Drive Safely! Drive on the right!
Note: Many of these
rules are ignored by many Greek drivers, but tourists
do so at their peril.
Minimum Age: Drivers must be 18.
Seat Belts: Must be used by front-seat
passengers. With Greece's high accident rate,
please, everybody, strap yourself in.
Children: Kids under 10 can't sit in the
front seat.
Speed Limits: Use these
as a guide, but always obey the posted limits,
which may vary.
Urban areas: 30 mph/50 kmh
Outside cities: 68 mph/110 kph
Freeways/Expressways: 75 mph/120 kph
Horning: Technically, it's illegal in
towns and urban areas except in case of emergencies.
Use it freely if needed; it could save your life.
Parking: Forbidden (though it may not
be marked) within 9 feet of a fire hydrant, 15
feet of an intersection, or 45 feet from a bus
stop.
In some areas, street parking requires purchase
of a ticket from a booth. These areas will be
posted in both English and Greek.
Driver's Licenses: EU citizens can use
their own. Other nationals should have an International
Drivers License, though in practice, a recognizable
photo license is usually accepted. US licenses
have been readily accepted in the past but I recommend
having the international version as a second form
of ID. Many passport photo services also offer
the International Driver's License forms.
Roadside Assistance: ELPA offers coverage
to members of AAA (Triple-A), CAA and other similar
assistance services. Check with your membership
department for information on using the ELPA shared
services in Greece.
ELPA has quick-access numbers dialable in
Greece: 104 and 154.
Athens Restricted Area: The central Athens
area restricts car access to reduce congestion,
but these restrictions do not apply to rental
cars or those owned by foreigners in the country
for a short stay.
Driving Your Own Car: You need a valid
registration, proof of internationally valid insurance
(check with your insurance company!), and your
driver's license.
Emergency Numbers: For visitors to Greece,
dial 112 for multi-language help. Dial 100 for
Police, 166 for Fires, and 199 for ambulance service.
For roadside service, use the ELPA numbers above.
Toll Roads: The two special roads called
Ethniki Odos, the National Road, do require tolls,
which vary and must be paid in cash.
Circles and Roundabouts: These circles
serve as a kind of perpetual-motion intersection,
keeping traffic flowing without the use of signal
lights. This sounds more difficult than it actually
is, and roundabouts are actually kind of fun once
you get used to them.
Cell Phone Usage: It is now illegal to
use your cell phone while driving in Greece. Violators
can be stopped and issued a fine. Periodic crackdowns
are driving this point home.
Click
here for maps of Greece
Important Note: All
information on this page is intended as a guide
to the more important rules for the different countries
to which we offer car hire services. It is not meant
to be a comprehensive document. At Carentalweb.com
we try and keep the information on this page up-to-date,
but we cannot be held responsible in any way for
any consequences arising from any inaccuracies.
If you find a mistake or would like to send us some
additional information, please email
us. We appreciate
your cooperation.
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