Compare cheap 7 seater car hire at Kos Airport. Car ferries to Kalymnos, Greece’s tougher traffic fines, wildfire season and the drive to Kos Town.
Greece’s new traffic code fines a driver about £298 (€350) for using a phone at the wheel and takes the licence away for 30 days. Set the satnav before you leave the airport car park.
Kos Airport handled 602,809 passengers in July 2026 alone (Fraport Greece). Across the 14 Greek regional airports Fraport runs, the UK was the largest foreign market in 2025, with 7,349,112 passengers (Fraport Greece).
The airport is at Antimachia, in the middle of the island, about 23.5 km from Kos Town. The drive takes 30 to 35 minutes (Kos.gr). Kardamena is just 6 km from the airport (Kos.gr) and Kefalos 16 km (Kos.gr), so most resorts are a short run with the whole family aboard.
Driving on Kos
The island’s official tourism site points out that Kos is mostly flat, which makes it easy to get around by car (Kos.gr). The traffic is the harder part.
GOV.UK warns that drivers in Greece often ignore speed limits, even in built-up areas, and do not always stop at pedestrian crossings (GOV.UK). Leave a bigger gap than you would at home, especially with a heavy 7 seater that takes longer to stop.
Tigaki, 11 km from Kos Town, has a salt lake where migrating flamingos stop off. It dries out in summer, so the birds are gone by then (Kos.gr). Zia, on the slopes of Mount Dikeos, is the island’s sunset spot (Kos.gr), and the road up is worth taking slowly in a long car.
Ferries and island hopping
Daily boats leave Mastichari, about 3 km north of the airport’s village, for Kalymnos and Pserimos, and the crossing takes under an hour (Kos.gr). Most Mastichari to Kalymnos ferries carry cars, with more than 10 crossings a day in summer (Ferryhopper).
The ferry from Kos to Bodrum in Turkey does not carry cars at all, so that trip is foot passengers only (Ferryscanner). Day trips to the Nisyros volcano leave from Kardamena port (Kos.gr).
Thinking of taking the hire car on a ferry? Ask the hire firm first and get any permission in writing.
Wildfire season
GOV.UK rates the wildfire risk in Greece as high from April to October. Causing a fire is a criminal offence even by accident, so no barbecues and no cigarettes thrown from the window. The emergency number is 112 (GOV.UK).
In August 2026, a forest fire near Pyli needed three aircraft and two helicopters, with extra crews flown in from Rhodes (Proto Thema). Park on tarmac or gravel rather than long dry grass, and follow any road closure you meet.
Every Kos 7 Seater in one place
See what each 7 seater at Kos Airport really costs, with the excess and fuel terms shown, before July and August stock goes.
Greek rules and the new fines
A UK photocard licence is accepted in Greece without an international driving permit (GOV.UK). GOV.UK also notes that the insurance sold by hire companies in Greece usually covers third parties only (GOV.UK), so read what your cover includes.
The drink-drive limit is 0.5 g per litre, and 0.2 g for new drivers. Child restraints are compulsory, and phones may be used hands-free only (Your Europe).
Greece’s new Road Traffic Code, passed in June 2025, raised the fines sharply. Holding a phone costs about £298 (€350) plus 30 days without a licence. An unbelted passenger costs about £128 (€150) each for the passenger and the driver (Proto Thema). With seven people aboard, check every belt before you pull away.
Kos is in the Schengen area, so the EU Entry/Exit System applies when you arrive. Check the latest entry rules on GOV.UK.
Where the family will want to go
The Asklepieion, the ancient healing sanctuary above Kos Town, has parking on site. From April to October it opens 8am to 6.30pm, and a ticket covering the site and museum costs about £6.80 (€8) (Hellenic Ministry of Culture).
Kefalos, in the far south west, is the base for beaches such as Agios Stefanos and Cavo Paradiso (Kos.gr). Go early in high summer, when parking near the sand fills up.
Seven seats, and room for the bags?
A large suitcase holds 80 to 110 litres (Markenkoffer). With all seven seats up, the roomiest common 7 seaters manage about 340 to 350 litres of boot (Auto Express).
If everyone brings a big case, look for the ACRISS FV class, which means seven or more seats plus more space. An 8 or 9 seater is the other answer.
Picking up at Kos Airport
The airport’s own site puts the car hire desks in the arrivals area, and the terminal is open 24 hours (Kos Airport). A new terminal was completed in 2021 under Fraport’s upgrade, taking the check-in desks from 16 to 28 and the security lanes from 4 to 9 (Fraport Greece).
Heading to another island? Our Rhodes Airport guide covers the biggest of the Dodecanese. For Crete, see our Heraklion Airport guide. The Greece guide has the national rules.
How to keep a Kos 7 Seater affordable
- Check what the insurance covers. A low rate with third party cover only can cost far more after one scrape.
- Read the fuel policy. If the deal is full to full, fill up on the way back so the firm has nothing to charge for.
- Skip the paid child seats. Bringing your own avoids a daily charge for each seat.
- Book before June. Compare with free cancellation, then search again closer to the date in case rates drop.
Find a Kos 7 Seater for your dates
Put in your flight times to compare low-cost rates at Kos Airport.
Kos questions answered
How far is Kos Town from Kos Airport?
About 23.5 km, which takes 30 to 35 minutes by car.
Can I take a hire car to Bodrum?
No. The Kos to Bodrum ferry carries foot passengers only.
Do I need an international driving permit on Kos?
Not with a UK photocard licence. Holders of an old paper licence may need one.
What is the fine for using a phone while driving in Greece?
About £298 (€350), plus the loss of your licence for 30 days.
How do I get a cheap 7 Seater at Kos Airport?
Compare several hire firms at once. Our search shows the 7 seaters at Kos Airport with the full price for each, and early searches have the widest choice.
