the planes of companies EasyJet, Wizzair and Germanwings. But Ryanair - another budget carrier - flights to this hub does not. From Russia to Crete without transplants can be reached by planes of Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Transaero, Ural Airlines.

History

The airport in Heraklion was built in 1939 in the middle of arable land. First, he took the passenger planes Junkers Ju 52 from the capital. After the Second World War, the flight between the island and Athens resumed. The first terminal appeared in 1947. Initially, the airport served only four thousand passengers a year. In the late 60's, the runway with a length of 1,850 meters was supplemented by a longer (two and a half kilometers), which allowed taking heavier planes. At the same time, the terminal was rebuilt according to the requirements for international airports. The first overseas flight was accepted in March 1971 (British Airways). The current view of the airport "Iraklion", the photo of which you see, was acquired in May 1972. But the city was already very close to the once deserted fields. Airport noise worries the residents of Heraklion, so at this time in the town of Kasteli, in the depths of the island, a new hub is being built. He plans to finish by the summer season of 2015. After that, the old airport of Heraklion will be closed.

Where is the

The second largest hub in Greece is located in the village of Nea-Alikanasos. In fact, this is the eastern suburb of Heraklion. From the air gate of Crete to the city center - only four kilometers. Heraklion Airport also serves other resorts of the island: Elounda, Stalida, Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos. To the south of the hub there is a traffic junction leading to the federal highway E75. This highway connects all the coastal cities of Crete. To Chania from the airport. Nikos Kazantzakis is about 140 km away. Approximately seventy kilometers separate the hub from Agios Nikolaos and Rethymnon.

How to get there

"Heraklion" is an airport located almost in the city, but on foot, and even with luggage, will be far away. From the building of the terminal there is a city bus number 78. It runs from early morning until late evening with an interval of only a few minutes. On Sundays, the bus runs less often. The ticket costs 0.75 euros and is purchased from the driver. The journey time to the center of Heraklion takes about twenty minutes, as the bus makes a lot of stops. Car rental offices are located directly at the exit from the arrivals hall. However, one must take into account that in the tourist season the choice of economy cars is small. The most comfortable way to get to the place of rest is by taxi. The parking of this type of transport is located right before the exit from the terminal. Payment - on the counter. Airport "Heraklion" from the resort towns of Crete go by shuttle buses that carry out a group transfer of passengers. But, according to the reviews of tourists, this type of transport takes two or three hours from lying on the beach. Buses go behind the passengers to numerous hotels. It is necessary to plan such a trip in view of this time, so as not to be late for the flight.

Infrastructure

Heraklion Airport meets all standards of the international European hub. True, he has only one passenger terminal. But maybe this is for the best. As practice shows, people tend to get lost if there are more than one building to board a flight. In the departure hall there is a convenient waiting room, a cafe, a bar, a restaurant, a room for children's games, Wi-Fi. In the arrivals hall you will find 24-hour currency exchange offices and ATMs. As it should be an airport of this rank, there is a post office, a luggage room, an office of found things and a medical center. Employees of the hub will facilitate the movement of persons with disabilities. Basically, check-in for a flight, passport, customs clearance and security control is conducted in an organized and fast manner. However, in the summer, due to the large number of charter flights, queues are possible.

Heraklion Airport: duty free

Of course, there is a duty-free shop, otherwise the hub would not be given the status of an international one. Duty free is located on the second floor, as usual, at the frontier guards. In addition to the usual goods for duty free, such as inflatable pillows, sweets and cosmetics with perfumery, the local duty-free shop has its own specifics. It consists of a large and good selection of Cretan wines, honey, olive oil, Greek distillates. There are plenty of magnets here, too. So if you forgot to buy a memo about the island in the market or in souvenir shops, you can do it just before the flight. Is that the prices ... Ouzo, metax, retsina and other alcohol is slightly more expensive than everywhere on the island. Honey, spices, butter - at the same prices. But all sorts of little things, clothes and perfumes - very expensive.