Car

Road conditions in Greece have improved in the last decade or so, yet driving in Greece still presents some challenges. In Athens, traffic is mind-boggling most of the time and parking is scarce, so public transportation or taxis are much better options than a rental car. If you are island hopping, taking a car on ferries will increase your ticket costs substantially and limit your ease in hopping onto any boat (fast ferries do not accommodate cars). It's far easier and cheaper to rent a car on the islands you wish to visit, or to tour them by bus or taxi.

Documents

International driving permits (IDPs), required for nonresident drivers who are not citizens of many EU countries (including the United States and Canada), are available from the American, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand automobile associations. These international permits are valid only in conjunction with your regular driver's license.

Gasoline

Service stations are everywhere, and lead-free gas is widely available. Nevertheless, away from the main towns, especially at night, open gas stations can be very far apart. Don't let your gas supply drop to less than a quarter tank when driving through rural areas. Gas costs about €1.50 a liter for unleaded ("ah-mo-lee-vdee"), €1.25 a liter for diesel ("dee-zel"). Prices may vary by as much as €0.50 per liter from one region to another, but a price ceiling has been imposed on gas prices during the busy summer months in popular tourist destinations. You aren't usually allowed to pump your own gas. If you ask the attendant to give you extra service (check oil, air, and water or clean the windows), leave a small tip. Gas stations are now required by law to issue receipts, so make sure you pick up yours from the attendant. The word is apodiksi. Credit cards are usually accepted. During off hours, some stations have self-service pumps that you can use by inserting cash or a credit card.

Insurance

You must have third-party car insurance to drive in Greece. Check with your insurance company about international coverage before arriving. You can also buy a policy from your car-rental company or a booking site, such as Expedia; keep the papers handy. Most rental-car insurance policies specify deductibles: minimum amounts you will be required to pay in the event of damage or theft (often €500 for damage, €2,000 for theft). You will usually be offered the opportunity to waive deductibles by paying an extra fee, and your insurance or credit card may cover deductibles as well. Deductibles can be a tricky business, so be sure to check with your insurance and credit-card company before renting. The advantge of a zero-deductile policy is peace of mind, and you won't incur extra charges for such minor damage as broken side mirrors (a common occurence in Greece) or dents and scratches. The disadvantage, of course, is the added cost.

Parking

The scarcity of parking spaces in Athens is one good reason not to drive in the city. Although a number of carparks operate in the city center and near suburban metro stations, these aren't enough to accommodate demand. They can also be quite expensive, with prices starting at €6 for an hour, usually about €20 a day. Pedestrians are often frustrated by cars parked on sidewalks, and police have become stricter about ticketing. "Controlled parking" zones in some downtown districts like Kolonaki, Pangrati, and Acropolis have introduced some order to the chaotic system; a one-hour card costs €1, with a maximum of three hours permitted for a total cost of €6. Buy a parking card from the kiosk and display it inside your windshield. Be careful not to park in the spots reserved for residents.

Many villages, towns, and islands have designated free parking areas just outside the center where you can leave your car. Do be mindful of signs, though, as parking is often restricted around ports and other high-density areas, and standard practice is for police to remove plates and return them only on payment of fines.

Road Conditions

Driving defensively is the key to safety in Greece, one of the most hazardous European countries for motorists. In the cities and on the highways, the streets can be riddled with potholes; motorcyclists seem to come out of nowhere, often passing on the right; and cars may even go the wrong way down a one-way street. In the countryside and on islands, you must watch for livestock crossing the road, as well as for tourists shakily learning to use rented motorcycles.

The many motorcycles and scooters weaving through traffic and the aggressive attitude of fellow motorists can make driving in Greece's large cities especially unpleasant—and the life of a pedestrian dangerous. Greeks often run red lights or ignore stop signs on side streets, or round corners fast without stopping. It's a good idea at night at city intersections and at any time on curvy country lanes to beep your horn to warn errant drivers.

In cities, you will find pedestrians have no qualms about standing in the middle of a busy boulevard, waiting to dart between cars. Make eye contact so you can both determine who's going to slow. Rush hour in the cities is roughly weekdays from 7 to 10 am, 1:30 to 3:30 pm (lunch) and 8 to 10 pm (evening). Saturday morning brings bumper-to-bumper traffic in shopping districts, and weekend nights guarantee crowding around nightlife hubs. In Athens, the only time you won't find traffic is very early morning and most of Sunday (unless you're foolish enough to stay at a local beach until Sunday evening in summer, which means heavy end-of-weekend traffic when you return). Finally, perhaps because they are untrained, drivers seldom pull over for wailing ambulances; the most they'll do is slow down and slightly move over in different directions.

Highways are color-coded: green for the new toll roads and blue for old national roads. Tolls are usually €2.50–€4. The older routes are slower, but they follow more scenic routes, so driving is more enjoyable. The national roads can be very slick in places when wet—avoid driving in rain. It's also wise to avoid the days preceding or following major holidays, when traffic is at its worst as urban dwellers leave for villages.

Roadside Emergencies

You must put out a triangular danger sign if you have a breakdown. Roving repair trucks, owned by the major road assistance companies, such as Interamerican, Intersalonica, Mondial, Europ Assistance, etc., patrol the major highways; summon them by calling 1154. On the Attiki Odos, the privately owned network of toll roads around Athens, a contracted road assistance company provides assistance for free, so long as it is something that can be fairly easily repaired roadside; call them on 1024. Your rental-car company may also provide a roadside assistance number. Υou may call the emergency telephone line provided by the Greek Animal Friends Society 210 602–0202 if you spot a dead or wounded animal on a national road.

Rules of the Road

You have to be at least 18 to be able to drive in Greece. Remember to always buckle your seat belt here, as fines are very costly if you don’t. Children 10 years old or younger are required to sit in the backseat. Motorcycle helmets are compulsory, though Greeks tend to ignore these rules, or comply with them by "wearing" the helmet strapped to their arms.

International road signs are in use throughout Greece. You drive on the right, pass on the left, and yield right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the right at intersections (except on posted main highways). This applies to roundabouts, too; cars in the roundabout are required to stop for cars entering the roundabout from the right (this is the opposite of roundabout etiquette in most other countries and the cause of many accidents). Cars may not make a right turn on a red light. The speed limits are 120 kph (74 mph) on a national road, 90 kph (56 mph) outside urban areas, and 50 kph (31 mph) in cities, unless lower limits are posted. But limits are often not posted, and signs indicating a lower limit may not always be visible, so if you see Greek drivers slowing down, take the cue to avoid speed traps.

In Central Athens there is an odd-even rule to avoid traffic congestion (vehicles with license plates ending in even numbers can only enter the city center on even days of the month, vehicles with license plates ending in odd numbers on odd days). This rule does not apply to rental cars, provided the renter has a foreign passport. If you are renting a car, ask the rental agency about any special parking or circulation regulations in force. Although sidewalk parking is illegal, it is common. And although it's tempting as a visitor to ignore parking tickets, keep in mind that rental agenies will pass your information onto police to persue, and charge a hefty administration fee for doing so. You can pay your ticket at local police stations, and sometimes at city halls and post offices as well. Under a driving code aimed at cracking down on violations, fines start at €50 (for illegal parking in places reserved for the disabled) and can go as high as €1,200 if you fail an alcohol test; fines for running a red light or speeding are now €700, plus you can have your license revoked for 60 days and your plates revoked for 20 days. If fines are paid in cash within 10 days, there is a 50 percent discount.

If you are involved in an accident, don't drive away. Accidents must be reported (something Greek motorists often fail to do) before the insurance companies consider claims. Try to get the other driver's details as soon as possible; hit-and-run is all too common in Greece. If the police take you in (they can hold you for 24 hours if there is a fatality, regardless of fault), you have the right to call your local embassy or consulate for help getting a lawyer.

Driving In and Out of Athens

Greece's two main highways, the newly redesigned Athens–Corinth and Athens–Thessaloniki (connecting through national road Ethniki Odos and the Attiki Odos), circulate traffic around the metropolis. Avoid using them during periods of mass exodus, such as Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. These highways and the Egnatia Odos, which runs east to west across northern Greece, along with the secondary roads, cover most of the mainland. In remote rural areas and on islands, some places (beaches, for example) are accessible via dirt or gravel paths. With the exception of main highways and a few flat areas like the Thessalian plain, you will average about 60 km (37 miles) an hour: expect some badly paved or disintegrating roads, stray flocks of goats, slow farm vehicles, detours, curves, and, near Athens and Thessaloniki, traffic jams. At the Athens city limits, signs in English mark the way to Syntagma and Omonia squares in the center. When you exit Athens, signs are well marked for the National Road, usually naming Lamia and Thessaloniki for the north and Corinth or Patras for the southwest.

Car Rental

When you reserve a car, ask about cancellation penalties, taxes, drop-off charges (if you're planning to pick up the car in one city and leave it in another), and surcharges (for being under or over a certain age, for additional drivers, or for driving across state or country borders or beyond a specific distance from your point of rental). Don't forget to check if the rental price includes unlimited mileage and what the cost of additional insurance is. All these things can add substantially to your costs. Reserve extras, such as car seats, when renting, as these items may not otherwise be available at time of pickup, or to ensure that you get certain types of cars (vans, SUVs, exotic sports cars).

Make sure that a confirmed reservation guarantees you a car. Agencies sometimes overbook, particularly for busy weekends and holiday periods.

Car rental prices can be higher than they are in the United States, but rates during high season (July–September) are much cheaper if you rent through local agents rather than the large international companies. You might want to reserve with them in advance though, through websites or the accommodation you've arranged, since cars can be hard to come by on some islands during high season. These local agencies provide good service, and prices are at the owner's discretion. Don't be afraid to bargain for a price. It helps if you have shopped around and can mention another agency's offer. If you're visiting several islands or destinations, larger agencies may be able to negotiate a better total package through their local offices or franchises. Some hotels also have partner agencies that offer discounts to guests.

In summer, renting a small car with standard transmission will cost you about €230 to €340 for a week's rental (including tax, insurance, and unlimited mileage). Four-wheel-drives can cost anywhere from €100 to €180 a day, depending on availability and the season. Luxury cars are available at some agencies, such as Europcar, but renting a BMW or a Mercedes can be expensive—anywhere from €100 per day in low season to €300 a day in high season. This does include the 24% V.A.T. (V.A.T. is 17% on the islands). Convertibles and minibuses are also available. Probably the most difficult car to rent is an automatic, rarely available. Note that car rental fees really follow laws of supply/demand, so there can be huge fluctuations and, in low season, lots of room for bargaining. Off-season, rental agencies are often closed on islands and in less-populated areas.

Moped rentals are available through local agents.

North Americans and citizens of many other non-EU countries must have an international driver's permit (IDP) as well as a driver's license that's been valid for one year. Renters must be at least 21 years of age and with some companies at least 23 years old to rent (or you face additional insurance surcharges); for some car categories and for some agencies, you must be 25. A credit card is required for the pre-authorization of the renter's liability. You need the agency's permission to ferry the car or cross the border (some agencies do not allow across-the-border rentals). A valid driver's license is usually acceptable for renting a moped, but you will need a motorcycle driver's license if you want to rent a larger bike.

Most major car-rental agencies have several offices in Athens and also at the Athens airport, in major cities like Thessaloniki, and often throughout the country. Some apply a surcharge for delivering the vehicle at the Athens airport, where there is also usually an additional surcharge for delivering your vehicle between 11 pm and 6 am. Read the General Terms and Conditions carefully to see what particular surcharges might apply to you.

If you are planning to rent a car in Athens, to explore the Peloponnese, for instance, plan to pick up and drop off at an airport location. This will save you the considerable hassle of driving in and out of the city center, and worse, finding a specific address when you drive back in. From the airport, you will have easy access to the beltways that circle the capital and provide links to major roadways.