Car Rental in Greece
Renting a car is the best way to see Greece beyond the big towns and resorts, and on most islands it turns a good holiday into a great one. To hire a car in Greece you need a full driving licence held for at least 1 year, a credit card in the main driver's name and a passport or ID; drivers from outside the EU also carry an International Driving Permit. Greece drives on the right. This guide covers the rules, the costs and where to pick up a car on each island.
- Minimum age
- 21 (23 to 25 for larger cars)
- Licence
- Full, held 1+ year
- Drive on the
- Right
- Pay with
- Credit card in driver's name
Do you need a car in Greece?
You need a car on most large Greek islands, and it is optional on small or walkable ones with good buses. Big islands spread their beaches and villages far apart, which a car turns into an easy day out. Here is the quick verdict for the most-visited destinations.
| Destination | Car? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crete | Yes | Greece's largest island; buses thin out beyond the north-coast towns. |
| Rhodes | Yes | Beaches, villages and the west coast are spread out. |
| Corfu | Recommended | The north and west coasts are slow to reach by bus. |
| Zakynthos | Yes | The best beaches sit at opposite ends of the island. |
| Kefalonia | Yes | Large, mountainous, with remote coves. |
| Naxos | Recommended | Inland villages and long southern beaches. |
| Santorini | Optional | Small and busy; a car helps beat the crowds, ATVs are popular. |
| Mykonos | Optional | Buses cover the main beaches; a car adds freedom. |
What you need to hire a car
Every rental desk in Greece asks for the same core documents: a full driving licence you have held for at least one year, a credit card in the main driver's name to cover the deposit, and a passport or national ID. Drivers from outside the EU and EEA usually also need an International Driving Permit (IDP) carried alongside the home licence. The minimum age is 21, with a young-driver surcharge below 23 to 25 on many vehicle groups.
The exact rules on documents and deposits are worth checking before you book. Our Greece car hire requirements guide covers licences, the IDP, age limits, deposits, insurance and excess in full.
Driving in Greece: rules, tolls and fuel
Greece drives on the right and overtakes on the left. Seat belts are compulsory front and rear, using a handheld phone is banned, and drink-driving limits are strict. Main mainland motorways such as the Athens to Thessaloniki route and the roads out of Athens and Patras charge tolls at staffed booths, paid in cash or by card; the islands have no tolls. Petrol and diesel are sold almost everywhere on the larger islands and mainland, though tanks can be far apart in the mountains, so fill up before a long inland drive. Village lanes and mountain roads are narrow and steep, which is why a smaller car is often the easier choice.
Our driving in Greece guide goes deeper on the rules and road signs, motorway tolls, licences and the IDP, insurance and excess, and parking and fuel.
Where to hire: islands and airports
You can collect a car at every major Greek airport and most ports. On the biggest island, Crete, established local agencies such as Rental Center Crete, Crete-Car-Rental.com and CreteLocals.com handle pickups at Heraklion and Chania airports and at the ports, often with local knowledge the international chains lack. Pick your island below for its guide, beaches, hotels and the practical detail on getting around.
How to keep the cost down
To keep a Greek car hire cheap, work through 5 steps, ordered from the one that saves the most, below.
- Book ahead for July and August, when island fleets sell out and walk-up prices jump.
- Check the excess and what the insurance covers before you pay, because tyres, glass and the underbody are often excluded.
- Collect the car with a full tank and return it full, rather than paying the desk refuelling rate.
- Photograph every scratch at pickup and get it noted, so the deposit comes back in full.
- Choose the smallest car that fits your group, which is cheaper and far easier in narrow village streets.
