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How to travel between Lefkada and Kefalonia?

Hi all! I’ve been to Greece a few times but only to Athens and the Cyclades and Crete. I’m planing a trip for May 2026 where we plan to spend a few days in Athens, then drive to Lefkada and spend a few days there and then take the ferry to Kefalonia and spend a few days there before flying back to Athens to fly home.

I’m kind of consfused how to navigate the rental car situation. I’ve read that you’re not supposed to take the rental cars on ferries which is fine, but let’s say we do a one way rental car from Athens to Lefkada (since no ferry is needed), and then pls to drop the car off before boarding the ferry to Kefalonia? The only place I see to drop off rental cars (coming from Athens) is in Lefkada town at the north of the island, but the ferry to Kefalonia leaves from Vasiliki, about an hours drive south. The only rental companies in Vasiliki don’t seem to accept drop offs from any of the rental agencies in Athens.

Is this the only way to do it- drop off the rental car in Lefkada town and pay for an hour long taxi ride to Vasiliki to board the ferry? Otherwise the only thing I can think of is to drop off the rental car as soon as we arrive and then pick up a different rental car in Vasiliki so that we can drop it off there.

Any suggestions are welcome and please let me know if I’m mistaken about any of the info above! Thank you!!

Posted by
5842 posts

I wish I could answer this, but I am interested in the rental car situation you have found for the future. The only rentals I have researched significantly increase the cost when you use a one way drop off. And yes, I have never seen any rental location accept a dropoff except from the same company. (But there’s always a first.)

I would check the cost of one way rental and flying versus driving to Lefkada and parking for the few days you plan to be on Kefalonia, then driving back to Athens. It might come out quite a bit cheaper.

Posted by
130 posts

Some rental car providers definitely do explicitly allow using a ferry in Greece. I have just checked that on a website that compares providers. Some are just silent on the matter.

I would thus recommend you check with the provider you have, or choose one that permits it explicitly to begin with - so read the terms and conditions carefully.