Driving in Greece - safety concerns

Renting a car at the airport means that you have to drive through Athens to get to Peloponnese. Even if you're staying on the large roads it still means dealing with Greek traffic. Taking the bus to Napflio is an option, another option is to take the train to Corinth and rent the car there. It will get you out of Athens and the worst traffic.

We’re heading there shortly - renting a car from Athen Car Rental (at the airport, which is not in the center of Athens). They come highly recommended and are most gracious to deal with. We’ll be driving to Nafplio and I just posted this week to this travel forum about alternate routes to take. It won’t put us driving thru center Athens at all.

And from other posts I’ve read here, the roads are in great shape, signage in both Greek and English. Carry Euros for tolls. Use Google maps. Ou adventure will be after our cruise, so by the end of the month I should be able to report back.

The road from the airport is a toll road. The traffic is not bad. We rented a car at the airport and drove to Nafplio. The driving was not difficult.

The biggest different thing in Greece we encountered is that there is the expectation that you will move into the shoulder on two lane roads to make it easier for someone to pass. If someone is right behind you, then try to move over as far as you can. We have found signs to be in English as well as Greek but that you have to be alert. There are not multiple signs for the same exit like in the U.S.

There are nice parking lots in Nafplio that don't require gymnastics. We parked and then walked to our accommodations.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I will be driving on the shoulder wherever possible.

@BetbFL, which parking lots do you recommend in Napflio for overnight parking? I will be staying in a neighborhood within walking distance from the town center and would much prefer to park in a secure garage or a lot, if it is easier and safer to park overnight.

@courtney765, I too am renting from Athens car rental that is highly recommended on this forum and picking up rhe car at the airport. I only found one thread from you this week about driving to Delphi from Napflio. Is that the one you referred to about bypassing center of Athens when picking up the car at rhe Athens airport?

I am not scheduled to pickup the car until first week of October, so would be very interested in your experience driving in Greece.

@pam Yes, my post this week was about alternate routes from Athens to Nafplio. My main concern was whether the coastal route (a bit longer) was scary or not.

All forum members will tell you that they had no difficulty driving on Greek roads after 2 or 3 hours to get used to the car and the environment. There is no reason to worry, especially not for the journey from the airport to Nafplio. The parking spaces are smaller but so are the cars.

I just came back from a dinner at a restaurant in Greece where I am currently. I drove about 25 kms at night, it is 10:30 pm and I am still alive. :))

I don’t think there are garages or secure parking lots in Nafplio. We stayed in a pedestrianized area in the old town and just found parking along the street on the edge of it (not parallel parking). We were there four nights and took day trips each day. We never had much trouble finding a place to park.

You really have no need to worry.

I've driven for years all over Greece--islands and mainland--but never will attempt to do so in Athens.

I've driven several times in the Peloponnese where you find far less traffic. A paper map is useless as it's cumbersome and hard to understand.

Once away from built up areas there tends to be less traffic. Sometimes I've had roads to myself!

I would recommend some type of navigation system. I use Google Maps and it really helps taking the right roads in unfamiliar areas especially in rural areas where they'll be less signs and/or in Greek only

As stated if someone comes up behind you try to pull over safely and let them pass.

For the most part I've had good luck with Greek drivers but there are been some that didn't drive responsibly but that could be true anywhere.

I normally take the bus to Nafplio and pick up my rental there. Staikos is wonderful and recommend them.

There is free parking along the waterfront but you need to know exactly where.

Depending on where you are staying it's possible there is free parking nearby.

I've didn't have any issues parking in a Greek neighborhood and felt safe.

There is a large parking lot at the port in Nafplio. There is no reason to be concerned about the car unless you plan to leave your luggage in plain sight.
ACR is an excellent company. They meet you at arrivals door and take you to the car at Arrivals level. The IDP is no longer required to rent a car so you will not be asked for it by ACR. They do a walk around the car to identify any dings or scratches. Its a good idea to video the walk around so you have a record of any problems before you leave.
Greek drivers love to go fast so you should expect to be passed regularly. Just keep over to the right and you will be OK. GPS is a good idea but also have a paper map to confirm the route every once in a while. Our GPS took us through a dirt road in an olive grove and it actually got us around a marathon race in the area.
We always make sure that the passenger takes an active role during a drive. Watching for road signs, and checking the rear view for fast cars coming up from behind.
For fun here are some images of Nafplio taken in May this year.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr54/albums/72177720319228274/

stanbr described my experience.

Otherwise:
last time I was in northern Greece and all the toll roads took my tap credit card.
Don’t actually think about driving on the shoulder.
And yes, expect to be passed when someone is behind you.

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions. As long as I keep alert, check the rear view mirror and let anyone behind me pass, I should do fine.

I checked the route from Athens airport to Napflio, and it appears to bypass central Athens and take highway 6/ E94 north of the city and then E65 and then Route 7 to Napflio. If that the best route between these two points?

I am staying in an AirBnB on Irakleous Rd close to Argois Rd in Napflio. My AirBnB host says parking is free on both sides of Irakleous and one can take to as much space as one wants. I will also be staying in Kalamata (north of the city center) where the lodging I reserved has private parking.

@Stanbr, your photos are fantastic. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to my visit next month!

I checked the route from Athens airport to Napflio, and it appears to bypass central Athens and take highway 6/ E94 north of the city and then E65 and then Route 7 to Napflio. If that the best route between these two points?

You are correct. I was about to correct the earlier comment that you would have to drive through central Athens. You don't. Take Route 6 around Athens. Just follow your GPS and you'll be alright.

We drove quite a bit around Greece and had no troubles at all. You'll appreciate the freedom a car gives you.

Driving in Greece is easier than you might expect. Greek drivers seem to be more situationally aware than the average driver in the US (imo).

The route from the airport to Nafplio is on a modern 2-4 lane highway. The road is in very good condition. You can use your card and tap-to-pay at toll booths, which is what I did exclusively. It is a good idea to have some small amounts of cash on you, there was one toll booth I stopped at where the card reader was down (but this was maybe 1 out of 20 tolls)

I checked the route from Athens airport to Napflio, and it appears to bypass central Athens and take highway 6/ E94 north of the city and then E65 and then Route 7 to Napflio. If that the best route between these two points?

Yes that is the way to go - it's a straightforward route. Google Maps has good navigation in Greece when going from city-to-city. Sometimes in small villages it might want to take you up an undesirable road, but just use your instincts and feel free to disobey the navigation if you are in a remote area

By the way, the gas stations in Greece are full service. You stop at a pump and an attendant will come and ask you how much money you want to put in. You can give them a euro amount, or you can say fill it up. If you are paying with card you might have to walk over to the office where they have a POS machine. Just depends on their setup.

stanbr, I bet I drove through that same olive grove - but without a marathon. Lol!

It is really no big deal. In fact you may feel safer and less stressed than the aggressiveness you frequently see in the US. You will not get shot either. Many times in the Peloponnese you will not have any traffic at all. Just you on the road.

Thank you all for confirming the directions to Napflio and the tips on gas stations and toll booth setups. Also found out that roundabout right of way in Greece is opposite of most other places - drivers entering the roundabout have right of way over the ones inside - though I'll be prepared if some do not follow them

I always make a point of having some local currency and it's served me well on several occasions. Just today, I had to pay cash for a bus ticket at Ljubljana bus station as they don't accept cards at the counter.

One last thing to be aware of in this easy & straight foreward drive to Nafplio .,. the highway signs are usually not in numerals (highway 40, 72 etc) ... mostlly they list destinations, i.e. corinth, tripoli etc. Anotther thing -- if you DO See a numeral sign that says something like "E 40" that's not a special "E" version.... E is GREEK ..."Ethnos" = National. On my first visit, in Crete, we got all anxious about E until suddenly... the light dawned. We are in different country... different language.

Thanks Janet. Yup, I read that on Rick Steves book as well about navigating by names of towns, villages etc rather than by road/hwy numbers. I am getting vetter reading Greek script too, but it isn't instantaneous. All those formulas from math and science classes are turning out to be useful.

That place is made for a driving vacation. And the driving is easy. I think once you get there you will immediately realize how easy it is and choose to drive on any road you like.

And driving to Nafplio from the airport is a straight shot on a freeway and then a low-traffic local highway. For what it's worth, the way I dealt with Athens the first time I drove there (and have returned and driven probably 20 times since) was to simply enter the city via the toll highway, exit, drive a couple of blocks and park at a lot. 10 Euros / day, then pick up the car and drive to the airport. Then you stroll right into the terminal as the car rental is just outside their door.

Thanks each and everyone for the wealth of information, suggestions and encouragement you have all provided. I have a much better idea what to expect on Greek roads, toll booths and gas stations. Quite looking forward to visiting the country for the first time.

I should expect other first timer drivers also find this thread pretty useful.

The Greeks are generally good drivers and, while aggressive, are usually more patient than in US. I have driven in Downtown Athens during rush hour and it is not that bad, except for the scooters. (I have driven in Boston!) I concur with some of the previous advice. But to recap: 1. Get the Michelin road map for planning and when only paper works; 2. DO NOT drive on the shoulder - wait for a safe pullout; 3. If you get a late model car, it will have lots of mandated safety features such as forward camera(s). The camera will read speed limit signs (and others) and immediately so inform you; 4. The camera may also include automatic lane notification and correction (one reason not to drive on shoulders). Ask at rental agency how to turn lane correction OFF ( it is annoying on curvy roads and possibly dangerous). This needs to be done every time you start the car, so you need to know how. Remember, the manual is in Greek! Safe driving and enjoy your trip.

Thanks Larry. Yes, I have some experience with those newer cars with automatic lane notifications and corrections on mountain roads, including the Trail Ridge Rd in the Rockies and the Million Dollar highway.

Do people who rent with Athens Car Rental generally add the Full Damage Waiver, which essentially doubles the rental cost? Thanks

75011-er, I just took their basic coverage with 800 deductible and using my Amex card with premium car rental protection for payment. My understanding is that premium car rental protection will cover damages that aren't covered by ACR's.

Just wanted to report back on my driving experience in Greece. I had a good experience and managed to return the rental car without any dings, despite parking on the streets. I drove all over Peloponnese, including Mani peninsula. Some relevant notes:
- Athens Car Rental is a great company to work with as mentioned by other posters on this forum. Pickup and returns at the airport went smoothly. Pro tip: They may not deliver the car with full tank, so specifically ask for it when you make the reservation. Then you simply need to fill it up before returning instead of trying to remember the original tank level.
- I didn't need to drive the car on the shoulder. Just pulling over when it was safe to do so to allow tailgaters to pass was good enough.
- All the toll booths between Athens airport and Peloponnese accepted credit cards, so I didn't need to carry exact change. The freeways and highways are in good condition.
- All the gas stations I used accepted credit cards.
- Most drivers do not signal when turning or changing lanes. So be prepared for that and maintain a safe distance. If you do see a rare driver signaling, it is probably a tourist
- Most (if not all) roundablouts I encountered on Peloponnese had a stop sign at the entrance, so the roundabout rules were the same as in the US.
- Be prepared for people to park haphazardly and even on the streets while they run into a bar to pickup a coffee or a takeaway.
- GPS directions worked great. I downloaded a Google Maps offline map for the areas I was driving in to avoid data utilization.
- I enjoyed the freedom of having my own wheels and plan to rent again in Greece when I am traveling in areas without good transportation.
- Knowing the Greek alphabet was helpful in remote areas of Mani peninsula where roads signs were entirely in Greek.

Thank you, Pam, for your report.