Local bus to Chania?

[jann]

Only 2 weeks to go and I will be there |||||  

Is there anybody with experience of travel by local bus, in recent years, able to help  ?  

 I have the local bus timetables but I'm not sure how long it takes from place to place to work it out  


1.   Can I get from Plakias-Rethymnon, on to Chania and back in 1 day?

2.    Is it possible to get to Elounda/Ag Nik. for a trip to Spinalonga in 1 day?

3.    can I get to Phaestos and back in a day ?

4.    can I get to Aghia Galini and back?

5.     any other suggestions gratefully received, thanks Jann

[Stuart & Hilary]

Only 2 weeks to go and I will be there |||||  

Is there anybody with experience of travel by local bus, in recent years, able to help  ?  

 I have the local bus timetables but I'm not sure how long it takes from place to place to work it out  


1.   Can I get from Plakias-Rethymnon, on to Chania and back in 1 day?



Hi Jann, We always rely on public transport. You could do Chania in the day. Depending on which bus and the number of stops it is possibly an hour plus from Rethmynon to Chania. I think the last bus into Plakias is early evening so to make it a longer day maybe a taxi from Rethymnon to Plakias. Also you could take a room in Chania for the night. We prefer Chania at night time.

2.    Is it possible to get to Elounda/Ag Nik. for a trip to Spinalonga in 1 day?

This would not be so easy. It must be an hour to Heraklion from Rethymnon and maybe the same distance then on to a bus connection to Elounda. Possible a boat trip from Ayios Nikolaos, or Elounda to Spinalonga. I think you would have to get a room for the night for this trip. In Plaka or Spinalonga. We hope to do this trip in September, before Plakias, having of course read that book!

3.    can I get to Phaestos and back in a day ? We haven't visited.



4.    can I get to Aghia Galini and back?  This relies on a connection with the Rethmynon / Aghia Galini bus. We did it a couple of years ago and had a two hour wait. Not good. Last year we met friends from Galini in Plakias and they had to get a taxi for half the journey both ways. So 1t is possible but needs careful planning. I think the weekends may also be more difficult.

Have a great holiday. Stuart

5.     any other suggestions gratefully received, thanks Jann

[jann]

  thanks Stuart and Hilary,  you have really confirmed what I thought, I successfully went on the local bus to Chania several years ago. The timetable I have now shows the last return to Plakias from Rethymnon as 2.15 pm so would have to catch the very early  7am bus from Plakias. However I'm told it could change anytime so would be good if there is a later one.

I have been to Aghia Galini  and Phestos  before, but on a motorbike, and did the Spinalonga trip whilst staying further east in Ierapatra.

Spinalonga is well worth seeing by the way !

I may end up hiring a car, but I find it much more fun using the buses really.

Thanks again, I can't wait, 10 days to go!!!!

Hope you have a good trip too ( I may even be back myself in September)

Jann  

[grahame]

 thanks Stuart and Hilary,  you have really confirmed what I thought, I successfully went on the local bus to Chania several years ago. The timetable I have now shows the last return to Plakias from Rethymnon as 2.15 pm so would have to catch the very early  7am bus from Plakias. However I'm told it could change anytime so would be good if there is a later one.

I have been to Aghia Galini  and Phestos  before, but on a motorbike, and did the Spinalonga trip whilst staying further east in Ierapatra.

Spinalonga is well worth seeing by the way !

I may end up hiring a car, but I find it much more fun using the buses really.

Thanks again, I can't wait, 10 days to go!!!!

Hope you have a good trip too ( I may even be back myself in September)

Jann  

Jann,
Glad you had a great two weeks in Plakias.
How did you get on with the local buses? What daytrips are possible from Plakias?
We have done Rethynon before but nowhere else.
What are prices like in Plakias now. I've heard that alcohol and petrol have gone up but what effect has that on Taverna prices?
18 days to go................
Grahame

[jann]

 thanks Stuart and Hilary,  you have really confirmed what I thought, I successfully went on the local bus to Chania several years ago. The timetable I have now shows the last return to Plakias from Rethymnon as 2.15 pm so would have to catch the very early  7am bus from Plakias. However I'm told it could change anytime so would be good if there is a later one.

I have been to Aghia Galini  and Phestos  before, but on a motorbike, and did the Spinalonga trip whilst staying further east in Ierapatra.

Spinalonga is well worth seeing by the way !

I may end up hiring a car, but I find it much more fun using the buses really.

Thanks again, I can't wait, 10 days to go!!!!

Hope you have a good trip too ( I may even be back myself in September)

Jann  

Jann,
Glad you had a great two weeks in Plakias.
How did you get on with the local buses? What daytrips are possible from Plakias?
We have done Rethynon before but nowhere else.
What are prices like in Plakias now. I've heard that alcohol and petrol have gone up but what effect has that on Taverna prices?
18 days to go................
Grahame

Grahame,

Afraid I only managed Rethymnon on the bus too.  It's possible to go to the crossroads after Koxxari Village on the Rethymnon bus and change to one going to Aghia Galini but I never was confident enough about being able to get the return Plakias bus which leaves Rethymnon at 2.15pm.

as it was so early, the only trip available was a jeep safari ! but the boat have started and you  can go to Preveli or to Loutro from Plakias, or to Gavdos island.
There will be more available now including Samaria Gorge, see Adonis at Anso Travel he's very helpful.
The taxi to Myrthios was 5 Euros I chickened out and only walked back!!
To Sellia the taxi was 12 Euros there and back.

As far as I can remember prices for alcohol and food were similar to last year, and  petrol was 1.78 a litre .

Mouses did a 3 course meal for 2 including half a litre of wine for  19 Euros which was excellent value.
Most main courses were around 6 to 8 euros.Gyros about 2.50 (the best are at Kyma)
half litre of wine was about 3.80 but in the bars a bit more.

Hope you have a wonderful time, it was very quiet but starting to get more busy as I left.

Jann

[grahame]

 thanks Stuart and Hilary,  you have really confirmed what I thought, I successfully went on the local bus to Chania several years ago. The timetable I have now shows the last return to Plakias from Rethymnon as 2.15 pm so would have to catch the very early  7am bus from Plakias. However I'm told it could change anytime so would be good if there is a later one.

I have been to Aghia Galini  and Phestos  before, but on a motorbike, and did the Spinalonga trip whilst staying further east in Ierapatra.

Spinalonga is well worth seeing by the way !

I may end up hiring a car, but I find it much more fun using the buses really.

Thanks again, I can't wait, 10 days to go!!!!

Hope you have a good trip too ( I may even be back myself in September)

Jann  

Jann,
Glad you had a great two weeks in Plakias.
How did you get on with the local buses? What daytrips are possible from Plakias?
We have done Rethynon before but nowhere else.
What are prices like in Plakias now. I've heard that alcohol and petrol have gone up but what effect has that on Taverna prices?
18 days to go................
Grahame

Grahame,

Afraid I only managed Rethymnon on the bus too.  It's possible to go to the crossroads after Koxxari Village on the Rethymnon bus and change to one going to Aghia Galini but I never was confident enough about being able to get the return Plakias bus which leaves Rethymnon at 2.15pm.

as it was so early, the only trip available was a jeep safari ! but the boat have started and you  can go to Preveli or to Loutro from Plakias, or to Gavdos island.
There will be more available now including Samaria Gorge, see Adonis at Anso Travel he's very helpful.
The taxi to Myrthios was 5 Euros I chickened out and only walked back!!
To Sellia the taxi was 12 Euros there and back.

As far as I can remember prices for alcohol and food were similar to last year, and  petrol was 1.78 a litre .

Mouses did a 3 course meal for 2 including half a litre of wine for  19 Euros which was excellent value.
Most main courses were around 6 to 8 euros.Gyros about 2.50 (the best are at Kyma)
half litre of wine was about 3.80 but in the bars a bit more.

Hope you have a wonderful time, it was very quiet but starting to get more busy as I left.

Jann

Thanks for the info' Jann.
It will be great to return after a gap of 4 years.
Grahame