Car hire in Rhodes starts from around £15 a day in the shoulder season, and with the island’s best beaches, villages and ancient sites spread far apart and poorly served by buses, a hire car is the single best way to see the real Rhodes.
Book with a good local supplier at Rhodes Airport and you will pay a fraction of what the big international names charge, with a small economy car ideal for the island’s roads, the smart way to arrange car hire in Rhodes. This guide gives you honest prices, the real drive times from the airport, the local suppliers worth knowing, and everything you need to drive away happy.
Why Hire a Car in Rhodes?
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and much bigger than it looks, which is exactly why car hire in Rhodes makes such sense. The medieval Old Town of Rhodes sits in the north, the famous acropolis village of Lindos is nearly an hour south, and the wild beaches of the far south, like Prasonisi, are the best part of two hours away.
Public buses connect the main resorts but run to their own timetable, which is why car hire in Rhodes reaches the quiet coves, hill villages and ancient sites that make the island special. A hire car turns a beach holiday into a proper exploration of one of the loveliest islands in Greece.
Car hire in Rhodes is also inexpensive, especially outside the peak summer weeks, which is the real draw for touring visitors.
In the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, when the island is at its most comfortable for touring, a small economy car can be found from around £15 a day with a good local operator. That is less than the cost of a couple of taxi transfers, and it buys you the freedom to explore the whole island at your own pace.
Car Hire Prices in Rhodes: Local vs the Big Names
Here is the honest truth about car hire in Rhodes that the comparison sites bury: the big international brands are consistently the most expensive way to hire a car in Rhodes, while the well-rated local and regional suppliers offer far better value for the same class of car. These are typical shoulder-season daily rates for car hire in Rhodes, for a small economy car booked ahead at the airport.
| Supplier type | Example | Typical price per day |
|---|---|---|
| Good local / regional | Surprice, Carwiz, Green Motion | from around £15 to £22 |
| Budget aggregator average | mixed suppliers | around £30 to £45 |
| Big international names | Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Budget | £55 to £90 or more |
The lesson is simple: booking car hire in Rhodes ahead with a reputable local supplier, rather than walking up to an international desk, can more than halve your cost. The widget on this page compares the local and regional suppliers so you can see the real prices for your dates at a glance.
Prices for car hire in Rhodes also swing hard with the season, and knowing the pattern is the key to a cheap deal. Here is what a small economy car typically costs through the year in Rhodes.
| Season | Months | Typical price per day |
|---|---|---|
| Low season | November to February | from around £7 to £13 |
| Shoulder season | April, May, October | from around £15 to £22 |
| High season | July and August | £28 to £40 or more |
The message is clear. If you can travel outside July and August, car hire in Rhodes is remarkably cheap, and the shoulder months of May and October give you the best balance of warm weather, thin crowds and low daily rates. In peak summer, book as far ahead as you can, because the cheapest small cars sell out first and walk-up prices are the highest of the year.
Drive Times from Rhodes Airport
Rhodes has a single airport, Rhodes International Airport, known as Diagoras (airport code RHO), on the north-west coast about 14 km and twenty minutes from Rhodes Town. From there, the island opens up. These are the real driving distances and times from the airport to the places you are most likely to be heading, so you can plan your first day with confidence.
| From Rhodes Airport (RHO) to | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodes Town and Old Town | 14 km | about 20 minutes |
| Faliraki | 17 km | about 20 minutes |
| Kolymbia | 28 km | about 35 minutes |
| Lindos | 52 km | about 55 minutes |
| Kiotari | 60 km | about 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Prasonisi (the far south) | about 100 km | about 1 hour 45 minutes |
Is Rhodes Easy to Drive Around?
Yes, Rhodes is one of the easier Greek islands to drive around, and a little honesty about car hire in Rhodes helps. The main road down the east coast, linking Rhodes Town, Faliraki, Kolymbia and Lindos, is a good, well-surfaced route, and the driving is straightforward as far as Lindos.
Beyond Lindos towards the south, and across the mountainous interior, the roads become quieter and more winding, but they are perfectly manageable in a small car if you take them steadily. You drive on the right in Greece, as across most of Europe.
A few practical honesties save trouble. Almost every supplier requires a credit card, not a debit card, in the main driver’s name for the security deposit, so bring one.
Fuel is easy to find in the north and around the resorts but sparser in the deep south and the interior, so fill up before a long southern run.
The one genuinely busy stretch is the coast road around Rhodes Town and Faliraki in peak season, where traffic can be slow, so allow a little extra time. For the official rules of the road and current requirements, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps an up to date summary on its Greece travel advice pages.
Where to Drive in Rhodes
With car hire in Rhodes, the whole island is yours. The medieval Old Town of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the obvious first stop, though you will want to park outside its walls and explore on foot.
South down the east coast lies Lindos, with its clifftop acropolis and dazzling white village, one of the most beautiful spots in all Greece. Beyond it, the coast grows quieter and wilder, through Pefkos, Kiotari and Gennadi to the wind-swept sand spit of Prasonisi at the island’s southern tip, where two seas meet.
Inland and to the west, a different Rhodes waits: the wooded Valley of the Butterflies, the ancient hilltop ruins of Kamiros, the hill villages of the interior, and the crumbling romance of Monolithos castle above the western sea.
We are building a full set of Rhodes scenic drives to map the best of these routes in detail, gateway by gateway. In the meantime, pick up your car at the airport and the island opens up from there. Rhodes is part of our wider car hire in Greece guide, which covers every major Greek island and gateway.
Collecting Your Car at Rhodes Airport
Rhodes Airport is compact and easy to navigate, and collecting your car hire in Rhodes is straightforward. The international desks are in the arrivals hall, while many local and regional suppliers, who offer the best value, operate a quick shuttle or meet-and-greet from just outside the terminal. Book ahead, and your car will be ready when you land.
Before you collect your car, have ready:
- A credit card (not debit) in the main driver’s name for the deposit
- Your full driving licence and passport
- Your booking confirmation
- For non-EU licences, an International Driving Permit is worth carrying
Tips for Cheap Car Hire in Rhodes
A few simple habits keep the cost of car hire in Rhodes down and avoid the traps that catch first-time visitors on the island. None of them is complicated, and together they can save you a great deal.
Book early. The cheapest small economy cars are limited and sell out first, especially for summer collection. Booking a few weeks or months ahead locks in the lowest rate and the widest choice, and there is nothing to gain by leaving it to the last minute.
Watch the hidden costs. A very low headline price sometimes excludes the basic collision damage waiver, or adds a young-driver or airport surcharge. Check what the daily rate actually includes, and favour a local supplier who bundles the basic cover into a clear, honest price.
Choose a manual if you can drive one. Automatic cars carry a steep daily premium in Greece and sell out fastest, so a manual economy car is both cheaper and easier to find. If you are happy with a manual, you will pay noticeably less for your car.
Bring a credit card and travel in the shoulder season. Almost every supplier needs a credit card in the main driver’s name for the deposit, so a debit card can stop you collecting the car at all. And if your dates are flexible, travelling in May, June, September or October rather than high summer is the single biggest saving of all.
The Best Time for Car Hire in Rhodes
Rhodes has one of the longest and sunniest seasons in Greece, and for car hire in Rhodes the shoulder months are ideal. May, June, September and October bring warm days, sea still warm enough to swim, quieter roads and the lowest car hire prices of the year.
High summer, July and August, is hot and busy, with the coast road at its most crowded and rates at their peak, so if you visit then, book your car well ahead and start your drives early. Even into late autumn the island stays mild and the driving pleasant, making Rhodes a rewarding car hire destination long after other places have cooled down.
If you are also considering Crete, our car hire in Crete guide covers the island in full.
Rhodes Car Hire: Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hire a car in Rhodes?
Car hire in Rhodes starts from around £15 a day for a small economy car booked ahead with a good local supplier in the shoulder season, rising to £30 or more in peak summer. The big international brands typically charge £55 to £90 a day for the same car, so booking early with a reputable local or regional supplier is much better value.
Is it worth hiring a car in Rhodes?
Very much so. Rhodes is a large island and its best beaches, villages and ancient sites, from Lindos to Prasonisi and the western interior, are spread out and poorly served by buses. A hire car, from around £15 a day, lets you explore the whole island at your own pace and reach the quiet spots the buses and tours miss.
Do you need a car in Rhodes?
If you plan to stay put in one resort, you can manage with buses and taxis, but to see the real island a car is by far the best way. The main sights are widely spread, from the Old Town in the north to Lindos and the wild south, and public transport does not reach the quieter beaches, hill villages and ancient sites. For a touring holiday, a hire car in Rhodes is well worth it.
Is driving in Rhodes easy?
Yes, Rhodes is one of the easier Greek islands to drive. The east-coast road linking Rhodes Town, Faliraki and Lindos is good and well surfaced, and a small car handles the whole island comfortably. The roads become quieter and more winding in the south and the interior, but are manageable if taken steadily. You drive on the right, and the only busy stretch is the coast road near Rhodes Town in peak season.
How many days do you need to explore Rhodes by car?
Three to four days of car hire in Rhodes lets you see the highlights comfortably: a day for the Old Town, a day for Lindos and the east coast, a day for the wild south, and a day for the western interior and the Valley of the Butterflies. With a week and a hire car you can explore the whole island in a relaxed way, with plenty of time for the beaches in between.
How old do you have to be to hire a car in Rhodes?
Most suppliers in Rhodes require the main driver to be at least 21, and sometimes 23 or 25 for larger or premium cars, with a licence held for at least one year. Drivers under 25 may pay a young-driver surcharge. Many good local suppliers are more flexible than the big international names, and some will rent to older drivers well into their seventies and beyond without extra charges, so it is always worth checking the individual supplier’s terms.
Which is the best car hire company in Rhodes?
Rather than one single best company, the best value for car hire in Rhodes comes from the well-rated local and regional suppliers such as Surprice, Carwiz and Green Motion, which consistently beat the big international brands on price for the same class of car.
Look for a supplier with strong recent reviews, a clear all-in price that includes the basic damage waiver, and an easy airport collection. The widget on this page compares these suppliers so you can pick the best-rated option for your dates.
Book Your Rhodes Car Hire
Rhodes is made for exploring by car: a large, beautiful island of medieval towns, clifftop villages, ancient ruins and wild southern beaches, with car hire from around £15 a day when you book ahead with a good local supplier. Compare the best local and regional prices for car hire in Rhodes in the widget above, pick up your car at Rhodes Airport, and discover the whole island at your own pace.
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