Driving after an international flight

The common advise is --- Don't ---- but it is frequently done. If you can get some sleep, a short distance -- a couple of hours -- especially important thought to have someone to talk to and make sure you stay awake. Some have report a study somewhere that driving without sleep is about the same as driving with three or four standard drinks. Or wait a day -- what is the rush?

In April, we are traveling from New Mexico to Athens, arriving mid-morning in Greece.

Your body clock is going to think it is midnight- 1 AM and is going to try to do what it usually does at that time.

If you do drive, be sure to keep the a/c blowing cold. Do not want to get 'warm and comfy'.

How many plane changes? Every change reduces the time for getting meaningful rest.

It's going to be about a 50 mile drive--just over an hour.

I'm pretty tired and usually take a nap in my hotel when I go east. It depends on how well you travel and if you get any sleep on the flight.

As has been said, the general consensus here is not to drive after what appears to be a very long travel day from NM - with a redeye flight added into the mix.
A more prudent plan might be to spend your first day and night in Athens and start fresh the next morning.
Only you can determine your fitness to drive, but in general most here would advise an abundance of caution.

I always get some sleep on international flights. When I've rented a car, the difficult day for me is not arrival day - although I wouldn't want to have to drive far. It's the day or 2 after that I've had trouble; I know that's my personal window to avoid driving.

I wouldn't do it, but I hardly sleep at all on overnight flights. And the point about jet lag is also important -- even if you've had several hours of sleep (I wish....), your body will think it's midnight or worse. I'd suggest taking the metro or getting driven into Athens for your first day, then getting the car after a good night's sleep on the ground.

But the fact that you're concerned about this puts you ahead of many folks who don't think about it at all. People react to sleep deprivation and jet lag differently. If you do drive, take the advice to keep the cool air flowing and conversation going.

I have driven after a long international flight primarily for work trips where I had to be a particular place and time. For personal trips, I never drive after a long international flight. It is just too stressful. It may appear to be a short distance, but just the process of getting the rental car, navigating out of the airport can add at least an hour to your travel time on top of the distance you need to travel.

Unless you have to be in Corinth on the first day, I would stay at an airport hotel and pick up the car the next morning.

You’d have to check prices, times, etc., but what about getting to Corinth by bus, train, or shuttle, then renting your car from there the next day?

I also typically sleep on the plane, and I have driven after arrival from my International flight. Having done it, I will not do it again. I thought I was ok, but my body and mind were just too tired to cope with the entire process of car rental, figuring out the new car, navigating, and driving in a different environment. Now I always either stay in the arrival city for one night or take the train to my first destination.

Why not just take the train to Corinth and rent a car the next day? It's an easy train ride from the airport.

I agree with Badger, the train is a no brainer!

Everyone's different, of course. If you are one of the lucky ones who sleep well on a plane then you might be fine upon arrival. Having said that I would never want to drive in or around a city. For example, in Dublin it's a hectic drive from the airport to a hotel downtown. We just spent the night and rented a car the next day. Heck, something relatively simple like the train ticketing kiosks at CDG turned into trigonometry in my state of brain fog.

At a minimum I would have a fresh cup of coffee and roll down the windows a bit. Whatever you do don't get nice and comfy.

Age is a factor, At 62 I'm not like I was in my 20s, where I could party on the plane and be ready to go with little or no sleep upon arrival. That was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Are you staying the night in Corinth? It is unclear from your post how far you plan on driving that day. If all the way to the Mani, I would not consider that safe. We drove to Nafplio on arrival, would not drive any further than that.
We ran into trouble once when instead of doing our planned just-under two hour drive straight, we stopped en route to tour an archaeological site on a sunny day. While the drive was no longer, that was a bad idea. Only one of us drives--only one had the IDP, was on the rental car contract. All things to consider...

Thank you, all, for your thorough and helpful replies. Yes, what is the rush? And given all you say about the state of mind/body on arrival (I tend to forget & want to get going), we're going to hold off renting a car until rested. I also forget that I'm not in my 20s either! Thanks again.

I am lucky and am able to sleep pretty well on the plane. My husband, not so much. We will drive about an hour on the day of arrival, but that's it.

I am glad to see so many people being cautious with this. I have said this many times as a warning, but my aunt became a paraplegic from falling asleep at the wheel. She had just turned 17. So we all know it "can" happen, but when you see the results of it first hand it really does wake you up to the reality of it.