Heraklion has no paid street parking for visitors. A controlled-parking scheme was still waiting for approval in July 2026, so the kerb is free but full, and inside the Venetian walls much of it belongs to residents.
On a weekday I'd leave the car free at the Pancretan Stadium and take the free CityBus in. Any other day, the port authority's car parks charge €3 for three hours and €10 for 24.
Parking in Heraklion: A free kerb, a full kerb and the port at €10 a day
1. Don't hunt for a parking meter
There isn't one to find. The council has announced digital controlled parking with about 800 sensor-watched spaces, but in July 2026 it still needed a traffic-committee decision and a public consultation. Until it starts, the street is free wherever parking is legal.
2. Leave the residents' bays inside the walls
Since 2019 the old town inside the walls has been split into three residents' zones. Only a residents' permit card on the dashboard counts there. A hire car has no business in those bays.
3. Park in the port authority's zones
The port authority (OLH) runs three car parks. Zones 2 and 3 charge €3 for the first three hours, €0.40 for each hour after, and €10 for 24 hours; two days are €15, three days €21. Zone 1 starts at €3.50 and caps at €8. Ten hours in zone 2 comes to €5.80; stay longer and it's the €10 day rate. The tariff page, updated 5 April 2026, doesn't say which zone is which on the ground.
4. Pay €15 a day in the centre
Iraklio Center Parking never closes and charges €6 for the first hour, €1 after that, €15 for 24 hours. Plastira Center is a robot garage with 600-plus spaces on nine underground floors, from €3, with a 1.95 m height limit. Central Parking runs 24/7 and takes cards, but its site gives no prices.
5. Keep off the pedestrian streets
Joint patrols of the municipal and traffic police take number plates from cars left on pedestrianised streets. On one Friday evening in December 2024 they took 38 sets.
Two hours at Iraklio Center is €7; three hours at the port is €3. The port wins at every length of stay I priced.
Car parks worth knowing
| Car park | Price | EV |
|---|---|---|
| Port car park, zone 1 (OLH)Heraklion port, run by the port authority; the tariff page does not say where each zone lies | €3.50 for the first three hours, €0.50 each hour after, €8 for 24 hours (charged once past ten hours). | Not published. |
| Port car parks, zones 2 and 3 (OLH)Heraklion port; tariff updated 5 April 2026. The city's CityBus page still calls the harbour car park free | €3 for the first three hours, €0.40 each hour after, €10 for 24 hours; 2 days €15, 3 days €21, then €5 a day. Zone 2 monthly card €65. | Not published. |
| Iraklio Center ParkingStylianou Giamalaki 50, in the centre; open 24 hours | €6 the first hour, €1 each hour after, €15 for 24 hours; monthly from €120. | Not published. |
| Plastira Center robotic car parkNikolaou Plastira 47; 600-plus spaces on nine underground floors, staffed 24/7 | From €3 on the operator's site; a guide gives €3 for two hours and €5 from three to 24 hours. Height 1.95 m, width 2 m. Cards at the counter. | Not published. |
| Central ParkingKoronaiou 26, in the historic centre; open 24/7, valet and car wash | Not published on its site; a guide gives €4.50 for two hours. Cash and cards. | Not published. |
The cheapest way to park, by how long you stay
| If you stay | Cheapest | Cost | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours in the centre | CityBus car park, Pancretan Stadium (free) | Free | Free parking and free buses into the centre, Mon–Fri 07:00–22:45 and Sat 08:00–15:30; no Sunday service. Overnight rules are not published, so I treat it as day parking. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Port car parks, zones 2 and 3 (OLH) | €3 | Over ten hours it's the €10 day rate |
| A full day (10 h) | CityBus car park, Pancretan Stadium (free) | Free | Free parking and free buses into the centre, Mon–Fri 07:00–22:45 and Sat 08:00–15:30; no Sunday service. Overnight rules are not published, so I treat it as day parking. |
| …and the cheapest central garage | Plastira Center robotic car park | €5 | height 1.95 m · Prices from a guide; the operator says only 'from €3' |
| 24 hours | Plastira Center robotic car park | €5 | height 1.95 m · Prices from a guide; the operator says only 'from €3' |
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Towed in Heraklion: Plates off, and a call to Nea Alikarnassos
1. Check for your plates first
Greek police often punish the car by removing its plates rather than clamping it. Under the road code in force since 13 September 2025, a car on the pavement costs €150 and 20 days without a licence. A disabled bay is €150, 60 days without licence and plates, and the car is towed at once.
2. Move the car within three hours
An illegally parked car gets a fresh ticket every three hours and is towed after the second. Block a bus stop or a ramp and there's no grace at all.
3. Ring the traffic police in Nea Alikarnassos
Heraklion's Traffic Police work from Agiou Artemiou 1, near the airport. The duty officer is on 2810 274017 and the violations office on 2810 274089. For English, the Tourist Police in the same building answer on 2810 274040.
4. Budget for a fee nobody publishes
The police publish no pound address and no tow fee for Heraklion. A 2022 national motoring report put a tow at about €77–100, before the fine. Pavement fine plus the cheapest tow is already €227. For a hire car, ring the rental company too: the plates are registered to them.
The threat here is a screwdriver, not a clamp. A hire car without plates goes nowhere.
If your car has disappeared
- Who took it
- The Traffic Police tow; joint municipal and traffic police patrols also remove number plates from cars on pedestrian streets (38 in one evening in December 2024). Under the road code in force since 13 September 2025 an illegally parked car gets a new ticket every three hours and is towed after the second
- Phone
- Traffic Police, duty officer — Agiou Artemiou 1, Nea Alikarnassos: 2810 274017
Traffic Police, violations office: 2810 274089
Tourist Police, duty officer (same building): 2810 274040
Emergency: 100 - Collect it at
- No pound address is published. Start with the Traffic Police at Agiou Artemiou 1, near the airport.
- Hours
- The police list a duty officer; collection hours are not published.
- What it costs
- Not published for Heraklion. A 2022 national motoring report puts a tow at about €77–100, plus the fine: pavement €150 + 20 days without a licence; disabled bay €150 + 60 days without licence and plates.
- Bring
- Passport, driving licence (it is what gets removed plates back), registration or rental papers and a card. For a hire car, ring the rental company: the plates are registered to it.
EV charging in Heraklion: No Supercharger on Crete, 22 kW at the supermarket
1. Charge up before the ferry
Tesla's own list of Greek Superchargers shows eight sites, all on the mainland, none on Crete. If you're coming from Piraeus, the Athens Supercharger is the nearest one to the boat.
2. Know the DEI blue prices
The national power company's network, DEI blue, charges guests €0.45/kWh on AC, €0.57 on DC up to 120 kW and €0.64 above 150 kW. Register in the app and it's €0.40, €0.52 and €0.59. Islands with lower VAT can pay a little less. A 40 kWh fast top-up as a guest is €22.80.
3. Plug in while you shop
AB Vasilopoulos supermarkets have more than 740 AC points of 22 kW at over 160 stores, Crete included, and every one shows in the DEI blue app. AB doesn't list which Heraklion branches have them, so check the app first. The ministry's public register of chargers is the other place to look.
I'd plan a Crete road trip around supermarket stops, not fast chargers.
Where to charge
- DEI blue, the national network — Public chargers across Greece, Crete included; find them in the DEI blue app or the ministry register. Guests pay €0.45/kWh AC (up to 43 kW), €0.57 DC (up to 120 kW), €0.64 above 150 kW; app members €0.40, €0.52, €0.59. Prices include 6% VAT; islands at 4% VAT differ
- AB Vasilopoulos supermarkets — 22 kW — More than 740 points at over 160 stores, Crete included; which Heraklion branches is not listed. AC posts with one or two Type 2 sockets, 22 kW each, shown in the DEI blue app. Charge while you shop
- Iraklion Hotel — Kalokairinou & Delimarkou 128. The hotel's own page lists an EV charging station; number, power and price are not published
Free parking in Heraklion: The CityBus car parks and the coast road
1. Park at the stadium, ride free
The council's CityBus costs nothing. The blue line starts at the Pancretan Stadium, where the car park is free; the red line runs from Stadiou Street in Nea Alikarnassos and the green from Erythraias Street. Buses run Monday to Friday 07:00–22:45 every 15 minutes and Saturday 08:00–15:30 every 30. There's no Sunday service.
2. Don't count on the free harbour car park
The CityBus page still lists free parking at the harbour. The port authority's own tariff, updated in April 2026, charges in all three of its zones. The port sets that price, so I'd budget for it.
3. Try the coast road at the western entrance
In July 2026 the mayor said there are two free car parks on the coastal avenue at the western entrance to the city. He didn't name them. I found no Heraklion hotel whose own site promises free parking.
If you remember one thing: the kerb is free, but your plates aren't. Every price above was checked on 3 October 2026; where only a guide or the press gives a number, I've said so.
Free or nearly-free spots
CityBus car park at the Pancretan Stadium
Free parking and the free blue CityBus line into the centre. Other free CityBus car parks: the harbour (but see the port tariff) and Erythraias Street. Mon–Fri every 15 minutes 07:00–22:45, Sat every 30 minutes 08:00–15:30, no Sunday service.
Two free car parks on the western coast road
The mayor said in July 2026 that two free parking areas sit on the coastal avenue at the city's western entrance. He did not name them.
The kerb, where it's legal
No paid street parking for visitors until the controlled-parking scheme is approved. Outside residents' bays, pedestrian streets and yellow lines, the kerb costs nothing; finding a space is the price.
⚠ The small print on 'free' parking
- Heraklion has no paid kerb for visitors yet. The council plans digital controlled parking with about 800 sensor-watched spaces, but in July 2026 it still needed a traffic-committee decision and public consultation. When it starts, the rules will change.
- Inside the Venetian walls, three residents' zones (since 2019) take permit cards only, one car per household.
- The city's CityBus page lists free parking at the harbour, but the port authority's tariff (updated 5 April 2026) charges in all three zones. The port sets the price, so I'd trust the port.
- Knossos: the Ministry of Culture publishes nothing on parking. Guides disagree between a free lot by the coach park and paid private lots nearby, so bring coins.
- The airport is 5 km east of the centre and handled more than 10 million passengers in 2025. A replacement at Kastelli, 39 km south-east, is due in 2028. Many local hire firms meet you in arrivals and drive you to an office 5–10 minutes away, a guide says; allow for that.
- The municipal airport car park (DEPANAL) was €2 an hour after an April 2024 rise, per the local press; no current tariff found.
Take these places with you
Every place on this page as a file you can keep — car parks with their prices, the free and park-and-ride spots, the chargers and the pound.