# Travelling to Crete - Train or car?



## gloucester_geezer (May 5, 2008)

Hello All,

I am thinking about travelling to one of the Greek islands, poss Crete, later this summer and would like some info regarding travelling there. I don't want to fly and will either drive down or if possible catch a train/trains and hire a car once on island.

Has anybody done the journey by train? Easy trip? Recommended or totally against?
Same questions for driving down....

This trip will be from England. 

Thanks in advance

Paul


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## wka (Sep 18, 2009)

England > Crete without flying usually means train to Italy, ferry from Italy to Patra, bus to Peiraias, ferry to Crete, and then sure you can rent a car once there. You can also take a train to Athens via Serbia etc but most people go through Italy as I believe it is shorter. There is a website that is dedicated to this sort of thing - The Man in Seat Sixty-One... - which should give you all the details you need. Just be aware that long distance bus travel within Greece itself is generally preferable to train.


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## Musicman6548 (Mar 3, 2011)

Drove to Greece earlier in year. I night Dijon,I night Padua, boat Venice-Patra. But then I was 40 mins from destination. But it's do-able. But share the driving!! It was motorway from Calais to Venice. Hope this might help. Musicman 6548


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## The Grocer (May 30, 2010)

Musicman6548 said:


> Drove to Greece earlier in year. I night Dijon,I night Padua, boat Venice-Patra. But then I was 40 mins from destination. But it's do-able. But share the driving!! It was motorway from Calais to Venice. Hope this might help. Musicman 6548


Hi there,
I drive from Wales to Peloponnese on average once- twice a year, the journey is no issue. Beware motorway tolls in mainland Europe can make it expensive, so plan your journey. As I often have a trailer I tend to go via Belgium-Germany-Austria-Italy as the motorway tolls work out the most economic (ie no tolls in Belgium & Germany and Austria is 7 Euro for ten day pass). Beware Switzerland is expensive for the road pass, you have to buy a full year pass. 
I have used both ports at Venice and Anconna, obviously Venice saves a bit of driving.
You can do it with two nights stop over but I seriously recommend three especially if you are the only driver. Another tip, plan to hit Italy on a Sunday....most trucks are prohibited from motorways on Sundays making driving far easier !


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## gloucester_geezer (May 5, 2008)

Many thanks for the replies; very helpful advice. I don't mind driving at all so it certainly seems a very viable option. 

Thanks again.

Paul


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