Rent a Car in Greece: A Total Guide

When we visit on a weekend, we do face a lot of inconvenience in transportation. We fail to understand what we shall do to travel to the city itself. Shall we book a cab? Or shall we travel on the public transport available there? But now do not worry. There are many Car Rentals available in almost every city.

We all have heard about the cities of Greece, right? It’s the land of great philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, and many more. It’s truly a beautiful country to visit. With many beautiful cities and Athens as its capital, it is a massive attraction to foreign tourists. Including beautiful beaches, and numerous ancient greek monuments, it is amazing.

When you go on a foreign trip, renting a car in Greece is a really good option. It brings you lots of freedom to travel and is helpful for you if you want to explore the whole country. Car rentals allow you to visit any landmark and make as many stops as you want. You do not have to abide by any time limits which is often a problem when you travel with tourist companies.

Greece is extremely busy during the summertime which results in rising in prices. Various companies have their own terms and conditions. If you are planning to rent a car before you reach there or choose a one after reaching there, you must be aware of all the terms and conditions that every Car Rental companies in Greece have. They have their own set of rules which include vital information. The most popular cities where you can hire a car are Crete, Athens, Corfu, Thessaloniki, and Heraklion.

Things to keep in mind before renting a car in Greece

You must follow some tips before you go to rent a car in Greece.

Book From Home

Renting a car in Greece can prove to be more expensive than in other European countries. And if you are renting a car at the airport, it is more expensive. So, the best way to get a budget-friendly car for rent is advice not to wait until you reach Europe.

You can get cheap car rentals if you can book them online from your country itself. If you reserve your car way ahead of your arrival in Greece, the chances of getting a better deal increase.

Book as soon as possible

Booking your car in Greece has to be done as early as possible when you are planning the holiday or you have a rough idea of your traveling. Because prices are likely to be cheaper if you book early.

Do not worry about the cancellation charge as Greece rental companies allow free cancellation up to 48 hours before the time of arrival. Also, choose a local or small rental company over branded one for cheaper prices.

Cars to choose

It is always advisable that if you are thinking about driving in Greece, then always choose a small car. If you want to spend a lot of time in Athens and want to rent a car in Athens Greece, then it will be a headache for you to park your car in the center as the traffic in this capital city is a terrible nightmare. So, opt for a compact yet sturdy vehicle that can squeeze into a tight place.

Cost of renting a car

The price of car rental is every person’s concern. You must be aware of the prices as they are now available online. You also have an option of comparing various cars and companies and their terms and conditions online. You must always be careful while you are looking for a rental company online as they will quite often try to trick you by making the prices lower than they actually are.

It is quite obvious that a car which is smaller in size will have a lower cost than that of a bigger one. If you use a few more add-ons like GPS, and an extra driver, then it may seem cheaper than the original price.

Need for International Driving Permit

Residents of other countries need to have an International Driving Permit if they want a car in Greece for self-drive. Only carrying an IDP may not be sufficient as it has been a law since 2018. An International Driving Permit is nothing but a translated version of the driving license which is issued by your state. There are places where you might not need an International Driving Permit but there are also places, where you must have one.

Paying the rent in euros

Paying in the local currency helps to avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion fees. If you opt to pay in the currency of the country to which you belong, the rental company themselves converts them to euros on your behalf. This is a completely unnecessary process and results in a waste of time.

Never choose an Automatic Car

In Greece, people mostly drive manual cars. Thus companies that provide rent a car in Greece have very limited choices for automatic cars. And also if you are renting an automatic car, you are likely to be charged higher than that for manual cars. Additionally, if you still want an automated car in Greece, then you will find them at an airport location.

Always check your Insurance Coverage

Also, you need a credit card for renting a car in Greece. You shouldn’t pay the rent of the car using cash. Therefore, you must be prepared to use your travel credit card for paying. If you do not own a credit card that has Greece rental car insurance coverage, it would be advisable that you add the coverage to your package. Therefore, if you face any accident by any chance, you will not have to stay stuck paying for the repairing expenses of the car.

Before leaving for Greece, do not forget to contact your credit card company and check what are the coverage they provide (if any) on collisions on car rentals you make in other countries.

Be prepared for Tough Terrain

No matter where you are traveling in Greece, be it the hills, the countryside, or the busy roads of Athens, driving in Greece is quite difficult and is not for irresolute people. Most of the rural areas have steep switchbacks i.e. a terrain with lots of uphill and downhill. Many streets in the urban areas are also very difficult to tackle.

The main reason behind these problems is narrow streets and lack of signboards. Keeping these problems aside, if you are a confident driver and can keep yourself calm, self-driving can help you discover beautiful parts of Greece.

Never take a rental car on a ferry

You might be very tempted and would like to take your car which you have rented, on a ferry. But the contract which you will have to sign with the rental company will not allow you to take a rental car on a ferry.

And once you are caught doing so, you will have to pay a huge amount of fines to the company for breaking their rules.

Laws to be known

The speed limit on the streets of Greece is 50km/h on the city roads and 100km/h on motorways or highways.

Returning the Car

When you are done with all the exploring, it’s time to return the car to the rental company. Before doing so, you must do a proper inspection of the car to ensure that the car in Greece is in proper condition and is exactly in the same condition in which you received the car. Also do not forget to check the fuel level. Also, try to return the vehicle at the exact time that you have agreed to while signing the contract otherwise they may end up charging for an extra day

Accident and Breakdown Info

The emergency number that is used in Europe is 112. But this number has not yet been executed in Greece. In place of that, you can use the numbers such as 100 or 166 if need an ambulance or 199 if you need to call the fire department. Whereas if your car only breaks down and no one is harmed, then the best advice is to call your Greek Rental Company.

Conclusion

Thus the next summer, if you are planning a trip to Greece, you know what you should do regarding the transportation that you need while exploring the country. Just go, rent a car in Greece from a reputed rental company, and you are good to go and enjoy the beauties of the country. As you know all the rules and things you need, this article will certainly help you to choose a proper Car Rental in Greece.