Car hire in Greece is the only way to reach the country at its best: the hidden coves the buses skip, the mountain villages of the Peloponnese, the clifftop roads of Crete and the quiet corners of Santorini away from the cruise crowds. Compare cheap car hire in Greece from trusted suppliers in a single search, with real-time availability, no hidden fees and free cancellation on most bookings. Prices start from around £6 per day for a small car in the off-season, so sorting your hire car before you fly is what keeps the trip cheap and the itinerary yours.
This guide covers everything a visitor needs for car hire in Greece: the minimum age and documents, how the cash toll booths work on the mainland, whether to take a hire car to the islands or rent on arrival, the driving rules that catch first-timers out, and realistic costs by car class. One thing to settle up front, “car hire” and “car rental” mean exactly the same thing in Greece, and you will see both terms used here and at every rental desk in the country.
How Much Does Car Hire in Greece Cost?
Car hire in Greece costs from around £6 per day for a small economy car in the off-season, rising to roughly £25 to £40 per day for a compact in the summer peak. The cheapest months are October to April, and August is the most expensive. Athens and the airports have the widest choice and the keenest prices, while small islands cost more. The table below gives a realistic guide for cheap car hire in Greece booked online ahead of travel.
| Car class | Typical price (booked ahead) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Economy / Compact | From £6/day | Couples, narrow island roads, low fuel costs |
| Intermediate / Full-size | £20 to £40/day | Families, mainland road trips, comfort |
| SUV | £35 to £70/day | Groups, luggage, mountain and gravel roads |
| Automatic / Convertible | £40 to £85/day | Comfort, automatics, island cruising |
| Rates are indicative for cars booked online in advance and vary by location, season and supplier. August is the most expensive month and the off-season far cheaper. Walk-up counter rates and desk-added insurance always cost more than booking ahead. | ||
For the cheapest car hire in Greece, book one to five months ahead, choose a small manual over an automatic (automatics are scarce and carry a premium), pick up and drop off at the same location to avoid one-way fees, and request a diesel car where possible, as diesel is notably cheaper than petrol. A young driver surcharge of roughly 5 EUR to 15 EUR per day applies to most drivers under 25.
What You Need to Hire a Car in Greece
To hire a car in Greece you must be at least 21 years old, hold a full licence kept for at least one year, and carry a passport and a credit card in the main driver’s name. The legal driving age in Greece is 18, but rental companies set their own floor at 21, and some categories require 23 or 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 are classed as young drivers and pay a surcharge, with some larger and premium cars off limits.
Whether you need an International Driving Permit depends on your nationality. UK licence holders do not need an IDP for car hire in Greece, and EU licences are accepted as they are. Non-EU visitors, however, are legally required to carry an IDP alongside their national licence, so drivers from outside the EU should arrange one before travelling. At pickup you will present your licence, passport and credit card, and a security deposit is held to cover the insurance excess, typically 500 EUR to 1,000 EUR. Inspect the car for existing damage and photograph it before you drive away, and return it on time with the agreed fuel level.
Tolls in Greece: Carry Cash and Keep Your Ticket
Greek motorway tolls are paid the old-fashioned way, at staffed booths and automated machines, not by an electronic tag fitted to your hire car. You pay at each toll station as you drive, so the simple rule for car hire in Greece is to keep small-denomination cash in the car, even though most booths now also take cards. Each toll section costs roughly 1.80 EUR to 4.20 EUR for a standard car, and a long drive such as Athens to Thessaloniki can add up to 35 EUR to 40 EUR across multiple booths.
Unlike many countries, Greece has no single nationwide toll system. Different motorways are run by different private operators, including the Attiki Odos around Athens and the national Ethniki Odos routes, so always take your ticket and keep it until the end of the drive. A few specific crossings carry their own charge on top, such as the Rio-Antirrio Bridge to the Peloponnese and the Aktio-Preveza tunnel. Crete has no motorway tolls at all.
One useful local quirk: you do not fill your own car at Greek petrol stations. An attendant fills it for you and you pay them directly by cash or card, so always ask for a receipt, the Apodixi, in case of any later dispute with the rental company. Some smaller rural stations take cash only, so keep a little on hand.
Taking a Hire Car to the Greek Islands
You can take a hire car to the Greek islands on the ferries, but for most trips it is cheaper to rent a separate car on the island itself. Ferrying a car across costs roughly 40 EUR to 100 EUR each way depending on the vehicle size and route, and many rental agreements restrict taking the car off the mainland or void the collision cover while it is on the ferry. For a single island, hiring locally on arrival is almost always the simpler and cheaper option for car hire in Greece.
On the islands themselves, choose a small, nimble car for your car hire in Greece. Island back roads are narrow and winding with steep drops, tight bends and little in the way of guardrails, and a compact is far easier to park and squeeze through village lanes than an SUV. On the larger islands such as Crete and Rhodes a car is essential to reach the quieter beaches and inland villages, while on tiny islands a scooter or quad is often all you need.
Driving in Greece: Rules of the Road
In Greece you drive on the right and overtake on the left, the same as most of mainland Europe and the opposite of the UK. Main highways are modern and well signed, but secondary roads can be narrow with faded markings, and mountain and island roads demand care. Here is what matters most for car hire in Greece.
Speed limits
Speed limits in Greece are 50 km/h in urban areas, 90 km/h on open rural roads, 110 km/h on expressways and 120 km/h on motorways, unless signs state otherwise. These are the core speed rules for car hire in Greece. Limits are enforced and penalties are steep: running a red light or a stop sign can carry a fine of around 700 EUR. Adjust your speed for weather, bends and the often-unpredictable traffic.
Seat belts, phones and alcohol
Seat belts are mandatory for all passengers, and children must use an appropriate child restraint. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal, so set up a hands-free cradle first. The drink-drive limit is a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%, and it is strictly enforced with heavy fines.
Roundabouts and emergencies
Greek roundabouts can be counter-intuitive: in many of them traffic entering has priority over traffic already on the roundabout, the opposite of the UK rule, so approach with caution and watch the signs and road markings. The single emergency number across Greece is 112. Drive defensively in Athens and in busy resort towns, where local driving can be assertive.
Where to Base Your Car Hire in Greece
Greece splits naturally into the mainland and the islands, and the smartest approach to car hire in Greece is to skip driving in central Athens, where traffic and parking are difficult, and pick up your car at the airport or your first road-trip base instead. These are the regions worth building a trip around.
The Peloponnese (from Athens)
Pick up at Athens airport and head into the Peloponnese for ancient Mycenae and Olympia, the Venetian town of Nafplio and dramatic Mani coastline. The mainland motorways here are the best in the country, so this is the easiest region for a first Greek road trip.
Crete
The largest island and the best for a self-drive trip, with no motorway tolls, two airports at Heraklion and Chania, and a coast road linking beaches, gorges and mountain villages. A hire car is essential here to reach the south coast and the quieter west.
The Ionian and Northern Greece
Corfu, Lefkada and Zakynthos in the Ionian reward a small car for their beaches and hill villages, while the north around Thessaloniki and Meteora offers monasteries on soaring rock pillars. Watch for narrow, winding roads on the Ionian islands in particular.
For official driving advice and current conditions, the UK government travel advice for Greece is the most reliable source, and the RAC’s guide to driving in Greece is a useful summary of the local rules.
Frequently Asked Questions: Car Hire in Greece
How much does it cost to hire a car in Greece?
Car hire in Greece costs from around £6 per day for a small economy car in the off-season, rising to roughly £25 to £40 per day for a compact in summer. The cheapest months are October to April and August is the dearest. Booking one to five months ahead and choosing a small manual secures the best price.
What age do you need to be to hire a car in Greece?
You must be at least 21 to hire a car in Greece and have held a full licence for at least one year. Drivers aged 21 to 24 are classed as young drivers and pay a surcharge of roughly 5 EUR to 15 EUR per day, with some larger and premium cars off limits until 25.
Do I need an International Driving Permit for car hire in Greece?
It depends on your nationality. UK licence holders do not need an International Driving Permit for Greece, and EU licences are accepted as they are. Non-EU visitors are legally required to carry an IDP alongside their national licence, so arrange one before you travel if you are from outside the EU.
How do toll roads work with a hire car in Greece?
Greek tolls are paid at staffed booths and machines as you drive, not by an electronic tag. Keep small-denomination cash in the car, though most booths now also take cards, and take your ticket at each section. Each toll costs roughly 1.80 EUR to 4.20 EUR for a car, and Crete has no motorway tolls at all.
Can I take a hire car to the Greek islands?
Yes, you can take a hire car on the ferries, but it usually works out cheaper to rent a separate car on the island. Ferrying a car costs roughly 40 EUR to 100 EUR each way, and many rental agreements restrict taking the car off the mainland or void the cover on the ferry. For a single island, hiring locally on arrival is the simpler choice.
Compare Cheap Car Hire in Greece
From the Peloponnese to Crete and the Ionian, Greece was made for the road trip, and a hire car is the only way to reach the beaches and villages the buses never see. Sort your car before you fly, keep cash handy for the toll booths, and decide early whether to ferry a car to the islands or rent on arrival. Getcarhire.com compares cheap car hire in Greece across trusted suppliers in one search, with free cancellation on most bookings, so you can lock in the right car at the right price and spend your time driving, not comparing.
