Compare cheap 7 seater car hire at Greek airports from Athens to Rhodes and Corfu. Licence rules, child seats, tolls, ferries and EES at the border.
Planning to hire a quad or a moped as well? GOV.UK says a UK category P moped licence is not valid in Greece. Read the licences section below before you go.
UK holidaymakers are the biggest market at several Greek island airports. In 2025, 1.65 million of Rhodes Airport’s 7.09 million passengers came from the UK (Rhodes Airport), and 1.51 million of Corfu’s 4.62 million (Corfu Airport).
Zakynthos tells the same story, with 764,954 UK passengers out of 2.28 million (Zakynthos Airport). A 7 seater suits island villa holidays well. Greek roads and rules, though, ask more of the driver than most of Europe.
Where to hire a 7 Seater in Greece
Greece has dozens of airports, and many of them are on islands with direct UK flights all summer. Passenger numbers are for 2025, from the airport operators. The regional airports run by Fraport Greece publish a breakdown by country, which shows how many visitors come from the UK. Where we have a full airport guide, the name links to it, and we add new guides regularly.
- Athens. 34.0 million passengers. For the mainland and the Peloponnese.
- Heraklion, Crete. 10.0 million. The main airport for central and eastern Crete.
- Thessaloniki. 8.0 million. For the beaches of Halkidiki.
- Rhodes. 7.1 million, with 1.65 million from the UK. Lindos and the east coast beaches are an easy drive.
- Corfu. 4.6 million, with 1.51 million from the UK. For Paleokastritsa and the north east coast.
- Chania, Crete. 4.2 million. West Crete, where the UK is the biggest foreign market.
- Kos. 3.2 million. The UK is its top market, at 778,759 passengers. Ferries to Kalymnos leave from Mastichari, near the airport.
- Zakynthos. 2.3 million, with 764,954 from the UK. Turtle beaches in the south and Navagio in the north west.
- Kefalonia. 893,697. More than half of them fly from the UK.
- Preveza. 875,962. For Parga and Lefkada, with the UK as its top market.
- Skiathos. 639,242. A small island where the UK is the top market.
Licences and hire firm rules
GOV.UK says you can drive in Greece on a UK photocard licence (GOV.UK). Holders of the old paper licence may need a photocard or a 1968 International Driving Permit.
Hire firms can set stricter rules than the law. GOV.UK mentions conditions such as a higher minimum age or an IDP, so check the terms before you pay.
For a moped you need at least a category A1 licence, because UK category P is not valid in Greece. Drivers and passengers on quad bikes and mopeds must wear helmets.
Child seats
Children under three must travel in a suitable child restraint, and children aged 3 to 11 in one suited to their size. From 12, children taller than 1.35 m can use an adult seat belt (RAC).
That is close to the UK rule of 12 years or 135 cm (GOV.UK). Most families need the same seats as at home, so price them per day against bringing your own.
Greek airport 7 Seaters, compared
One search lines up the 7 seaters at your Greek airport, on the mainland or the islands.
Roads, speed and drink driving
GOV.UK warns that Greek traffic can be busy and chaotic, and that local drivers regularly ignore speed limits. Drivers do not always stop at pedestrian crossings either, so take extra care with children crossing.
Since 1 January 2026, the default limit in Greek towns is 30 km/h, about 19 mph, though some main roads keep 50 km/h (To Vima). Outside towns it is 90 km/h, and 130 km/h on motorways (Your Europe).
A new traffic code from September 2025 also raised fines. Our Heraklion Airport guide lists the new penalties, from speeding to seatbelts.
The drink-drive limit is 0.5 g/l for most drivers and 0.2 g/l for newer drivers. Penalties start at about £171 (€200) with points and a six-month ban, and rise to about £1,026 (€1,200) above 1.1 g/l. GOV.UK puts the main limit at about two-thirds of England’s.
Greek cars must also carry safety kit, including a fire extinguisher as well as a warning triangle. A Greek hire car should have both, so check at pickup.
Tolls
Greek motorways charge tolls at booths. On Attiki Odos, the Athens ring road, a car pays about £2.17 (€2.55) per passage from 1 January 2026 (Nea Attiki Odos). Our Athens Airport guide lists the 2026 tolls on the routes to the Peloponnese and Delphi.
The RAC advises carrying change, because not every booth takes cards (RAC).
Ferries and island hopping
Many families plan to hop between islands. Before you put a hire car on a ferry, read the rental terms or ask the desk, because cover and permission can differ for sea crossings.
If the terms do not allow it, hire a second car on the next island instead. It is often simpler than shipping a 7 seater.
The border
Greece is in the Schengen area, so the EU Entry/Exit System applies. GOV.UK says Greek authorities have indicated they will not collect fingerprints and photos from UK travellers as part of EES (GOV.UK).
Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area.
Seven people, seven cases
A large suitcase holds 80 to 110 litres. With all seven seats in use, the roomiest common 7 seaters manage about 340 to 350 litres of boot.
For a full family with a big case each, look for the ACRISS FV class, meaning seven or more seats plus more space, or book an 8 or 9 seater. Island villages have narrow streets and steep tracks, so do not oversize if you do not need to.
Paying less for a 7 Seater in Greece
- Compare the total, not the daily rate. Fuel policy, deposit, insurance excess and extra driver charges all sit outside the headline price.
- Check the hire firm’s own rules. A minimum age or an IDP requirement can rule you out at the desk.
- Read the ferry terms. Taking the car on a ferry without permission can leave you without cover.
- Book early with free cancellation. July and August see the highest demand on the islands. Lock in a cancellable rate, then search again nearer the date and rebook if prices fall.
Check Greece 7 Seater prices for your dates
Enter your airport and times to compare cheap rates before July and August fill the fleets.
Questions people ask
Can I drive in Greece on a UK licence?
Yes, on a photocard licence. Some hire firms also ask for an International Driving Permit or a minimum level of experience.
Does my child need a car seat in Greece?
Yes, until they are 12 and taller than 1.35 m, much like the UK rule.
Can I use my UK licence to ride a moped in Greece?
Not on a category P licence. GOV.UK says you need at least category A1.
Are there tolls in Greece?
Yes, on the mainland motorways, paid at booths by cash, card or electronic tag.
How do I compare cheap 7 Seater car hire in Greece?
Compare several hire firms at once. Our search shows 7 seaters from the firms at your Greek airport in one list, with the total price for each. Prices move with demand, so the earlier you search, the more choice you get.
