Renting a car in Greece: the mainland and the islands

You step off the plane on Crete, the heat hits you, and ahead of you lies an island that is bigger than you think. Mountain villages an hour’s drive from the coast, deserted beaches that no bus reaches, gorges where you have the place to yourself early in the morning. You do not explore Greece from a sun lounger. You explore it with a car, half a tank and a vague plan that changes along the way.

But Greece is not really one country either. It is hundreds at once. The mainland with its motorways and toll booths, and thousands of islands that each have their own rhythm, their own roads and their own logic. Renting a car on Santorini is something completely different from driving around the Peloponnese for a week. On one island a scooter is enough, on another you want four wheels and air conditioning. And the ferries in between follow their own rules.

In this guide we will steer you through it. Which airport, island or mainland, how to drive without going grey, what tolls and parking cost, and two concrete routes you can simply copy. No made-up rates, just honest expectations, so that in Greece you spend your time on the view rather than the logistics.

Why rent a car in Greece?

Because otherwise you miss most of the country. Public transport gets you to the tourist hotspots, but the most beautiful places lie just outside them, and no bus stops there.

On the mainland the distances are large and the sights are spread out. Meteora, Delphi, the beaches of the Peloponnese: without a car they cost you days of changes and waiting. With a car you string them together in a week. You leave whenever you like, you stop wherever it is beautiful, and you sleep in a mountain village instead of next to the bus station.

On the islands something similar applies, but more intimately. The big islands such as Crete, Rhodes and Corfu have interiors that feel completely different from the coast: olive groves, monasteries, villages where time stands still. You can only reach those under your own steam. On small islands it is less about distance and more about freedom: a quick trip to that little cove on the other side, without waiting for a minibus that runs twice a day.

Island or mainland: how do you approach it?

Short answer: rent per island, and avoid taking your car on the ferry between islands. On the mainland you simply rent one car for your whole trip.

This is the most important mental model for Greece. An island is a closed system. You rent a car on arrival on that island, you drive around for a few days, and you return it on that same island before you leave. The car stays on the island. If you want to go to the next island, you board the ferry as a foot passenger and rent a new car there.

Why not take your car on the ferry? Technically you can, but it is expensive, it eats into your time (early check-in, fixed bookings) and most rental companies forbid taking it off the island anyway. So for island hoppers the standard approach is to rent again on each island. Factor it into your budget, because every rental has its own minimum costs.

If you are mostly on the mainland (Athens, Meteora, Delphi, the Peloponnese), it is simple: one car, pick up and drop off wherever suits you, and just keep driving. The distances and the roads are made for it.

Which airport do you choose in Greece?

That depends on your destination. For the mainland and the Peloponnese you fly into Athens, for Northern Greece into Thessaloniki, and for the big islands there are direct airports.

There are direct flights to several Greek airports from many countries, certainly in the summer season. Every major destination has its own arrival point, and at each of those airports you will find the familiar rental desks.

A few practical points. Crete has two airports: Heraklion (HER) in the centre and Chania (CHQ) in the west. If you mainly want to explore the west of Crete (Chania, Elafonissi), flying into Chania saves you a long drive. For Meteora you can go via either Athens or Thessaloniki: the distances are comparable, so choose based on your flight price and the rest of your route.

What is it like to drive in Greece?

Honest answer: busier and more assertive than you are used to, especially in the cities, but on the quiet island roads and the mainland it is perfectly manageable. With defensive driving and a little patience you can get anywhere.

Greeks drive briskly and sometimes impatiently. In and around Athens and Thessaloniki the traffic is chaotic: quick lane changes, few indicators, scooters darting through everywhere. You do not need to prove yourself against city traffic. Let faster traffic go ahead, keep your distance, and do not panic at the honking. Often it is more impatience than aggression.

Outside the cities the picture changes. On the mainland the motorways are modern and pleasant. On the islands the road quality varies greatly. The main roads are usually fine, but as soon as you head inland you are surprised by narrow mountain lanes, blind bends, loose gravel and the occasional goat on the road. Drive calmly there, sound your horn before a blind bend, and do not assume there will be a crash barrier.

Pay extra attention to scooters and quads. On tourist islands they are everywhere, and not everyone riding one is equally experienced. Keep in mind that a scooter can suddenly merge or stop.

Car, scooter or quad on a small island?

On a large island you want a car. On a small island a scooter or quad is often enough, but weigh up safety and comfort.

A quad feels rugged and stable, but do not underestimate the risk: in a fall it offers little protection, and on tarmac they are not fast. For longer distances or mountain roads a car remains the sensible choice. If you are torn between an automatic or a manual, bear in mind that an automatic drives much more relaxed on narrow, steep island lanes with lots of stopping and pulling away.

How do tolls work on the Greek mainland?

On the big motorways of the mainland you pay tolls at classic toll booths. You drive up to a barrier, pay for the stretch you are about to drive, and carry on. No later invoice, no vignette in advance.

The Greek system works per section. Along the way you pass several toll plazas, and at each one you pay a fixed amount for that stretch of motorway. So bear in mind that a long motorway journey costs tolls several times, not just once. At the toll booths you can usually pay with cash or by card. Still, keep some coins and small notes on hand, because not every lane accepts cards and the staffed lanes can have long queues.

On the islands there is little to no toll. The roads there are free, but that also means no motorway comfort: expect ordinary two-way roads and longer journey times than the distance on the map suggests.

Parking, fuel and documents: what to watch out for?

Parking in port towns and old village centres is often the trickiest part of your drive. It is best to refuel in good time, sometimes with cash, and keep your papers neatly together.

Parking. In the old centres of port towns and mountain villages the streets are narrow and parking spots are scarce. Park on the edge of the centre and walk the last bit. Watch for coloured lines and signs: in tourist towns there are paid zones and sometimes resident-only zones. Do not just leave your car in front of a driveway or on a corner, even if others do.

Fuel. On the mainland petrol stations are plentiful and you can pay by card almost everywhere. On smaller islands and in remote mountain areas they are further apart and sometimes (only) cash is requested. The rule is simple: do not let your tank drop below half on an island before you head inland, and keep some cash on hand. Many pumps are staffed: you say how much you want or that you want a full tank, and the attendant does the rest.

Documents. You need your valid driving licence, your identity card or passport and the rental papers in Greece. An EU or EEA driving licence is sufficient on its own. If your licence was issued outside the EU or EEA, you usually also need an International Driving Permit (and sometimes a certified translation) alongside your national licence, so check the requirements before you travel. For the rental itself you almost always need a credit card in the name of the main driver, because the deposit is blocked on it. Check the 12 tips for renting a car abroad in advance so that you are not caught out at the desk.

Route idea 1: Crete in a week

Crete is big enough for a complete road trip with mountains, gorges and beaches. Fly into Heraklion (HER) or Chania (CHQ) and reckon on at least five to seven days to do it without rushing.

This is a generous week, with hedged driving times because the mountain roads are slower than the map suggests.

A few notes. The drive to Elafonissi runs partly over narrow, winding roads: leave early, both for a quieter drive and for a spot on the beach. The Lassithi plateau lies in the east, so if you landed at Chania, plan that day closer to Heraklion or move it to the end of your trip. On your departure day always build in a generous buffer: fill up, return on time, and do not underestimate the journey time to the airport.

Route idea 2: Mainland, Meteora and Delphi

If you want the authentic mainland, combine the floating monasteries of Meteora with the oracle of Delphi. Fly into Athens (ATH) and reckon on four to five days for a relaxed loop.

This route is a classic mainland loop that is easy to drive from Athens, largely over motorway (with tolls) and mountain road.

The drive from Delphi to Meteora runs partly over mountain roads, so plan it during the day and not in the dark. The way back to Athens is largely on the motorway with several toll plazas: keep cash on hand. If you would rather combine sea and antiquity than mountains, the Peloponnese is an alternative: Nafplio, Mycenae, Epidaurus and the beaches in the south, also easy to drive from Athens.

What does it cost, and what about insurance and the deposit?

The rental price depends heavily on the season, the island and how early you book. You need to pay extra attention to the insurance and the deposit, because that is where the sting is.

The pattern is this: in July and August you pay the most and the choice is smallest, whereas in May, June, September and October you often drive more cheaply and more comfortably (and it is still pleasantly warm). Book early, certainly for the islands.

The biggest surprise is almost never in the daily rate, but in the excess and the deposit. The standard rental comes with a hefty excess, and at pick-up a deposit is blocked on your credit card. Understand exactly how that works before you sign, so that you do not have to take out an expensive desk insurance under pressure on the spot. For that, read our explanation of excess and deposit on a rental car.

Besides the rental and the deposit, also reckon on fuel, tolls on the mainland, and parking costs in the cities. If you book again per island, count each rental separately. If you are planning a trip to the eastern Mediterranean and are still undecided about the destination, renting a car in Cyprus is also worth a look, with its own rules.

Common mistakes when renting a car in Greece

Most problems can be avoided. These are the classics that travellers run into.

• Booking too late in high season, so you miss out or pay far too much.
• Thinking you can tour all the islands with one car, when you have to rent again on each island.
• Underestimating the journey time on islands because you go by the distance in kilometres instead of the winding mountain roads.
• Not having cash on hand for tolls on the mainland or for fuel on remote islands.
• Not having the car inspected together at return and not taking photos of existing damage at pick-up.
• Ending up in the wrong toll lane (the transponder lane without a transponder).
• Renting a quad or scooter for journeys that are too long or too mountainous, with an underestimated safety risk.
• Heading into the mountainous interior with a car that is too small, or taking a car that is too big into the narrow village centres.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an international driving licence in Greece?

It depends on where your licence was issued. With an EU or EEA driving licence you drive in Greece on your ordinary national licence, and no International Driving Permit is required. If your licence was issued outside the EU or EEA, you usually do need an International Driving Permit (and sometimes a certified translation) alongside it, so check the requirements before you travel. Do always take your identity card or passport and the rental papers with you in the car.

Can I take my rental car on the ferry to another island?

In practice it is better not to. It is expensive, requires fixed bookings and early check-in, and most rental companies forbid taking the car off the island. The usual approach is to rent again on each island and board the ferry as a foot passenger.

What is the best time to drive around Greece?

May, June, September and October are ideal: pleasantly warm, less busy on the roads and in the villages, and generally cheaper rental prices with more choice. July and August are the warmest and busiest, and the fleets are often sold out then.

Is driving in Greece dangerous?

Not if you drive defensively. In the big cities the traffic is busy and assertive, and on the islands the mountain lanes are narrow and sometimes poorly maintained. Keep your distance, drive calmly through the bends, watch for scooters and quads, and you will get everywhere safely.

Car or scooter on a small island?

On a really small island with short distances a scooter or quad is often enough and you park more easily. For more people, luggage, longer distances or mountain roads, choose a car: safer, more comfortable and suitable for all weather.

How do I pay tolls on the Greek motorways?

At classic toll booths you pay per section, with cash or usually by card as well. On a long drive you pass several toll plazas and pay a fixed amount at each. Keep coins and small notes on hand and avoid the lanes reserved only for electronic transponders.

Do I need a credit card to rent a car?

Almost always, yes. The rental company blocks the deposit on a credit card in the name of the main driver. A debit card is rarely accepted for the deposit. Arrange this in advance, so that you do not run into problems at the desk.

Do I have to pay for fuel with cash on the islands?

Sometimes. On the mainland and in larger towns you can pay easily by card, but on small islands and in remote areas only cash is sometimes requested. Do not let your tank drop too far on an island and keep some cash on hand.

Is an automatic or a manual car more practical in Greece?

For the narrow, steep and winding island roads with lots of stopping and pulling away, an automatic drives much more relaxed. Manuals are often cheaper and more widely available. It depends on your preference and your route.