Driving in Greece is on the right-hand side of the road and overtaking is from the left. Dipped headlights should be used in poor daytime visibility and the use of full beam headlights in towns is strictly prohibited. The middle lane of a three-lane highway is for passing.

• Speed Limit

  There is a speed limit of 50 km/h in rural areas, 110 km/h in open roads and 120 km/h on motorways.

• Traffic Signs

  Signs in Greece follow the general European standards in terms of shapes and colours. There are mainly 4 types of traffic signs in Greece: regulatory, warning, informational and directional.

  
  

  Greek regulatory signs usually feature a circular shape, with some exceptions.

  Yield

  Stop

  Speed Limit (60 km/h)

  No Overtaking

  No Overtaking by Lorries

  Greek warning signs are triangular with a red border and a yellow background.

  Speed Bump

  Slippery Road

  Pedestrian Crossing

  Wild Animals (Deer etc.)

  Level Crossing with Gates

  Level Crossing without Gates

  Single-track Level Crossing

  Multitrack Level Crossing

  Greek information signs feature a rectangular shape with a blue background.

  Information

  First Aid

  Caravan Site

  In Greece, direction signs mostly feature a rectangular shape with green and blue background colours.

  E Road Numbering

  Motorway Numbering

  Advance Direction Sign (Stack Type)

• Seatbelt Laws

  The driver as well as all passengers must wear seatbelts all the time while seated inside a vehicle. Failure to do so can cause a €350 fine.

• Booster Seat Laws

  Children under 3 years old must be placed in a suitable child restraint. 

  
  

  Children between 3 and 11 years old, measuring less than 1.35m must be seated in an appropriate child restraint for their size. 

  
  

  From the age of 12, children measuring over 1.35m can wear an adult seat belt. 

  
  

  Placing a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat is allowed only when the passenger airbag is deactivated. 

• Parking

  · Permitted Parking

  
  

  Parking spaces in Athens are quite rare and hotel parking is usually not free of charge. It would be advisable for you to book a hotel that offers free spots. 

  
  

  In Santorini – one of the most touristic islands almost all tourist attractions there offer free parking. 

  
  

  You may not be familiar with the below parking signs, which inform you that parking is prohibited in the odd or even months of the year. 

  Alternative Parking (Prohibited on the Odd Months of Year)

  Alternative Parking (Prohibited on the Even Months of Year)

  
  

  · Parking in Athens

  
  

  Athens has a specific parking system in place. Spaces marked by a white line are for short-term visitors while spaces marked in yellow are for commercial use only. Short-term visitors can use the white spaces from 09:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, and from 09:00 to 16:00 on weekends.

  
  

  Prepaid parking cards need to be displayed for the use of blue short-stay spaces, and can be bought at newsagents, tobacconists, kiosks and other small shops, with a maximal validity of 3 hours.

  
  

  Occupying short-term parking spaces without paying the required parking fee, or exceed the time limit for which has been paid for will incur a €20 fine. If paying within 10 days, the fine can be reduced by half.

  

  
  

  · Forbidden Parking

  
  

   In Greece, you are not allowed to park in the following spots:

  
  

  - Less than 15 feet from a fire hydrant

  
  

  - Less than 5 metres of a pedestrian crossing

  
  

  - Less than 15 metres from a bus stop

  
  

  - More than 12 inches from the curb

  
  

  - On the sidewalk

  
  

  - If blocking a driveway

  
  

  - With the left side of the vehicle next to the curb

  
  

  - Less than 20 feet from a crosswalk or intersection

  
  

  - Within 30 feet from a traffic control device

  
  

  - In a fire lane

  
  

  - In violation of a posted sign regulating parking within a shopping centre or office complex

  
  

  Vehicles parked in prohibited places may be towed away or their licence plates may be removed. Fines will be also applied.

• Fuel Prices

  The average price for Greece gasoline price in January 2018 is 1.96 Euros per litre while diesel’s average price is 1.33.

• Toll

  Most of the tolls need to be paid by cash, while some accept credit cards. It is thus recommended to have a few one Euro coins at hand when driving on Greek toll roads. Toll fees are usually from about 0.70 Euro cents to 2 Euros per segment.

• DUI Laws

  The legal BAC limit in Greece is 0.05%. Being caught over this limit usually involve severe penalties, which can go as far as a long prison sentence.

• Traffic Fines

  Speeding fines in Greece range from €100 to €350. Fines can be reduced by 50% if paid within 10 days. Otherwise, the full amount is due.

  
  

  Parking in a wrong place may incur an on-the-spot ticket, and you should pay for the ticket in cash at the post office. 

  
  

  In some cases, traffic infringement will cause your credit card to be debited after you return the car due to unsettled tickets happened during your rental. You can always contact QEEQ’ 24/7 customer service team to help you to clarify.

To legally rent and drive a car in Greece, you must be at least 21 years old and present a valid national driving licence that has been held for at least 1 or 2 years (according to different car hire companies). Driving licences issued in Greece or the European Union are accepted without the need to obtain an IDP. Driving licences from non-EU countries must be accompanied by a valid International Driving Permit (IDP). Please note that an IDP does not replace the requirement for a regular driving licence.