Month: May 2022

Driving In Greece For Tourists- Ultimate Guide

Written by Rentalmoose on . Posted in Greece, Pro tips for renting a car. Leave a Comment

Driving in Greece for the first time can seem a little overwhelming, even for tourists visiting from neighboring countries. Some of the local traffic laws and regulations aren’t as common as you may think. That’s why it’s best to come prepared. We’re here to help! Check out all you need to know about driving as a tourist in Greece.

For maximum convenience, this blog post is divided into the following parts (click the links to quickly jump to each section)

Looking for more travel inspiration? While you’re at it, check out some of our top hand-picked destinations around Greece, perfect for your next holiday.

You must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driving license to drive in Greece. The driver must also have their ID or passport, depending on the country they’re coming from.

Always make sure that all the required paperwork is in order before getting behind the wheel. If not, you risk losing all insurance in case of a collision.

Note that an International Driving Permit may be required, depending on where you’re coming from. More on that below.

Do You Need An International Driving Permit in Greece?

Yes, you do need an international driving permit to drive in Greece.

Unless your driving license was issued in EU and EEA countries. If not, you will need to get an IDP to legally drive a car in Greece.

An International Driving Permit is essentially a translation of your domestic license. Note that it has to be presented alongside your original state-issued license to be valid.

While many local rental agencies throughout Greece will accept foreign licenses without an IDP, this process is not lawful. Driving in Greece without an International Driving Permit (except for those issued in EU and EEA countries) can land you in quite a bit of trouble.

Speed Limits in Greece

Below you’ll find the standard speed limits. Follow them, unless signs state otherwise.

  • Urban Areas- 50km/h (30mph)
  • Outside Urban Areas- 90-110km/h (55-70mph)
  • Motorways- 120km/h (75mph)

Think twice before speeding in Greece! Violations up to 20km/h over the limit are subject to a fine between 40 and 100 euros. If you’re caught going 50km/h and above over the limit, your license can be suspended for 60 days. Serious speeding can be punished by as much as 350 euros, as well as court for the most serious offenses.

Regulations and Traffic Laws in Greece

Traffic in Greece is on the right-hand side of the road. Check out some more useful regulations that you should be aware of before driving in Greece.

Seatbelts

All occupants in a car must have their seatbelts on at all times. Those who fail to comply risk getting a 350 EUR penalty.

Overtaking and Lane Changes

It is illegal to overtake at junctions, pedestrian crossings, bottlenecks, speed bumps, bends, and whenever the visibility is too poor to execute the maneuver safely. Crossing solid line markings on the road is forbidden, too.

Changing lanes at junctions and pedestrian crossings is illegal, much like overtaking.

Drivers should remain on the right-most lane of multi-lane roads unless overtaking slower vehicles. The left lane is strictly for overtaking only.

Right Of Way

Cars on your right-hand side have the right of way at an intersection unless signs state otherwise.

This also applies to roundabouts- cars that are already on the roundabout must yield to those entering. However, most of them have signs that state otherwise and force the entering cars to yield instead.

Turning Right On Red

Turning right at a red light is strictly forbidden in Greece. Some traffic lights have a separate light for right-turning cars- either a green arrow or a flashing yellow one.

Children, Child Seats & Restraints

It is forbidden for kids under the age of 10 to ride in the front seat of an automobile.

All children until the age of 12 must be placed in a child restraint that fits their size. Furthermore, kids aged 4 and under must have a child seat.

Children that are either older than 12 or over 1.35m tall don’t need a child restraint anymore.

Headlight Use Regulations

If the visibility is poor during the daytime, drivers are required to switch on dipped headlights.

Full beam headlights cannot be used in urban areas.

Drink & Driving

The maximum permitted level of alcohol in the bloodstream is 0.05%. Anything above the said limit is considered driving under the influence.

Naturally, this is very illegal and strictly enforced. Drink driving is not only incredibly dangerous but also a serious crime. Never drink and drive.

Toll Roads in Greece

There are only two toll roads in Greece, both located on the mainland. One of them is the route from Athens to the Peloponnesus, while the other is a highway from Athens to Thessaloniki.

All other roads in Greece can be driven on for free.

Local Tips For Driving In Greece

  • Don’t use your horn unless it is crucial to do so. Unnecessary use of the horn can be punished with a ticket
  • Most drivers won’t stop to let pedestrians cross at zebra crossings. If you do so, prepare to get honked at, or even rear-ended in the worst-case scenario
  • Locals use hazard lights when preparing to park, especially in large cities like Athens or Thessaloniki
  • Look out for motorbikes, as many riders tend to not follow the laws very carefully. Steer clear!
  • Potholes are plentiful, especially in remote parts of the country. Look out!
  • Driving in Athens is very chaotic. If you’re only going to visit Greece’s capital, consider using public transport and taxis instead

BONUS- Rent A Car in Greece

Looking for a rental car in Greece? We have got you covered!

Go to Rentalmoose now and choose from over 15 000 locations worldwide. We only work with verified suppliers, such as Hertz or Europcar.

Rentalmoose plants a tree for every single booking made with our platform. Click the banner below to get started!

How To Rent A Car- Rental Car Basics

Written by Rentalmoose on . Posted in Pro tips for renting a car. Leave a Comment

How To Rent A Car? Step-by-step Instructions

Renting a car has never been this easy! With Rentalmoose, you can book a rental car within just a few minutes. Here’s how to rent a car using our innovative platform.

1. Choose A Location

This is the first step to booking your rental car with Rentalmoose. Simply head over to our platform and type a location in the search bar. This can be anything from an airport or train station, through to cities and their districts, or a selection of different regions.

We serve over 15 000 locations all over the globe. That way, you can rest assured that we’ll have offers for you. No matter where in the world you’re going.

The number next to the location indicates how many rental cars are available in that spot. Note that some of the locations in our database have too many rental cars. You’ll be asked to provide a more granular spot from a more specific locality level.

For example, let’s say you’re looking for a car in LA County. Since we have roughly 200 cars there, you’ll have to clarify a more specific pick-up spot somewhere within LA County. You’ll only see the most relevant offers that way.

2. Select Your Dates For Pick-Up and Drop-Off

Once you’ve picked your desired location, you’ll need to specify two dates to rent a car with us.

The Pick-Up date is the day when you’ll grab the keys to your rental car. This date will also mark the beginning of your rental period.

The Drop-Off date is when you’ll give the car back to the rental company. This will also mark the end of your rental period. It’s crucial to return the rental car by that day. Otherwise, you can face additional fees for late drop-off.

Once your dates are locked in, this is where things get really exciting!

3. Browse Through Different Rental Cars

The destination is picked, and the dates are selected too. Now, you’ll get to see all the different cars to choose from!

All of the rental cars you see are offered by our trusted, verified suppliers. You can sort the results by best value (lowest daily rate) or see the most expensive picks first. Click the different body styles to filter out the ones you wish to book. You can also use the map view to get a more detailed look on where the rental cars are located.

Remember that you’re booking a car class, and not a particular make and model. Even though you see a Ford Focus in the picture, it does not necessarily mean that you’ll get the same model. You can read more on that and the meaning behind the “or similar” in this blog post.

Note that you may need to wait a couple of seconds for all of the available cars to load, depending on the speed of your internet connection.

4. Optional- Tick Any Additional Filters

This step is completely optional. You can hit the “Advanced Search” button to apply extra filters or modify your request.

Different Drop-Off Location

The “Same Drop-Off Location” is enabled by default. Untick the box and specify your drop-off location for a one-way rental. Note that these are usually subject to an extra fee.

GoGreen- Electric And Hybrid Cars

GoGreen filters allow you to easily browse through electric cars and hybrids. Note that these types of cars are not very common among rental companies just yet, so not every location is going to have rental cars that meet the GoGreen criteria.

Deposit

Most suppliers will require a safety deposit. You can filter out rental cars with high deposits by choosing relevant prices from the drop-down menu.

Self Liability/Deductible

This is the maximum amount of money you’ll need to put towards repairs in case of damage to the rental car. Premium insurance plans may bring this number all the way down to zero. Find out more about rental car insurance.

Allowed Mileage

Some rental companies set a daily mileage allowance, passing it will cost extra money added on top of your final bill. Pick rental cars with unlimited mileage if you’re planning to go on a long road trip.

Transmission

Pretty self-explanatory. If you’re not comfortable with a stick shift, you can filter them out in favor of automatics. This is how to rent a car with your desired choice of transmission.

5. Pick Your Desired Rental Car And Click “Book And Pay Now”

Once you’ve picked your favorite rental car, proceed by clicking “book and pay now”. The amount you see on the bottom is how much you’ll have to pay to reserve the car. This is not the final quote for the rental– this will be displayed next to underneath the photo of the car.

Don’t worry, you do not have to pay anything just yet!

6. Add Any Additional Items And Click “Book And Pay Now”

You’ll see the details of your booking once again, this time in a clearer layout. Here, you can also see some helpful information regarding the booking- like what exactly is included in the price, the driver requirements, and so on.

Read and accept our Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy, as well as the T&Cs of the rental company. Once the two boxes are ticked, you can hit the “Book And Pay Now” button once again. If you have a coupon, click “USE COUPON” first, type it in, then press “apply” to lower the reservation fee.

Rentalmoose insider tip: We offer free cancellation up to 48 hours before the pick-up date. This applies to every rental car booked with us.

7. Fill In The Driver & Payment Details

It’s crucial to fill this info correctly, as it will be double-checked by the rental company during pick-up. Fill in the driver details, as well as the payment information. This is the last step on how to rent a car via Rentalmoose!

Note that the credit card used here has got to be under the same name as the primary driver. Additional drivers need to be reported to the rental company beforehand. If you let unauthorized drivers use the rental car, all your insurance can become invalid.

8. Pay For The Reservation (& Plant A Tree!)

Last but not least, you’ll need to pay the reservation fee. Once again, this is the price to lock in your booking. You’ll still need to pay the rest of the total quote at the rental desk, so plan accordingly.

We charge a small tree-planting donation for every booking made with our platform. That way, we’re able to plant a tree every single time anyone books a rental car using Rentalmoose. This is one of the ways we contribute towards a better tomorrow.

9. Your Booking Is Confirmed

That’s it, you have booked your rental car via Rentalmoose! You’ll get the booking confirmation sent to you by email. It’s best if you print it out and present it during the pick-up process.

What are you waiting for? Click the button below to get started!

All 67 Countries That Drive On The Left

Written by Rentalmoose on . Posted in Pro tips for renting a car, Travel guides, Uncategorized. Leave a Comment

At first sight, you may think that only a handful of countries drive on the left-hand side of the road. It may surprise you to hear that there are over 60 countries that drive on the left! That’s roughly a third of all countries in the world!

It’s crucial to know what side of the road to drive on, especially if you’re visiting a country for the first time. Driving “on the wrong side of the road” may seem a little scary at first but you should be able to get the hang of it fairly quickly.

A quick tip: If you’ve never driven on the left side of the road before, you may want to get an automatic instead of a manual car.

These countries are scattered all across the planet.

Why Do Some Countries Even Drive On The Left?

First of all, let’s understand why nearly a third of all countries in the world drive on the left side of the road. It’s time for a quick history lesson.

Let’s go back a few hundred years, way before cars were even a thing and people used horses as a primary source of transportation. Back then, horse riders in the UK would ride on the left-hand side of the road. This meant that their right hand was unobstructed. That way, they could easily access their swords and always had a free hand to greet passersby.

In America, on the other hand, a wagon led by two horses was a very popular setup. Riders would sit on the horse on the left-hand side, leaving their right hand free to whip the other horse when necessary. As the wagon was usually pulled by two horses, riding on the right-hand side of the road provided better visibility.

The trends carried over when people started switching from horse-drawn carriages to cars. As a result, most countries influenced by the UK still drive on the left-hand side of the road to this day. Roughly 70% of the world drives on the right.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the list of countries!

African Countries That Drive On The Left

A total of 15 countries in Africa have traffic on the left side of the road. These include the well-known tourist hotspots, such as Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa. Keep this in mind when renting a car there.

  • Botswana
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Saint Helena
  • Seychelles
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
Left-hand side traffic seen in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Kenya is one of 15 African countries that drive on the left side of the road.
A busy intersection in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

American Countries That Drive On The Left

As previously mentioned, there aren’t any countries that drive on the left in North America. However, the same cannot be said about the Caribbean. In fact, 19 countries in Central and South America drive on the left side of the road. You may be surprised to hear that this includes the US Virgin Islands!

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Bermuda
  • Cayman Islands
  • Dominica
  • Falkland Islands
  • Grenada
  • Guyana and Suriname
  • Jamaica
  • Montserrat
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • British Virgin Island
  • US Virgin Islands
Beautiful day on the Cayman Islands, one of the American countries that drive on the left-hand side of the road.
A colorful street, Cayman Islands

Asian Countries With Left-Hand Traffic

15 countries in Asia drive on the left side of the road. If you’re planning to go to Bali, drive across Malaysia, rent a car in Singapore, or any of the other countries listed below, be ready to drive on the left. The traffic culture may seem a little chaotic in some Asian countries!

Blue SUV on the beach in Malaysia, an Asian country that drives on the left side of the road.
Car On A Beach in Malaysia

European Countries That Drive On The Left

4 European countries have traffic on the left-hand side of the road. Europe is the continent with the fewest amount of countries with left-hand side traffic. Aside from Antarctica and North America that don’t have any, that is.

Sunset at the port in Malta, one of just 4 European countries that drive on the left side of the road.

Countries In Oceania That Drive On The Left

Last, but certainly not least, is Oceania. Most travelers know that Australia and New Zealand both drive on the left. However, a whopping 14 countries on this continent drive on the left-hand side of the road.

  • Australia
  • Cook Islands
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • New Zealand
  • Nauru
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Pitcairn Islands
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu

Bonus- Rent A Car In Any Country

Use Rentalmoose the next time you book a rental car anywhere in the world. Our platform serves over 15 000 locations worldwide. We only offer rental cars from trusted, verified suppliers. You’ll find LHD and RHD cars, depending on your desired destination.

Rentalmoose is working towards a better tomorrow. We plant a tree for every booking made with our website. You can use our GoGreen filters to only look for eco-friendly electric cars, hybrids, and PHEVs.

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