Greece › Athens › Airport Car Rental
Updated: November 6, 2023
By Santorini Dave
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The rental car parking lot at Athens International Airport. It’s easy to find and a very short walk from the Arrivals terminal. There is a free shuttle that runs every few minutes if you have too much luggage to walk. I do recommend reserving a car in advance at RentalCars.com.
Athens Airport Car Rental
My recommendation: If you need a rental car for your time in the Athens area then reserve a vehicle in advance at the Athens airport. If your plan is to see the historical highlights of Athens and then ferry or fly to a Greek island, then you probably don’t need a rental car.
Tip: If you need a family minivan or a car with automatic transmission (most cars in Greece are manual) then definitely book in advance.
Rental cars available at Athens airport: Budget • Thrifty • Enterprise • National • Avis • Europcar • Alamo • Hertz • Sixt • Aegean • Surprice • Goldcar • Autounion • Cargini Car Rental
Athens Rentals – Where To Pick Up
The rental car parking lot at Athens International Airport.
- Athens Airport Car Rental
Easy and convenient place to pick up a rental car. Great selection and good prices. A car makes exploring the Peloponnese, the Athens Riviera, Cape Sounion, Delphi, and Meteora much easier. If you need a vehicle at the airport then it’s best to book a car online in advance.- Piraeus Ferry Port Car Rental
Well-connected by public transit with central Athens and the airport. Taxis are plentiful. Renting a car is not necessary for most tourists. Hertz, Thrifty, and Europcar have locations in Piraeus about a 10-minute walk from most ferries.- Central Athens Car Rental
Car rental is not necessary for most tourists staying in central Athens. But renting a car can be a great way to visit Nafplio, the Peloponnese, Delphi, and the Meteora. The best located rental car offices in central Athens are Budget, Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise. These rental offices are located on Sygrou Avenue (busy but not crazy busy) just a two minute walk from the Akropoli metro station and a three minute walk from the Acropolis Museum and the Plaka neighborhood. The excellent Niche Hotel is steps from the above car rental agencies.Athens Rental Cars – Online Booking
RentalCars.com gives several options for car pick up and drop off in Athens. Select “Athens Airport” for Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (there is only one airport in Athens). Select “Athens – Syngrou Avenue” if you’re staying in the Plaka, Syntagma, Acropolis area. And select “Athens – Piraeus Downtown” if you need a location close to the main Athens ferry port.
Rental Car Pick Up at Athens Airport
Sofitel Athens Airport Hotel is the only hotel at the Athens airport. It’s an easy walk from both the terminal and the rental car parking lot.
- RentalCars.com is the best website for booking rental cars in advance for the Athens Airport.
- If you plan to see the sights of central Athens and then take a ferry to the Greek islands there is no need to rent a car for your time in Athens.
- Don’t take a rental car on a Greek ferry (more info below).
- Sofitel Athens Airport Hotel is the only hotel located at the Athens Airport. Steps from both the terminal and the rental car parking lot.
Where should I pick my rental car up in Athens?
It’s quicker and easier to pick up a rental car at the Athens Airport than in the busy and chaotic city center. Cars rented at the airport do not need to be returned to the airport; you can pick up at the airport then drop off in central Athens or at the Piraeus ferry port.
There are several car rental companies operating out of the Athens airport including Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Alamo, National, Enterprise, and Sixt. Available cars range from small economy cars to full-size SUVs and mini-vans for groups or families. Rental kiosks are located in the arrivals terminal, between doors 3 and 4. The rental car parking is a short walk from the terminal.
Should I rent a car in Athens?
Central Athens is compact and walkable. Public transportation within the central core and between downtown Athens and the airport and ferry port is excellent. For tourists visiting the top attractions in Athens and then traveling to the Greek islands, a rental car is not recommended. For tourists wanting to explore mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, the Athens Riviera, Cape Sounion, Delphi, and the Meteora, a rental car makes getting around much more efficient and pleasant.
Is it hard to find parking in Athens?
Finding parking in central Athens is difficult and expensive. Most of the Best Hotels in Athens will have valet parking, but midrange and cheap hotels in Athens typically will not have any parking.
If your hotel does not provide parking, we recommend taking the train, a taxi, or a private car service from the airport to the hotel. Most of the main attractions of Athens are walkable from most central Athens hotels; other attractions, like the National Archaeological Museum, require just a short taxi, metro ride, or 45-minute walk. Renting a car for sightseeing in central Athens is not recommended.
Can I take a rental car from Athens to the Greek Islands?
In theory, you can take a rental car on a ferry but in practice it’s a big expensive hassle. Car passage on a ferry is expensive. It’s much easier to rent a different car on each island you visit. For example, take the ferry to Santorini as a foot passenger and then rent a car in Santorini.
Athens Airport Car Rental
RentalCars.com – the best way to rent a car at the Athens International Airport. Car pick up and drop off is steps from the airport terminal. If you’re going to rent a car for Delphi, the Peloponnese, or mainland Greece it’s much easier to get the car at the airport than in the city center.
The rental car companies at the Athens International Airport are on the Arrivals level. Book in advance on rentalcars.com and then pick up from these kiosks.
The kiosks are in the main terminal for both international flights and domestic arrivals from the Greek islands.
There are two areas of the Arrivals terminal: Flights from non-Schengen countries (A gates) and flights from domestic airports and all Schengen countries (B gates). The rental car companies are located between these two areas but slightly closer to the B gates. If you arrive at a B gate, follow signs towards the A gates.
If you arrive at an A gate, follow signs towards the B gates. (There are no directional signs for the rental car companies.)
The rental car companies are in this hall (about halfway between A and B gates) and can not be missed.
The parking lot of the car rental companies is easy to find: head out the main doors from Arrivals and turn right.
Rental car companies will give you a map of the airport with directions to the rental car parking lot. It’s very simple. Out the main doors, turn right, and it’s hard to miss.
There are signs directing you to the car rental parking lot to get your vehicle.
The parking lot is small and it’s possible to see all the car rental companies from any spot in the lot.
There are a large variety of cars for rent at the airport. Everything from budget sedans to family-friendly mini-vans to large SUVs.
All the rental car companies have customer service kiosks in the parking lot.
The highway to and from the Athens Airport is a modern freeway that is usually light on traffic. Getting into the city takes about 30 minutes and isn’t usually busy or stressful (though traffic increases the closer you get to the city center).
Pick up and drop off of rental cars are both done at this parking lot. When returning to the airport for rental car return follow the signs to the rental car lot – it’s well marked with traffic directions.
Rental Car Alternatives
The metro train to central Athens is cheap and reliable. The station is a short walk from the Arrivals terminal. Follow the signs.
The taxi queue is just out the doors from the Arrivals terminal. There’s a flat fare to central Athens: 35€ in the day and 49€ at night.
There are buses from the airport to central Athens and the Piraeus ferry port. Buses leave just out the door from the Arrivals terminal.
A day trip to Cape Sounion and the beach towns along the Athens Riviera is made much easier if you have a rental car. If you’re staying at one of the beach resorts along the Riviera then it’s definitely best to reserve in advance and pick up the car from the Athens airport.
Santorini Dave was started in 2011 by a guy who loved Greece, travel, and great hotels. We're now a small team of writers and researchers on a mission to deliver the most helpful travel content on the internet. We specialize in 
This is a great website. thank you for putting and also timestamping the update.
I am having problems with booking per my requirement. I would like to pick a car in the morning in/around Athens City Center and then return the following morning at Athens airport. I am unable to make such a booking. It is not clear to me what companies have offices in the city and what are their hours.
Several rental car companies are on Syggrou Avenue in central Athens (also spelled Syngrou or Siggrou). Some open at 8am (e.g. Hertz, Sixt, and Budget). Others at 9am (e.g. Enterprise). When booking select “Drop off at different location”.
Hi Dave, my family and I are beginning to organize a 2.5 week trip to Greece. I was wondering if you offer any itinerary planning services that we could pay for. We are feeling slightly overwhelmed and would love to work with you if you offer that.
Fred Hill
Sorry Fred, the blog keeps me busy enough. Good luck with your trip.
Hi, I plan to rent a car and drive from Athens to Delphi and Meteora. Do you recommend buying full coverage insurance that covers tires, windshields, scratches, etc.? Thanks.
If your credit card offers car rental insurance then it’s probably not necessary. If not, then yes, I’d buy rental car and driver insurance.
Hello Dave
Can you rent a car from the airport without having a flight? Can you access the pick up/customer service without having flown into the airport? Thanks!
Yes, the rental car parking lot and kiosks are outside of the security area and accessible to everyone.
Hi Dave, great site — thanks.
I note you recommend rental car pickup at the airport in Athens. But what if I’m starting in downtown Athens — having already been there a few days — and then need a rental car to go to Delphi, Olympia, Nafplio, etc.. (I have plenty of time.) Given that the airport is east of Athens, and my first destination (Delphi) is northwest, would it not make more sense, under those circumstances, to rent the car, say, from the Hertz location at the Hilton in downtown Athens?
Thank you.
Yes, in that case, definitely pick up from downtown Athens.
My international driving license expires in November. Do I need to renew my driving licence to extend beyond November to allow for a buffer period just as a passport would require a six (6) months extra validity for permission to enter a country? Furthermore I would like to know how much will be the different parking charges in Athens central around the tourist area cost so that I can plan to drive around the tourist sites in Athens or whether I should just depend on public transport and walk to reach the major tourist spots.
I can’t say for certain but pretty sure your driver’s license will be fine. When you drive into Athens park your car and leave it until you’re leaving the city. Walking, taxis, and public transit are best for getting around the city center.
We have 2 weeks in Greece. We land at the Athens airport and have a car booked for one week (8 nights) when we’ll return to the airport to fly to Santorini. For our week on the mainland we’d like to visit Athens, Delphi, the Meteora, and as much of the Peloponnese as possible. A few questions:
What is driving in Greece like?
What is parking in Athens and other big cities like?
Is there a best route for driving to Delphi, and then from Delphi to the Meteora, and then the Peloponnese?
Is there a best route for driving into Athens?
Any must-see sites that we might not know about along our itinerary?
Thanks.
Driving in Greece, despite many peoples’ observations is actually quite fine. It is potentially a little different to your own perception of what ‘good driving’ may mean to you, but as long as you go with the flow, you will be fine. It can be a little less ‘ordered’ than in your home country, but this is the norm, so drive with the local style. Don’t be surprised if people cut in on you, or if Greek drivers seem a little less predictable to what you are used to. This is the norm here.
Your weeklong mainland itinerary looks a tad too adventurous and you will be doing a lot of driving. The difficult one is Meteora as it is a fair way north and a decent day’s driving. Still you can do it if you go there first, then back-track to Delphi and from there to the Peloponnese. In the Peloponnese the two main archaeological areas on opposite sides: Olympia and Epidavros/Mycenae so again plan for some lengthy driving. The best route is Athens -> Meteora -> Delphi -> Nafpaktos -> Olympia -> Epidavros/Mycenae -> Athens. You are not going to be able to get to the southern Peloponnese or anywhere else in the Peloponnese.
Parking in Athens or any major town can be fraught with frustration. Multi-storey carparks are few and far between and street parking can be difficult. In Athens in particular don’t hesitate to use the block lots – empty building sites that cars are parked in like biscuits in a packet. Just hand your car to the operator and he will park it for you. Charges are not too expensive.
The best route for driving into Athens if you are coming from the Peloponnese is to follow the main highway from Corinth until you hit the Ring Road. You can follow the Ring Road all the way around Athens to the airport if you wish to miss Athens on the way back. If you are planning on staying in central Athens once more, then your safest bet is to follow the Ring Road to the main junction at Metamorfosi then turn onto the Piraeus freeway. Follow this to say Leoforos Athinon then turn left to get to the Centre.
There are plenty of could-see sights as you wend your way around the country. One might be taking a trip on the rack and pinion railway to Kalavryta on the north coast of the Peloponnese. If you were to forego Olympia, you might make it to Monemvasia on the southeastern tip of the Peloponnese, but it’s a fair drive. Nafplio is good to spend a night in and it’s the best base for Epidavros and Mycenae.
I want to rent a car for Athens, Delphi, and the Peloponnese. Do you recommend booking in advance or going to one of the booths at the airport and getting a car there?
I would book in advance for pickup at the airport. I know some people have gotten terrible (expensive) deals when walking up to the counter and booking on the spot. Much better to reserve cars in advance.
Hi Dave
Is October a good time for traveling at islands? And do the ferries work normal or with reduced services?
Thanks in advance
Ferry schedules are reduced in October (compared to July and August) but it’s still possible to get almost everywhere you’re going. Early October still has good beach weather. By late October the hot days are usually gone but the weather is still great for sightseeing.
Do you recommend renting a car at the Athens airport or at a different location in or near Athens?
Renting from the Athens airport is easiest, offers the largest choice of cars, and often has the best rates.
Hi Dave,
Do we (Americans) need a visa for Greece, any part?
No, Americans do not need a visa for Greece.
Are there additional fees for luggage from Athens to Mykonos?
If taking the ferry, no luggage fees. If flying, it would depend on the airline and the type of ticket, but my general answer is yes, most airlines on the domestic routes charge baggage fees.
Hi Dave,
I’m looking to book ferry tickets for early May. I’m going from Athens to Naxos on a Monday and then to Santorini on a Wednesday. According to Danae Travel, tickets are available for Blue Star Ferries for the dates I’m looking at, but Blue Star Ferries’ website still says there’s “No sailing on this day.” I’m assuming they just haven’t posted their tickets on the site yet (although Danae has posted tickets on their boats for those days…). Should I wait and book directly through Blue Star? Do you know if Danae is legit, and should I just book through them and pick up at the airport (they say they have a partnership with Aktina Travel).
Thanks!
Danae is legit and it would be fine to book through them. But personally, I’d wait and book when those tickets are available on the Blue Star website (which should be soon). There’s almost no way that a May Blue Star ferry will sell out, so you’ll be fine waiting for a few months.
Hi
Do you know if we can pay for the ferry ticket by credit card or is cash only?
Thank you !
Credit card and cash are both accepted.
Dave – we’re planning to visit the islands next summer and our thought was to use a single island as a home base and take day trips from there or possibly overnight stays before returning. But it looks like the ferries don’t run as often as I thought they would. For example, a ferry from Thira to Heraklio only leaves in the evening and only returns in the morning.
Is there a particular island that makes the most sense if this how we’re planning the trip? Or is this just a bad strategy because we’ll always be scheduling around ferry times?
Alex Fax
Naxos and Paros are the best for base-islands to see other islands. That said, I recommend trying to stay on an island rather than a short day visit as you just get more of the full experience.
Dear Dave,
We have made reservations for island-hopping in Greece this summer with Blue star ferries. We arrive at Athens the evening before early departure (7.25 am) to Santorini from Pireaus. Should we pick up our tickets that evening or is it possible to pick them up in the morning at the port? Will the office be open?
Thanks.
Lise
Yes, pick up at Piraeus ferry port. There’s a large Blue Star ticket kiosk to the left as you enter the port – very easy to find. Get there by 6:45 (to get tickets) for the 7:25 ferry. The kiosk is always open before ferry departures.
Hi Dave
We are travelling in July. When do the Blue Star Ferries open up those dates for booking? We want to book the ferry to Santorini.
Awesome site.
Thanks
Mark Linehan
Schedules have been very slow to come out lately so it’s anyones guess – but I would expect them by January.
Your website is so helpful…thank you!
We booked our ferry tickets from Athens to Mykonos directly through Blue Star, as you suggest. When we finished they offer different agencies where you can pick up your tickets.
We arrive in Athens at 2pm, and are on the 7:30am Ferry. I don’t like the idea of having to rush to an agency before they close…what if we are delayed, etc? Is there a place in the airport that is associated with Blue Star? Do we have other options? Are there any agencies in Athens that are open later where we could pick-up?
Thanks!
Annie
I recommend picking up the tickets at the Blue Star ticket booth in Piraeus (the ferry port). It’s right beside the Blue Star ferries (to the left as you’re looking from the metro station towards the water). You can’t miss it. Arrive at the port 45 to 60 minutes before departure and you won’t have any trouble.
Hi Dave,
We purchase our SeaJet ferry tickets online. Can we pick them up at the travel agency at the airport or do we have to pick them up at the SeaJet kiosk at the port?
Elise
Only at the port.
Hi Dave,
First of all, thank you very much for all the information provided by you on web for Santorini travel. it really helped us a lot in planning our Santorini trip this May. We are traveling to Athens on 11th May afternoon and we will catch the flight to Santorini. We are planning returning to Athens by Blue Star ferry in Business Class on 14th May (afternoon ferry at 15:30 from Thira to Piraeus) .
My question is do we need to buy the ferry ticket online in advance (on 8 or 9 May) before reaching to Athens or we can buy the ticket from Athens airport (from Aktina travel agency) on 11th May? If this ferry tickets are easily available at Aktina travel agency on Athens airport, is there any price difference online tickets on Blue Star website?
Thanks
Shailesh
No need to buy in advance for travel in May. You can easily wait until getting to Santorini to buy them. Buying at Aktina will be slightly more expensive than buying from Blue Star (small service fee).
Hi Dave,
We are arriving at Athens airport around midday on 13th July and want to catch the Blue Star ferry the same day at 1730hrs.
Should we buy tickets online or can we wait and get them at Atkina at the airport.
Thanks,
Fiona Mahony
P.S. Fantastic website- thank you!!
You could buy in advance, at Aktina, or at the port. It’s very unlikely (but not absolutely impossible) that that Blue Star ferry will be sold out so any option is reasonable. I would probably book in advance and pick up at the port.
Hi Dave!
I’m trying to travel from Athens to Mykonos on Wednesday, March 30. My flight to Athens airport doesn’t get in until 20:25. Is there any way I could still get to Mykonos that night, either by ferry, water taxi, or the like? Thanks.
Emily
In late March the last ferry leaves Rafina port at 5:30pm and the last flight is at 6:30pm so there’s not way to get to Mykonos that night. You’ll have to catch an early morning ferry (7:00am) or late morning flight (10:45am) the following morning.
Hi Dave
I am planning on taking a ferry from Athen to Santorini on Wednesday 17 February , are there any booking offices near Syntagma Square and will it be too late to buy the tickets on Tuesday.
I arrive on Monday.
Thanks
Huma
There are many places to buy ferry tickets around Syntagma. Just look for ferry ticket sandwich boards on the sidewalk. All the businesses that sell them are regulated and ticket prices are the same at all. Tuesday is fine for buying tickets for Wednesday (since it’s February).
Hi Dave.
I’m going to Athens on November 17th and plan to go to Santorini on 19th but I can’t find the ferry schedule. All the latest schedules show until November 1st only.
Are there any ferries to Santorini in November?
Hani
There will be an early morning Blue Star ferry from Santorini to Athens in November. It’s easy to book after you arrive in Greece.
Hi Santorini Dave,
This is Dublin Dave!
Your website is excellent and very helpful.
I am flying with my girlfriend from Dublin to Athens on Thursday 9th of July. We arrive around lunchtime.
The next day Friday the 10th of July we will take a ferry to Mykonos and stay there for 5 nights.
We will then take a ferry from Mykonos to Santorini on Wednesday 15th July and stay there for 3 nights.
We will take a ferry from Santorini to Athens on Saturday 18th July and fly home to Dublin that night.
My questions are:
1. On the day we arrive in Athens should we stay overnight in Athens or Piraeus?
2. How much extra does Aktina charge for booking ferries with them?
3. Can we book our ferry from Mykonos to Santorini and back to Athens with them?
4. If we do not book through Aktina can I buy the tickets on the day we arrive in Athens or Piraeus?
1. Definitely stay in Athens. It’s fun dining out in Athens at night and easy to get to Piraeus with an early metro train.
2. A few euros, not much.
3. Yes.
4. Yes, but seeing as you’re on a tight schedule I would pre-book your Athens to Mykonos ticket in advance and pickup at the port the morning of departure. The other tickets can be booked on arriving in Greece.
Is there a price difference between booking tickets for ferries online versus buying them at the Athens airport? I am flying to Athens on 28th April and would be looking to book ferry tickets which will start my journey on 30th April onwards from Athens to Santorini, Santorini to Mykonos, Mykonos to Athens on 7th of May back.
Can I buy all these legs from the Athens airport? I reach Athens at 20:30. would the kiosk be open at this time?
Would love to hear your suggestion on this. Your blog has been extremely helpful.
There should not be any difference in ticket price as long as you don’t prebook through a travel agency. If it’s pre-booked from the actual ferry companies there won’t be an added charge. You can prebook through Aktina and then pickup from there (but that will have a charge). I’m 98% certain the Aktina kiosk will be open when you arrive (in October they told me the agency was open 24 hours) – but it’s still possible with this being so early in the tourist season that they’re not open. But even if that were the case the Blue Star from Athens to Santorini will not be sold out in late April – just show up at Piraeus before 7am and you’ll be fine. Then the other ferries you could buy as soon as you arrive in Santorini and they will (almost certainly) not be sold out either.
Hi
Do you know how to get from Mykonos to Santorini in the beginning of January? Seems like no ferries are available at this time of year.
You’re right. There are no ferries between Mykonos and Santorini in January. You’ll have to go via Athens – either by ferry or flight.