How to rent a car in Greece

In theory, the Rent-A-Car system looks easier: you pay money, turn the ignition key, and you are the king of the road. However, in this matter, as in any other, there are a lot of subtleties.

Car rental in Athens:

Let’s start with the fact that you can take the car at least in three types of rolling agencies: transnational networks, medium (as well as small and microscopic) firms and, finally, a bureau belonging to international airlines (or working with them in close contact).

Transnational companies For car rental: Hertz, Avis, Budget Car, Eurodollar and the largest Eurocar agency in Europe, provide all sorts of charms that are part of the “International level service”. For example, they often allow you to take a car in one city, and pass it in another, or even in another country.

Unfortunately, just to come to the department of one of these networks “from the street” is a very expensive way to get “wheels”. International firms prefer customers who have made an order in advance. Reduced tariffs are introduced for them. From Russia, like from everywhere, you can book a car through a solid travel agency, airline or Internet if you have access to it and a credit card. If you prefer to act without preliminary booking, you should go to Local and national agencieswho usually keep prices by about 40 percent lower than multinational firms (for vehicles of equal class).

Of course, this cheapness has a flip side. The smaller the agency, the more likely it is to run into an unpleasant surprise. For example, you can be foisting with a car with a hidden defect or just elderly. And the lease agreement can be drawn up in such a way that in the event of an accident you simply go bankrupt.

Pre -ordered (and paid) options are usually cheaper than a “personal turnout”. International airlines include renting cars with a discount as an additional service for passengers (Aeroflot, unfortunately, has not reached this yet). Western airlines do this, including from Russia.

Please note that if you take a car at the airport without preliminary booking, it will cost even more than in the departments of a large rolling service in the city center.

Regardless of where you rent a car, make sure you clearly understand the conditions contract. The services may include unlimited mileage. Or maybe – and limited. In this case, starting from a certain point, you will begin to pay for each kilometer, which can quickly “eat” the benefits of the lower fee for the rental day.

It would be nice if all local taxes, civil liability insurance against third parties, as well as insurance of possible damage to your new four -wheeled friend are included in the cost of the lease.

Always demand a document that is called English Collision Damage Waiver. He relieves you from liability for breaking the car (not free, of course, but for a certain amount, incomparably less than the one that you can pay for the elimination of a serious accident).

From Civil liability insurance You can refuse directly to the agency if you have already bought such an insurance policy (the so -called “green card”) at home. Any large insurance company sells it from us.

Minimum ageStarting from which it is allowed to rent a car, in Greece – 21 years. In the presence of international driver’s license, of course.

Another document without which to “take” the car in Greece, although it is not impossible, but difficult – this Credit card. Large car rental agencies traditionally do not like reckoning in cash. But with small ones, on the contrary, cash payment is the opportunity to get a significant discount. Nevertheless, the credit card will be asked. Since this is one of the few opportunities to find a compensation from the unsuccessful driver in case of an accident or damage to the car (in cases of unredavered by the contract !!!).

The biggest that the “non -card” client can hope for is that it will be served subject to solid insurance deposit (from $ 300 and above). But with immigrants from the CIS, on which Western distributors, intimidated by stories about the “Russian mafia”, look with prejudice, and this option is unlikely.

The exception is the islands where the car is physically difficult to steal. It happens that they are allowed behind the wheel of a rented car without credit cards, but it happens – and without rights (recently it is very rare).

Also, in Greece, the rental of motorcycles and mopeds is quite widespread. It is cheaper than taking a real car. But traveling on a motorcycle in an unfamiliar place is only a truly experienced riders. A little statistics: out of 1000 accidents in Greece 800, this is an accident with mopeds and motorcycles. Cyclists are knocked down much less often, but mainly due to their small numbers.

How much does the car rental cost? Of course Prices Versorize very strongly depending on the place, company, car brands, rental conditions. But some common guidelines can be indicated.

Prices for Rent-A-Car services in Greece. Medium sizes sedan from the international network, if we take it for a short period of time, will cost about € 70 per day. A small car in an international rolling or small local agency, depending on the mileage, will cost $ 30-50, and some very small cars – even less than € 30 per day.

So for a long time it is not needed? In large companies (Eurocar or Autohansa) give the Opel Corsa class apparatus for about € 60.

In tourist areas of Greece, car rental is widely practiced, but not quite cheap. With insurance and unlimited mileage, prices are from € 35 to € 80.

TableWhich you will see below, demonstrates how much it costs to rent in an average or small rolling bureau for 1 day of the “Economic Class” car (Fiat Panda, Fort Fiesta or Ford Escort, for example), with unlimited mileage, with the inclusion of all insurance, taxes, etc.

It can be judged by the general ratio of prices in different ends of Greece. But when you decide to “take a car” in one of these places, the real price may differ from those that we cite. After all, it depends on the type of car, rental period, time of year, weekdays or weekends, and even the current dollar exchange rate for local currency. Do not forget that in addition to the “unlimited mileage” there is a fundamentally different payment system: “The basic tariff for the day + mileage over the limit.”

In short: look for a line printed by small beanings in the contract offered to you. The dog is buried there! And a happy path!

Important little things

1) First of all, we recall that Greece in the summer is quite hot, so choosing car for rent Take the car only with air conditioning! Do not save on the air conditioner, otherwise after each trip you will feel as if you were driving a car on yourself, and not it …

2) The following important nuances: if you plan to visit cities and special historical attractions, choose car for rent Convenient and compact, not beautiful … Throughout the country, the problem with parking is – the less you take a car, the easier it will be to find a parking place, you can circle with a large car for a very long time in search of a suitable parking space. However, if you are going to travel by car further than to the sea and back, look for a comfortable car – so that you do not feel “compressed”, i.e. For example, it is better to refuse Smart in this case.

3) If you plan to fly/come to one city of islands, and go back from another city, look in advance if the departure place has a “point” of your diller from which you took The car is rentedSo that at the end of the vacation, I do not have to frantically look for another car.

4) And again About parking – We recommend not to park the car in prohibited places – at best, they will write out a fine of at least 80 euros (they will remove the numbers), in the worst – will take the car to the parking lot, and then you will run and try to find out where is this penal park. Let the presence of cars in prohibited places not be embarrassed – the same fate awaits them in case of failure. Therefore, do not park for prohibiting signs, and if you are pouring on blue lines – buy parking tickets in the nearest kiosk (peripter).

5) As a rule, the rental price per day decreases, depending on the period for which you take the car, i.e. The more days, the lower the price.

6) how and where to refuel. If you think that refueling at expensive gas stations such as “BP”, “Shell”, etc. You are guaranteed to receive good gasoline, you are deeply mistaken. These companies have already left the Greek market for several years, and do not even want to contact it. Almost all gas stations in Greece are private gas stations, with the exception of some, and all the so -called Brands, this is at best franchise, and in the worst general luxury.
At many gas stations (up to 25%), you may be deceived. The percentage of fraud can be from 5 to 20%) no gasoline is diluted with donkey, and even cheaper gasoline varieties also do not indulge. But just a reconfigurated or twisted meter with the help of local craftsmen, this is an almost ordinary phenomenon. Therefore, always refuel with a margin. Moreover, the rolling car is unlikely to provide you with the consumption of gasoline as a personal “licked” car.

Athenian news Recommend agency Ansa Int One of the few agencies in Greece, where you can be served on Russianand also that The most important thing is not deposited money from your credit card for the lease.

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