Greece Travel : How To Travel Around Greece
July 9, 2009 by Glenn Beardsley
Filed under Destinations
In this part of our guide to holidays in Greece we focus on how you can get around the country…
Consider hiring a car or moped in Greece – all you will need is a passport and an internationally recognized driving license. This is a cost-effective option that will give you the freedom to travel wherever you wish. Prices start at roughly $15 a day for a moped and $40 a day for a car, but be careful to ensure that the price you agree to includes all taxes and insurance. While most roads are in good condition, take extra care driving on the islands or in the countryside as some rural roads can be badly maintained and narrow.
Greece’s superb ‘KTEL’ (intercity) bus system lets you travel easily anywhere on the mainland. It’s great value for money and lets you visit parts of Greece that you would otherwise never get to see. But the system was designed for locals, not tourists, so you might run into some language problems. However, most young Greeks have a little English and you will probably find one is willing to assist you.
Taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced; all are required to have a meter and you’re not expected to leave a tip. In the cities and on the islands, most drivers will speak a little English, but not all will. It’s also worth noting that it’s common for them to continue to pick up passengers until they’re full so you can still try to flag a taxi that already has passengers so long as they’re heading in the same direction that you want to go.
To travel to and from the islands, you’ll have to take a ferry or a short flight. Many of the more distant islands have airports and can be flown to from Athens or Thessaloniki – distances within Greece are small, so even the farthest islands are less than an hour’s flight.
Ferries are the best option for islands near the mainland. These boats run regularly throughout the day, but trips may be more leisurely than you expect as the ferries can making stop at several islands before reaching their final destination.
