We are looking at arriving in Crete late in the night. The flight lands at 10:40pm so I don't expect to get out of the gates till 11pm at the earliest.
Is it easy to hail a taxi from the airport (Heraklion) in Crete or do we need to book in advanced?
Convenience and time are the most important factors, while cost is less of a factor.
Update: we ended up choosing Chania (instead of Heraklion) after being persuaded by a Greek colleague.
Heraklion's airport is very easy on finding a taxi, even at later times than 11pm. Especially, during the summer period, but also during winter as long as there are flights landing. There is no need to book in advance, since there is a queue of taxis waiting just outside arrivals 24/7. If you still prefer to book a taxi, a reputable company that I know of is Candia.
Recently, a friend took a taxi from city center to the airport (with luggage) for 12 euros. There is a more expensive tariff after midnight and of course you pay more with distance. If you feel that you want to make a complaint at the end of your journey, best is to ask for a receipt and get the taxi's unique ID number.
Hope that helps and hope you enjoy your time in Crete!
source: own experience, Heraklion resident for 4 years long
We were persuaded (by a Greek colleague whom I met after making my original post) to change our plans to go to Chania (Hania) instead of Heraklion. Said colleague also assured me I would have no problems finding a taxi around midnight.
We booked a hotel in Chania Town with 24-hour check-in and asked them to reserve a taxi for us to transfer us from the airport to the hotel. They informed us this would cost €25 per taxi.
Another alternative would be to take the bus (see bus schedule) which is significantly cheaper at €2,30 with the last bus leaving 2430.
