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From United States
+1-8007618913
From Canada
+1-2897685366
From United Kingdom
+44-2035140670
From Japan
+81 3-4578-4029
From Argentina
+54-2657459025
From Chile
+56-226665927
From Colombia
+57-6017940262
From Malaysia
+60-392125422
From Mexico
+52-7449800692
From New Zealand
+64-99508740
From Peru
+51-17009061
From Switzerland
+41-445514539
From Thailand
+66-25088458
From Singapore
+65-31585008
From Australia
+61-1800-507-258
From Turkey
+90-850-390-7486
From Italy
+39-800729010
From Portugal
+351-304500663
From Brazil
+55-6140426960
From France
+33-970019487
From Israel
+972-23752163
From Germany
+49 6107 6353100
From China
+86-1089171020
From South Korea (Domestic calls only)
00308 491 0209
From other countries or regions
+1-8007618913
Available between 10.00 a.m. and 19.00 p.m. (Japan Time)
LINE Live chat Email us Service Code: 9501958356
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The Complete Greece Driving and Rental Guide

Its rich historical past, pleasant weather and beautiful landscape make Greece one of the popular touristic countries in the world. However, it is always recommended to drive carefully in Greece, and stick to the right part of your lane and let the others overtake without blocking the lane yourself.

  • Speed Limit and Traffic Signs
  • Seatbelt and Child Safety
  • Parking, Fuel and Toll
  • Traffic Violation
  • Driving Licence and Age Requirements

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

Driving in Greece is on the right-hand side of the road and overtaking is from the left. Dipped headlights should be used in poor daytime visibility and the use of full beam headlights in towns is strictly prohibited. The middle lane of a three-lane highway is for passing.

Speed Limit

There is a speed limit of 50 km/h in rural areas, 110 km/h in open roads and 120 km/h on motorways.

Traffic Signs

Signs in Greece follow the general European standards in terms of shapes and colours. There are mainly 4 types of traffic signs in Greece: regulatory, warning, informational and directional.


Greek regulatory signs usually feature a circular shape, with some exceptions.

Greece_Traffic_Sign_YieldYieldGreece_Traffic_Sign_StopStop
Greece_Traffic_Sign_Speed_Limit_60_km_hSpeed Limit (60 km/h)Greece_Traffic_Sign_No_OvertakingNo OvertakingGreece_Traffic_Sign_No_Overtaking_by_LorriesNo Overtaking by Lorries

Greek warning signs are triangular with a red border and a yellow background.

Greece_Traffic_Sign_Speed_BumpSpeed BumpGreece_Traffic_Sign_Slippery_RoadSlippery RoadGreece_Traffic_Sign_Pedestrian_CrossingPedestrian CrossingGreece_Traffic_Sign_Wild_AnimalsWild Animals (Deer etc.)Greece_Traffic_Sign_Level_Crossing_With_GatesLevel Crossing with GatesGreece_Traffic_Sign_Level_Crossing_Without_GatesLevel Crossing without GatesGreece_Traffic_Sign_Single_Track_Level_CrossingSingle-track Level CrossingGreece_Traffic_Sign_Multitrack_Level_CrossingMultitrack Level Crossing

Greek information signs feature a rectangular shape with a blue background.

Greece_Traffic_Sign_InformationInformationGreece_Traffic_Sign_First_AidFirst AidGreece_Traffic_Sign_Caravan_SiteCaravan Site

In Greece, direction signs mostly feature a rectangular shape with green and blue background colours.

Greece_Traffic_Sign_E_Road_Numbering  E Road NumberingGreece_Traffic_Sign_Motorway_NumberingMotorway NumberingGreece_Traffic_Sign_Advance_Direction_Sign_Stack_TypeAdvance Direction Sign (Stack Type)
*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

The driver as well as all passengers must wear seatbelts all the time while seated inside a vehicle. Failure to do so can cause a €350 fine.

Booster Seat Laws

Children under 3 years old must be placed in a suitable child restraint. 


Children between 3 and 11 years old, measuring less than 1.35m must be seated in an appropriate child restraint for their size. 


From the age of 12, children measuring over 1.35m can wear an adult seat belt. 


Placing a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat is allowed only when the passenger airbag is deactivated. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Permitted Parking


Parking spaces in Athens are quite rare and hotel parking is usually not free of charge. It would be advisable for you to book a hotel that offers free spots. 


In Santorini – one of the most touristic islands almost all tourist attractions there offer free parking. 


You may not be familiar with the below parking signs, which inform you that parking is prohibited in the odd or even months of the year. 

Greece_Traffic_Sign_Alternative_Parking_Prohibited_on_the_Odd_Months_of_YearAlternative Parking (Prohibited on the Odd Months of Year)Greece_Traffic_Sign_Alternative_Parking_Prohibited_on_the_Even_Months_of_YearAlternative Parking (Prohibited on the Even Months of Year)

· Parking in Athens


Athens has a specific parking system in place. Spaces marked by a white line are for short-term visitors while spaces marked in yellow are for commercial use only. Short-term visitors can use the white spaces from 09:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, and from 09:00 to 16:00 on weekends.


Prepaid parking cards need to be displayed for the use of blue short-stay spaces, and can be bought at newsagents, tobacconists, kiosks and other small shops, with a maximal validity of 3 hours.


Occupying short-term parking spaces without paying the required parking fee, or exceed the time limit for which has been paid for will incur a €20 fine. If paying within 10 days, the fine can be reduced by half.

Greece Parking Lot


· Forbidden Parking


 In Greece, you are not allowed to park in the following spots:


- Less than 15 feet from a fire hydrant


- Less than 5 metres of a pedestrian crossing


- Less than 15 metres from a bus stop


- More than 12 inches from the curb


- On the sidewalk


- If blocking a driveway


- With the left side of the vehicle next to the curb


- Less than 20 feet from a crosswalk or intersection


- Within 30 feet from a traffic control device


- In a fire lane


- In violation of a posted sign regulating parking within a shopping centre or office complex


Vehicles parked in prohibited places may be towed away or their licence plates may be removed. Fines will be also applied.

Fuel Prices

The average price for Greece gasoline price in January 2018 is 1.96 Euros per litre while diesel’s average price is 1.33.

Toll

Most of the tolls need to be paid by cash, while some accept credit cards. It is thus recommended to have a few one Euro coins at hand when driving on Greek toll roads. Toll fees are usually from about 0.70 Euro cents to 2 Euros per segment.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

The legal BAC limit in Greece is 0.05%. Being caught over this limit usually involve severe penalties, which can go as far as a long prison sentence.

Traffic Fines

Speeding fines in Greece range from €100 to €350. Fines can be reduced by 50% if paid within 10 days. Otherwise, the full amount is due.


Parking in a wrong place may incur an on-the-spot ticket, and you should pay for the ticket in cash at the post office. 


In some cases, traffic infringement will cause your credit card to be debited after you return the car due to unsettled tickets happened during your rental. You can always contact QEEQ’ 24/7 customer service team to help you to clarify.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

To legally rent and drive a car in Greece, you must be at least 21 years old and present a valid national driving licence that has been held for at least 1 or 2 years (according to different car hire companies). Driving licences issued in Greece or the European Union are accepted without the need to obtain an IDP. Driving licences from non-EU countries must be accompanied by a valid International Driving Permit (IDP). Please note that an IDP does not replace the requirement for a regular driving licence.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Guest reviews

1 /
Toomas

December 1, 2024

Destination: Athens

9Good experience with Avance

Car was ok, glad that received diesel car, what is more economical.

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W.Schneider

November 10, 2024

Destination: Crete

9Einfach und seriös. So soll es sein! Sehr zu empfehlen!

Sehr freundliches Personal. Komplikationslose Rückgabe. Hatte früher schlimme Erfahrungen mit Mietautos in Kreta. Gerne wieder Budget in Heraklion!

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E.Siag

November 6, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Amazing

Amazing staff and good quality cars

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November 3, 2024

Destination: Crete

10correct experience both with QEEQ and the SURPRICE RENT A CAR

pickup at the airport (need to call!!), 2 min drive to the car rental lot. fast processing both at pick up and drop off.

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Y.Kok

November 3, 2024

Destination: heraklion

9Overall okay, except for the car pick up.

Car was good but pick up at town was wrong. There was only airport pick up. I would have booked another company that had town or ferry jetty pick up.

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Y.Kok

November 3, 2024

Destination: Santorini

8Very good

I was informed on booking that someone will be waiting outside the arrival hall to assist me with the car. There was no one and I had to ask around. A staff from another company directed me on the direction to the car rental office, which was outside the terminal, about 500m away. Otherwise the car was good and I had no problems using it.

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AR

October 31, 2024

Destination: Athens

8Did the job without any major issues

I think I was given a car which was not of the advertised class. As we were with 2 kids tired after the long flight we just took what was given. The car itself was alright though.

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October 30, 2024

Destination: Kefalonia

9Excellent

Good small local business. Received upgrade to diesel automatic. Much appreciated on mountain roads of Kefalonia. Same to Same fuel policy is confusing.

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Dan Ratte

October 26, 2024

Destination: Tinos

10Very Good

Nice car and great service

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Y.Rakhmilevich

October 26, 2024

Destination: Athens

8Very good

The company representative was very friendly and professional. Unfortunately, we received a very old car, meaning it was full of scratches and technologically outdated — an Audi Q3 from 2019 without reverse sensors and without a rear camera. Additionally, some safety systems were non-functional, such as the lane-keeping assist, which was disabled. I’d like to remind you that it’s 2024, and I expect an international rental company like Avis to have modern vehicles, not ones that are 5 years old.

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Andreas

October 10, 2024

Destination: Mykonos

7Easy to book, but I didn't get what I booked.

The car was worse than my expectations and booking.

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Nacho Ascorve

October 1, 2024

Destination: Crete

10Excellent

Repetiré con esta compañía

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Patrick M

September 30, 2024

Destination: Paros

9great results

i waited because i got to Paros early. not the fault of the rental company

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Steve

September 29, 2024

Destination: Crete

9QEEQ is great.

Contacting Acarent without a phone is hard.

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B.Zelenovic

September 26, 2024

Destination: Thessaloniki

10Overall great experience

Friendly staff smooth car rental process!

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C.Broadley

September 24, 2024

Destination: Athens

9Easy international reservation process and the rental experience added to our enjoyment of visiting

Car was a hybrid and very economical.

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September 24, 2024

Destination: Athens

10GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY

THE CAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS AS I RECEIVED A FREE UPGRADE TO A MINI COUNTRYMAN. REALLY NICE CAR.

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Kobi

September 18, 2024

Destination: Athens

8Good deal with Qeeq, as always

Poor communication with the office, to get to the pick up point. The car was OK.

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Chris H

August 22, 2024

Destination: Lefkada

10Pleasure and will use again

Really enjoyed the car as never had a hybrid before and was easy to drive

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O.AHARON

August 13, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent expirience

Very good service and very good car

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Clare Catharine

August 1, 2024

Destination: Santorini

10Excellent

Excellent service, and the front desk staff was very helpful

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Yvonne Carllyle

July 31, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

The paperwork process was very efficient.

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Jacob Jennings

July 31, 2024

Destination: Santorini

10Excellent

Very satisfied

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Belle Lynch

July 29, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very satisfied

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Virginia Wilson

July 27, 2024

Destination: Santorini

10Excellent

The service was excellent, but the deposit refund was a bit slow.

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N.Williams

July 26, 2024

Destination: Athens

8Efficient, good experience

Good service

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Sara Bartholomew

July 26, 2024

Destination: Athens

8Very good

Overall, I am quite satisfied. After arriving at the store, I waited 20 minutes to handle the paperwork. I booked an automatic but was given a manual at first. After my complaint, they changed it to an automatic. The car showed a range of 471 kilometers when I picked it up, and it showed 461 when I returned it. They charged me 20 euros for the missing 10 kilometers of fuel, which I think is a bit excessive!

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Augustine Windsor

July 25, 2024

Destination: Crete

8Very good

The service attitude is acceptable.

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Stanford Garcia

July 25, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very good.

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Greg Gunter

July 23, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very satisfied

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Faithe Peggy

July 23, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Good service attitude

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Steven Leopold

July 23, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Good service attitude

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Nicole

July 22, 2024

Destination: Piraeus

8Good experience, friendly staff

Modi picked us up at the port and brought us to the office which was excellent service. Make sure you are prepared to pay a one time deposit that they will refund you at the end minus any charges for mileage. They charge for extra mileage about 100km/day so be aware of that.

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July 22, 2024

Destination: Athens

9.7Happy with experience.

Upgraded our car as the one that was booked was unavailable.

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Madge Walter

July 21, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Satisfied

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Kerr Adelaide

July 20, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Athens-Nafplion-Zakynthos-Patras

Processing speed was average, no unnecessary sales talk, no forced upgrades, was given a GLB200, very new car.

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Carl Hobbes

July 19, 2024

Destination: Athens

4Average

They have too many tricks. The most severe one is the changing license plates. Once you drive out and the license plate is missing, they charge you a few hundred euros. The police have already confirmed their tricks. The day before I went to the police station, their company had reported 3 plates missing.

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Boris Robert

July 19, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very satisfied, no upselling when picking up the car.

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Wilbur Saxton

July 19, 2024

Destination: Milos

10Excellent

The service was warm and friendly. They didn't push additional insurance on me. The car was easy to drive and very new. The deposit was refunded immediately upon return.

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Vivian Crichton

July 18, 2024

Destination: Crete

10Excellent

Overall, I am very satisfied. The car was in good condition, the service was excellent, and they answered all my questions without trying to upsell anything.

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Delia Jonathan

July 18, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very efficient. As soon as you exit from Gate 5 of the airport, turn right and the parking lot with the shuttle is on the right side. The white vehicle with the company name on it is easy to find.

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Edison Chamberlain

July 17, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Very satisfied

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Clement Sonmerfield

July 17, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Pretty good, the car was slightly old.

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Dylan Aldridge

July 17, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

The staff was very patient. They had a slight accent, but communication was largely fine.

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Elva Nathaniei

July 17, 2024

Destination: Athens

2Poor

The car's engine had a noticeable issue, and I needed emergency assistance. The response was very slow, and they asked me to pay 75 euros for the service, which is absurd. The service was terrible.

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Ronald Paul

July 17, 2024

Destination: Crete

6Average

The car I rented at Heraklion Airport in Crete was the worst out of the four rentals I had on this trip. The car was small and old, almost like a semi-automatic with very basic features. It only had a radio and nothing else. It didn’t even have automatic headlights. I forgot to turn off the headlights once, and the next morning the battery was dead and the car couldn't start. Even a low-end car from 10 years ago would be better. The staff claimed it was a two-year-old car, but it had over 40,000 kilometers on the odometer, and the paint was cracking. On slopes, you have to press hard on the gas pedal, otherwise, the car would roll back.

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Rod Black

July 16, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent

Overall service is good.

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Stacey

July 15, 2024

Destination: Santorini

2Poor

I had to wait in line for an hour to pick up the car. They gave me a brand new car. When I tried to inspect it, they rushed me to sign, saying there were no issues since it was new. It turned out to be a trap! When I returned the car, the staff immediately inspected the area under the front license plate. I was curious why they were so focused there. As soon as I got out of the car, they claimed there was damage under the front. They asked if I knew about it. I was certain that there had been no accidents during my rental period. As for the small dent under the license plate, who knows if it was already there when I picked up the car! They rushed me to sign the paperwork at pickup, and now I realize it was intentional. They took me to the service desk, where an older woman rudely told me I needed to pay over 400 euros for that small dent. Charging that much for such a tiny dent is definitely a scam, taking advantage of my full insurance. Always choose a big rental company in the future. These small companies might be cheaper initially, but they can cause limitless trouble down the line.

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Warner Sassoon

July 15, 2024

Destination: Athens

2Poor

The overall service experience was terrible. The pickup location was very far away. After returning the car, they charged us over 200 euros: more than 100 euros for excess mileage, 40 euros for cleaning (even though we had cleaned the car ourselves), and 40 euros for airport parking. When we asked them to provide photos of the car's interior and the parking bill, they could not. They also claimed the airport parking fee was for a violation, but they couldn't provide any violation notice. So avoid renting a car from here; it's easy to get scammed.

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N.Karagianis

July 14, 2024

Destination: Athens

10Excellent experience - I would use Surprise retail again.

Irene (counter staff) was fantastic, very helpful. Unfortunately I did not get the gentleman's name at drop off, but he was just as helpful and pleasant.

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Best car rental deals in Greece

Best rates found by QEEQ users in the last 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

Q1.What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage(under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft(under Theft Protection) of the vehicle.
Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental.
Please note that the same licence and age requirement applys to the additonal driver. The addtional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?

QEEQ will show you the car offers available at your chosen time on the search results.
However, pick-up or drop-off out of general opening hours may subject to an extra fee unless self-service pick-up or drop-off is available.
After you reserve a car on QEEQ, we will inform you of specific policy of the car hire company by email.

Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?

If you want to pick up your car in one country and drop it in another, your search results will show you cars you can do that with.
If you're planning to cross any borders during your trip, bear in mind:
1. You may have to pay more.
There are often extra fees, taxes or additional cover you'll pay at the car hire counter.
2.It may not be allowed.
Depending on where you're hiring, you may not be able to take your car to another country.
Please email us if you want to take your hire car into a different country during your trip, and we'll talk you through your options.

Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?

Yes. You can pick up the vehicle in one place and drop it off in another. An ‘one-way fee’ will incur. Whether it is inclued in the rental price or what additional cost may arise will be clearly stated at the time of booking on QEEQ.
Please inform the car hire company of your drop-off location when you pick up the vehicle or contact them directly during your trip. You will find a phone number on the rental agreement you signed at pickup.

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