Driving in Greece

But if you’re planning a road trip to Greece, it’s essential you’re fully prepared ahead of time, as driving there has many differences to the UK. 

To make your trip to the Continent as safe and effortless as possible, we’ve put together a guide to everything you need to know before you go, from required documents to rules of the road.  

Driving a rented vehicle? Jump to the advice for driving a hire car in Greece section.

RAC European Breakdown Cover (Basic and Comprehensive) provides a wide range of benefits should you breakdown to ensure you stay safe. 

To supplement this, RAC also offers travel insurance. Cover will include medical expenses, baggage, personal money and belongings, among many other benefits.

• Need single trip European Breakdown Cover? Get a quote from just £6

In an emergency

The following telephone numbers can be used to call the emergency services should you be involved in an accident or breakdown on the motorways indicated below:

• Attiki: 1024
• Aegean: 1075
• Moreas: 1025
• Nea Odos: 1075
• Olympia: 1025
• Egnatia: 1077
• Rion-Antirrion, bridge: 26340 - 39010

112 - Here's a really important bit of knowledge; you can dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you're visiting. 

Operators can answer your call in their native language, English or French.

Driving license laws

Visitors must be aged 18 or over and hold a full, valid driving licence to legally drive in Greece. Riders of motorcycles up to 125cc must be aged 18 or over, while moped (not exceeding 50cc) riders must be aged 16 or over.  

Driving licences issued in EU and EEA countries are accepted. International driving permits are recognised, but not required.

Vehicles from the UK can be temporarily imported into Greece for up to 6 months without customs documents. In order to stay on the right side of the law, the following documents should always be carried:

• Full, valid UK driving licence
• Proof of ID (passport)
• Motor insurance certificate
• V5 registration document

Yes, you will need a GB sticker on your car to drive in Greece unless it’s already equipped with EU number plates, which show the country code in a circle of stars on a blue background.

In addition to required documents, motorists are also required by law to carry the following items when driving to avoid fines:

• Warning triangle (compulsory in every vehicle) 
• Headlamp beam deflectors (depending on your car, you will either need deflector stickers or have to adjust the beam manually)
• Crash helmets are compulsory for all riders of mopeds and motorcycles
• Fire extinguisher (compulsory in every vehicle)
• First aid kit (compulsory in every vehicle)
• Green Card (although not a legal requirement, it could be useful to back up your insurance documents and show you've got the minimum legal level of cover. To find out more, contact your insurance company)

Overtaking and passing

In Greece, motorists drive on the right and overtake on the left. 

Overtaking is forbidden on and approaching level crossings, or if the vehicle ahead has stopped for safety reasons. 

Who has priority?

As a general rule, priority must be given to vehicles coming from the right unless indicated. 

Outside of main urban areas, traffic moving along a main road has priority at an intersection. 

Warning of approach

In urban areas, sounding the horn is not allowed at any time, except in an emergency. Multi-toned sirens, hooters and whistles are strictly prohibited.

Towing

Cars with caravans or trailers are not allowed to exceed 18 metres in length, 4 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width. 

Seat belts

It’s compulsory to wear seat belts in the front and rear seats of cars equipped with belts. 

The fine for failing to wear a seat belt is €350. 

Traffic lights

The international three-colour traffic light system is used in Greece.

Road signs

All major and secondary roads and motorways have road signs in both Greek and English 

Greece uses the metric system for all road signs, meaning speed limits and other road signs including distance are indicated using kilometres and metres. These are the general speed limits for private cars:

Special speed restrictions apply to certain classes of vehicle, including mopeds, motorhomes and vehicles with trailers, as well as newly-qualified drivers, so check before travel.

Speeding fines in Greece range from €40 to €750 depending on the speed at which offenders are caught, and the road on which they’re driving. 

All children aged under three travelling in cars in Greece must be placed in a suitable child restraint. Children aged between three and 11 must be seated in an appropriate child restraint for their size.

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

Bike helmet law

Bike helmets are not compulsory in Greece. 

All bikes should be equipped with a bell, brakes and lights.

On-the-spot fines

Greek police are unable to collect on-the-spot fines from offending motorists. 

Minimum and maximum fines

Fines range from €40 for a minor speeding offence to €1,200 for driving under the influence of alcohol. 

Some motoring offences are considered criminal offences and can also lead to licence revocation, vehicle confiscation and a possible prison sentence.

Confiscation of vehicles

A vehicle can only be confiscated in very serious circumstances and only after a court has issued such a decision. 

The Cross-Border Enforcement Directive

An EU cross-border directive came into effect in the UK in May 2017. This is aimed at tracking down people who commit traffic offences in cars that are registered in an EU member state different to where the offence was committed.

If you commit a driving offence in Greece or any other EU country, the crime will effectively follow you back home to the UK where you can still be prosecuted.

Regulations

In Greece, parking is prohibited:

• Within 5 metres (m) of intersections
• Within 15m of level crossings
• Within 15m of bus and tram stops
• Within 3m of a fire hydrant
• Within 5m of a stop sign or traffic light
• In some streets, signs indicate which side of the road motorists should park. 

In Athens, parking is prohibited in the “Green Zone” except where signposted otherwise. 

Paid parking

Parking fees vary between cities, with meters usually operating for between 30 minutes and two hours. In Athens, special parking areas are reserved for tourists. 

Enforcement of parking regulations

Wheel clamps are not used in Greece, although vehicles can be towed away by the police. 

Disabled parking access

EU-issued disabled permits should be recognised in Greece, although to be on the safe side you should apply for a badge from the Institute for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled in Athens, or the local Prefect Offices in other provinces. 

Legal limit

The general limit for drivers of private vehicles is 0.05%.

For professional drivers (driving a bus, coach, HGV or public service vehicle), as well as for newly-qualified drivers (less than three years' experience), the limit is 0.02%.

Drink-driving test

A driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be made to undergo a breath test for alcohol or a saliva test for drugs. Failure to do so could lead to a fine, licence revocation or imprisonment.

Like many other European countries, Greece has motorways with tolls. Tolls are based on the vehicle and distance travelled, with the toll charge usually a few Euros. 

Greek service areas

There are service areas along the Greek motorways, although these are not as common as in other European countries so motorists are advised to stock up on fuel and supplies in towns.

Availability of fuel

LPG may not be used in private cars, although it is available for use by taxis. Some fuel stations will accept credit cards but others will not. There are no automatic petrol pumps that accept card payments in Greece.

Not all of the information in the guide above will be relevant to those looking to rent a hire car in Greece. Though it might be a good idea to read through everything anyway, here are the most important things to know for drivers of rental vehicles:

Rental information

• The minimum age to hire a car is 21, although this may vary depending on the vehicle type
• You need a full, valid UK driving licence and usually a second proof of ID (passport)
• Car rental companies ask that you have held your licence for a minimum term of 1 year
• Some companies may require you to use a credit card for deposit
• You may not be able to drive outside of Greece unless planned in advance - check with your hire company first
• Make sure you get car hire excess insurance before your trip to protect yourself from unexpected costs. It's almost always cheaper to do this with a separate insurer and in advance

Hire car driving tips

• Greeks drive on the right - the opposite to the UK
• The national speed limit on motorways in Greece, unless otherwise indicated on local signage, is between 110km/h (68mph) and 130km/h (80 mph). On a main road outside a built-up area it's 90 km/h. For built-up areas it’s 50km/h.
• Dial 112 in an emergency
• If seat belts are fitted to your car, they must be worn by both drivers and passengers.
• The blood alcohol content limit for drivers of private vehicles is 0.05%. That's lower than the 0.08% in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but the same as Scotland.

UK Government travel advice

See up-to-date travel advice

Camper vans and cars with caravans are not allowed to exceed 18 metres in length, 4 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width.

Loads mustn’t exceed 13 tonnes at the driving axle and 7 tonnes at a single axle.

Please note: The Department for Transport advises that A-frames are not legal for use by UK campers and caravanners abroad. In practice, this could mean towing your car while it’s fixed to a trailer.*