Quick answer. Heraklion Airport is only about five kilometres from the city centre, so you do not need much cash on landing. If you want euros straight away, use a Greek bank ATM from Piraeus, National Bank of Greece, Alpha or Eurobank rather than an independent Euronet unit, and choose euros, not your home currency. The city bus into Heraklion costs a couple of euros; taxis run roughly €15-25 and, like all Greek taxis, must accept cards. The terminal is old and badly overcrowded in summer, and a new airport at Kastelli is being built to replace it, so leave extra time on departure and spend leftover euros landside. Greece has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner.
Where to get euro at HER
At HER the machine you choose matters more than where you withdraw. Here is what each route costs to get €100 in your hand, at roughly €1 = $1.10.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek bank ATM in the city with a no-FX-fee card | Lions Square, 25th August Street | Network rate; read any fee on screen | ~$110-113 |
| Greek bank ATM at HER | Arrivals | Network rate; read any fee on screen | ~$110-113 |
| BoA debit card at any Greek machine | Anywhere in Crete | BoA 3% + BoA's flat non-network fee | ~$118 |
| Euronet machine accepting conversion | Arrivals, resort strips | Own surcharge + DCC margin | ~$120-125 |
Bank machines at Heraklion (HER), and the queue you should plan for on the way out
Heraklion's airport, named after the writer Nikos Kazantzakis, sits on the coast just east of the city, and it is one of the busiest airports in Greece in summer, handling Crete's charter and low-cost traffic in a terminal built for a fraction of it. The arrivals hall has Greek bank ATMs from Piraeus Bank, National Bank of Greece and others, alongside independent Euronet machines that add their own fee and push conversion into your home currency. Choose a bank machine and choose euros. Because the city is so close, the better plan is often to take out only a little here and withdraw in Heraklion itself, where branches of every Greek bank surround Lions Square and 25th August Street. The airport's days are numbered: a new airport at Kastelli, inland to the south-east, is under construction and due to take over later this decade. Until then, the crowding is the thing to plan around. The city's own spending picture, from Knossos tickets to Cretan hire-car deposits, is in our Heraklion money guide.
Arrivals
Aegean, Sky Express, and summer charter and low-cost flights from across Europe
Bank ATMs and independent machines are in and just outside the arrivals hall. Check the branding: a Greek bank logo means the normal network rate; a Euronet or unbranded unit means a surcharge and a conversion offer. Decline conversion and choose euros.
Departures
Same building; check-in, security and a cramped airside area
In summer the check-in and security queues can be long, and the airside area is crowded with limited seating. Arrive early, and spend leftover euros on food landside or in the city rather than planning a meal at the gate.
Bus stop and taxi rank
City buses, KTEL coaches, taxis and car-hire shuttles
The city bus stop and the taxi rank are directly outside arrivals. Car-hire representatives meet customers in the car park or run shuttles to off-site offices.
Do you actually need cash at Heraklion (HER)?
Not much. The city is close and most transport takes cards. Here are the options:
City bus to the centre (around €1.50-2): Buy from the kiosk or machine where possible; paying on board can cost more and needs coins on some buses.
Taxi from the rank (roughly €15-25 to central Heraklion): Greek taxis must carry a card terminal; say you are paying by card before setting off.
KTEL coach to Hersonissos, Malia or Rethymno (€3-10 depending on destination): Some routes call at the airport; others leave from the city bus station, so check before you wait.
Hire car (from about €30 a day in low season): Expect a deposit hold on a credit card; see the Heraklion guide for how Cretan deposits work.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Heraklion (HER) to Heraklion?
No. Taxis must accept cards, the city bus sells tickets from kiosks and machines, and hire-car desks work entirely on cards. You will want euros later for village tavernas, kiosks and some KTEL coaches, and central Heraklion has plenty of bank machines five kilometres away.
Can I order euro before flying?
Optional. CEI Currency Exchange ships euros to a US address in 2-5 days, and small notes are handy for a bus ticket and the first taverna. With the city this close and cards widely taken, landing without euros is not a problem at HER.
How far is Heraklion Airport from the city centre?
About five kilometres, one of the shortest airport transfers in Greece. The city bus takes roughly twenty minutes and costs a couple of euros, and a taxi takes ten to fifteen minutes. That is why there is little reason to use an expensive machine at the airport: the city's bank ATMs are close.
Is Heraklion Airport being replaced?
Yes. A new airport at Kastelli, south-east of Heraklion, is under construction and is intended to replace the current airport later this decade. Until it opens, HER remains the main airport for central and eastern Crete, and its summer crowding is the main thing to plan for.
Why is Heraklion Airport so crowded?
Because it handles millions of summer passengers in a terminal designed for far fewer, with limited check-in, security and airside space. On peak summer days queues can be long and seating scarce. Arrive with extra time, eat before security and spend your leftover euros in the city.