Traveling on roads in a foreign country with an unfamiliar language is not an easy task, but it is interesting. That is why if you plan to rent a car in Greece, you should prepare yourself in advance: study the peculiarities of traffic rules, car rental conditions, and parking rules as well.

 

General rules of parking cars in Greece

As in any European country, in Greece, almost all parking spaces in major cities are paid. It is almost impossible to find a free parking space in the centre. And when you park the rental car, you need to be careful, look at the prohibitory and allowing parking signs and markings because the fines are quite heavy.

 

Color markings

In Greece, 3 colors are used to indicate parking spaces: white, blue, and yellow. This scheme is used in many European cities:

White markings indicate areas with free parking.

Paid zones are marked blue.

Yellow markings mean zones for special vehicles: parking is prohibited there.

This color scheme is used in all cities except the capital. In Athens, the scheme is different.

 

Organization, location and features of parking lots

There are 3 types of Greek car parks: street parking spaces, outdoor parking lots and parking complexes (covered or underground ones).

 

Parking in the street

Paid street car parks work according to the color scheme; they are indicated by the "P" sign and by information plate, and are limited to 3 hours. A parking meter for paying is always located nearby. 

Parking is possible if the marking allows and there are no prohibitory signs. You can find a free space on the street in dormitory districts and in the outskirts.

 

Outdoor public and private parking areas

Practically, the outdoor car parks are the most convenient for tourists who go sightseeing around the city. Most often, there is an English-speaking staff, clear payment conditions and reasonable pricing policy, if you leave the car for a few hours. But it is not always possible to pay with a bank card there.

You can always find such places near ports and important sights. Sometimes they are even free of charge.

On the islands, the outdoor parking lots can often be found in the city centre.

 

Parking complexes (covered and underground)

Multilevel or underground parking garages are situated mainly in the centre or busy districts of large cities.

They are a bit more expensive than outdoor ones, but rates are more flexible there (hourly, daily, weekly, etc.). The most favorable prices will be for longtime parking. This option is convenient for those who live at the same place for a long time and do not have free car park nearby.

 

Parking on the islands

On the islands, the situation is simpler: in large cities, even in the centre, you can find where you can park your car. In addition, there are large paid or free car parks around most of the attractions and beaches, so it is easier to find a place for a car there.

 

Cost of parking in Greece

There are no fixed prices for car parking in Greece. Usually the price depends on the region, proximity to the centre, etc.

You should consider that parking in the street is limited in time. That is, you can only pay for 3 hours. Later you need to pay for parking again. The cost of one hour is about €1 on average.

The cost of a parking hour in indoor and outdoor parking lots starts from €1.50. But sometimes the same amount can be paid for a few hours of parking as well.

You can always leave your car in the parking lots for any period of time, and pay for it both with cash and with a credit card.

 

How to pay for parking in Greece

There are classic European ways to pay for parking in Greece.

The first way to pay is with the help of the parking meter. They are always close to the parking zones and accept banknotes, coins, and sometimes cards.

The second way is to buy a card for paying for a certain period of time. They are sold in newspaper or cigarette kiosks. On these cards, you need to erase the correct time for activation (as on a lottery ticket).

Everything is much easier with parking lots: you pay for them either via the parking meter or to an employee. Large parking lots always accept cards and have English-speaking staff.

The receipts and cards should be left on the dashboard under the windshield, in an open view.

 

 

Violations and fines

The parking ticket is not small — €80.

But this is not the only way to punish the driver: in exceptional cases, the police can seize the license plates of the car. Then you will have not only to pay a fine, but also get the numbers out of the police station.

Since 2019, the Greeks have tightened control over traffic discipline. That is why you should not break any rule even in a small village.

Note! Until recently, there was a 50% discount for paying a fine in Greece if the person paid it within the first 10 days. Unfortunately, this rule was canceled recently, and now in any case you will have to pay the full amount of the fine.

Fines are paid at the post office or at a local bank department.

 

 

Conclusion

Greece is a very advanced and developed country, which is friendly to its guests. If you follow the law and are careful, you will not have any problems, no matter where you are.

As you can see, there are no difficulties both in theory and in practice. MOTOR PLAN service will help you make sure of this — you can book the car that you like with full insurance WITH ZERO EXCESS.

Discover Greece with a positive attitude, and it will open up to you from its best side.