Thessaloniki is a large health resort, but even those who travel to Greece with the only focus on beach recreation always rent a cat at least for a few days.
Car rental in Greece is the best way to travel to the ruins of the Palace of Galerius, magnificent park Oi Kipoi Tou Pasa, Acropolis, Cave of Dragon, and ancient Petrified Forest of Nostimo in Kastoria. One and a half hours' drive away is Philippi, an ancient city established by father of Alexander the Great. Now it is a World Heritage site with many old structures. There are no hotels in Philippi so you can get there either by buying an expensive tour or by renting a car.
Thanks to the Athens-Thessaloniki highway you can visit the capital without losing extra time.
The most popular cities for car hire in Greece
Car hire prices in Thessaloniki
The average cost of a one-day car rental. The number is calculated based on the bookings of the previous three years. It takes into account the rental of cars across all classes.
Car rental at the airport
Thessaloniki is not only one of the oldest cities in Greece, but also a country's “air gateway”.
Journey by bus from the airport to your hotel takes 45 minutes. But if you are travelling with suitcases and kids, you had better take a taxi for €30 to the bus terminal (taxi fare doubles at night).
Many tourists use a travel hack: they rent a car right at the airport or have it delivered to the local airport by the time of arrival.
How can you do it in the most convenient, safe, and economical way? We recommend that you do it right here, on our website.
How to book a vehicle on our website
The site navigation is intuitive so you will manage it even if you have never done it before. To hire a car in Greece:
- Select the image of the vehicle you like
- Read the specs, select the required, optional services, and select the "Book" button
- Fill in the form with your details and make an advance payment (about 15% of the order amount)
- Receive an email with a voucher and look forward to your vacation.
The main advantage is that you will pay the amount calculated before the reservation, without any additional and unforeseen charges.
The demand for car rental services in Thessaloniki
The occupancy rate of the car rental fleets by month. For example, most cars are being rented in August, which means that this month has the smallest amount of available vehicles. The higher the percentage of the car fleet workload, the earlier it is worth booking a car to choosing the best option at the best price.
Traffic rules in Greece
Thessaloniki is a city with busy narrow streets, so the best way to avoid accidents is to observe speed limits (up to 50km/h).
Parking in Thessaloniki
As in any other metropolis, parking can be a challenge in the downtown. That said, you might want to leave your hire car at a large parking facility near a big shopping centre. Most of them offer free parking if you spend at least €5 at one of the shops. Parking is free of charge near the water park, zoo, and amusement park (Magic Park).
Paid parking spaces are rather expensive and can cost up to €6 per hour. You can use a parking meter or pay to a parking attendant.
If you do need to park your car, even “for a few minutes”, so that it blocks somebody’s way, make sure to leave your phone number on the windshield and, if you get a call, go back and move your car immediately. Similarly, if another vehicle is blocking your exit, check for a piece of paper with a phone number on the windshield.
Mobile service
Greece has a country-wide cellular network without regional roaming. In Thessaloniki, you can buy a SIM card or set up mobile data at Cosmote, Vodafone, and WIND stores.
Filling stations in Thessaloniki
There are many fuel stations in the city. They offer petrol, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In Greece, staff will usually help you fill up.
Hello! Is CDW included in the final price or you need to pay an extra fee for it?
Hello! It depends on the chosen car, because different car rental companies offer different insurance packages. Insurances that are included and those, which can be added at extra fee, are specified in each car booking form individually. Included insurances are marked by ticker in the checkbox by default, and for insurances that are available at extra fee you will see the total cost calculated for your chosen period of rent (if you want to add this insurance, you need to put the ticker and system will add it to the order automatically).