Car Hire in Greece

Tourist information - Greece

Greece (Greek Hellas) is officially known as the Hellenic Republic (Greek Ellinikí Dimokratía) a country in south-eastern Europe. Occupying the southern most part of the Balkan Peninsula and numerous islands many uninhabited. It is bordered on the northwest by Albania, on the north by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and by Bulgaria, on the northeast by Turkey, on the east by the Aegean Sea, on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and on the west by the Ionian Sea, about one-fifth of the land mass is composed of islands in the Aegean and Ionian seas. Athens is the capital and largest city.

Climate

The climate of Greece is similar to that of other Mediterranean countries. At the coastline the summers are hot and dry, with clear, cloudless skies, and the winters are generally rainy.

Principal Cities

The largest and most important city is Athens, the capital. Piraeus, seaport of Athens, is the largest port of Greece. Other important cities include Thessaloníki, Pátrai, Iráklion, and Lárisa.

VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

Emergency Triangle
First Aid Kit
Fire Extinguisher
Spare Bulb Kit is recommended

SPECIAL NOTES - DRIVING LICENCE

Foreign national driving licence is acceptable.
Minimum driving age is 18.

Drive on the right, overtake on the left.
Driving licence, passport and vehicle documents should be carried in the car always.
Use dipped headlights in reduced visibility.
Do not use main beam headlights in towns.
In towns the use of the horn is for emergencies only.
Road signs are written in Greek and repeated phonetically in English.

SPEED LIMITS

Car only:
Built-up areas = 50 kph
Major roads outside towns = 110 kph
Motorways = 120 kph

MOTORWAYS

Motorways are known as Ethniki Odos.
Toll charges apply on all motorways and must be paid in cash.

SEAT BELTS

Front = Compulsory
Rear = Compulsory if fitted
Children = Under the age of 10 years not permitted in front seats.

FINES

Fines are payable to the Public Treasury directly not to the police.

DRINKING and DRIVING

Blood / Alcohol limit is 0.025%.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Police, 100 Athens

Fire Service, 199 Athens

Ambulance, 166 Athens

Unleaded gasoline - amOllivthee venzEEnee - Amolubdh Benzinh

Diesel - petrElleo - Petrelaio

Motor oil - LAthee michaneess - Ladi MhcaniV

A final word, nobody explained most of the rules to the Greek drivers who have the worst accident record in Europe - drive with your eyes wide open!

MasterCarsDirect offers car hire in the following locations in Greece

Alexandroupoli, Athens International Airport East, Athens West Airport, Athens, Halkidiki, Kalamata Airport,  Kalamata, Kavala Airport, Parga, Thessalonica Airport,  Thessalonica  and many other locations on the Mainland, also hundreds of pick up locations on most of the Greek Islands.