Renting A Car In Rhodes in 2025: Prices & Pro Tips

We’re going to state upfront that renting a car in Rhodes is not essential. It is possible to visit places by public transport or by organised tours. In fact, buses can be quite convenient, if planned correctly. However, nothing beats the freedom of having your own car, which is always going to be the most efficient way to get around, especially for shorter holidays.

We’ve been to Rhodes many times because Robin’s parents retired here, so we’re pretty familiar with the bus system, the local attractions, and – most importantly for this post – how to arrange car rentals in Rhodes.

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In this post, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about booking a car, including a checklist of driver requirements and our experience of driving on the island. At the very end, we’ve also listed our top 5 fav places to visit on Rhodes, as a starting point for your holiday itinerary.

#1 Our Experience Of Driving In Rhodes

We’ve rented a car multiple times when visiting Rhodes – almost every time we visit Robin’s parents now. We always find it easy to drive, as long as you’re prepared for a few bumps in the road, literally.

Don’t get us wrong, the roads are okay, but nowhere near as good as in mainland Europe. Especially in villages, the streets can be narrow, potholes are a regular hazard, and you’ll sometimes find goats by the road – or on the road! For us, that rather adds to the charm of the island, giving it more of a pastoral vibe, though fair enough not everyone may agree.

As anybody who’s driven on the mainland will already know, Greeks are assertive drivers. We’ve found this can be particularly challenging in places where you want to join the main road and there are no traffic lights to smooth your path. You’ll need to be self-assured enough to barge your way in when necessary.

So, to sum it up, if you’re still wondering should I rent a car in Rhodes, the answer is yes, as long as you don’t expect mint-condition roads and don’t mind being forceful behind the wheel. Otherwise, you’re golden.

#2 Is It Safe To Drive In Rhodes?

For the most part, yes, renting a car in Rhodes is safe. The people are assertive but not overly aggressive. Just be aware they barely indicate. It’s often a very last-minute thing or not at all. It’s not really a big deal once you get used to it, but every time we go back, we have to remind ourselves to be prepared!

There are no highways, so mostly you’ll be driving through built-up areas and small towns. The roads aren’t perfect, but they are largely tarmacked and in decent condition.

#3 Do You Need A Car In Rhodes?

Should you rent a car in Rhodes? If you want to explore the island at your own pace with complete freedom, we would say yes! It is possible to get to places with buses, but it is far from ideal in our opinion.

The biggest obstacle to using public transport is the scheduling. Even during peak season, you’ll have to plan very carefully, as the buses can be infrequent – as little as three or four times a day. If you miss that last return bus, it will be an expensive taxi ride to get back to your hotel.

During off season, the frequency of buses drops off, and some routes are cancelled entirely. 

Also, the buses aren’t always reliable in terms of arriving on time, though we have noticed that this has got better in the last few years – and hopefully it will stay that way! 

Buying tickets is usually convenient, since you can get them from the driver, just make sure to bring cash. For card, you’ll need to sniff out a kiosk, but we wouldn’t trust to this, since it’s not always easy to find one if you’re not in the centre of town.

By comparison, renting a car is a lot simpler and gives you much more control over your schedule. Parking can be an issue, particularly in Rhodes Town, but otherwise we’ve found having a vehicle much better than riding the buses.

#4 How To Rent A Car In Rhodes?

Whenever we’re renting a car in Rhodes, we go through DiscoverCars. It’s a handy, one-stop shop where you can see a whole range of cars from different leasing companies that DiscoverCars has agreements with. These range from eight-seater Citroen Spacetourers from Autounion, Greece’s largest car rental outfit, to Fiat Pandas from Enterprise.

We recommend that you rent a car in Rhodes Airport, so that you can pick it up right after you land. That way, you don’t have to worry about the stress of taxis or buses. It also makes it easy to drop the car off right before you fly out.

As with anywhere you plan to embark on a road trip, it’s worth booking online as far in advance as possible. That’s especially the case in summer, as you can imagine how busy Rhodes gets during the height of the sunny season. DiscoverCars lets you cancel a booking for free up to 48 hours before pickup, so we never worry about whether our plans might change.

The last tip we have if you want to hire a car in Rhodes is to book with full insurance, since it’s pretty easy to pick up a scratch or two on the island’s roads. We’ve found the cost differential between forking out for DiscoverCars’ complete coverage and having to splurge on minor car repairs can be quite substantial!

We’ve claimed on the DiscoverCars’ insurance before and had a positive experience with getting refunded for the damages to our vehicle. Just in case you’re wondering, not our fault, we swear! Someone opened a door into the side of our car and left a dent in it. You can bet there was a moment where our hearts were in our mouths, but we weren’t left out of pocket thanks to our coverage.

#5 Is Renting A Car In Rhodes Safe?

Our standard process is to search for the cheapest deals on DiscoverCars first, then cross-check the companies and their offices against reviews on Google Maps and Trustpilot. It’s super important that you go by not just the brand’s general reputation, but also by the reviews for the exact rental shop where you’re going to pick up your car.

In our experience, there are absolutely good deals to be had, regardless of the kind of vehicle you want. You just need to spend that little extra time making sure that the place you’re getting your hire vehicle from is legit. That’s just as true if you rent from a big international brand (which might have a shiny rep in other places but a shoddy one on Rhodes) as it is for a smaller local outfit.

Of course, no matter how much research you do, you can still have a bad experience. That’s another reason that we always take out DiscoverCars’ full coverage when we rent a car on Rhodes. It gives us that extra peace of mind, knowing that we’re protected in case we get into any troubles or disputes with the local office.

#6 Car Rental In Rhodes: Requirements

If you plan on renting a car, requirements are the same as renting a car elsewhere in Greece and pretty much in line with everywhere in the EU. Just for convenience, here’s a little checklist to help you out:

✅ Driving licence. Obviously, you’ll need one! For a lot of people, your national licence is sufficient, including for EU, UK, and US citizens. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is necessary for some nationalities though, so make sure your check with your embassy/consulate. Additionally, you must have held your license for at least a year, though some companies ask for two years. This isn’t always checked, but it is a technical requirement. 

✅ Age. You must be at least 21 if you plan on renting a car in Rhodes. There’s also often a surcharge for anybody aged under 25, though the amount varies by company. If you rent from Alamo, for instance, the cost is almost double for someone aged 21 versus someone aged 25.

✅ Proof of identity. Rental companies usually want a second form of ID from tourists, just to confirm that you are who you say you are. This can be a passport or a national ID card, depending on where you hail from.

✅ Credit card. It’s not essential to have a credit card, but some hire vehicle businesses will only lease to people who have one for deposit purposes. You will probably end up paying a little more for a car if you secure the rental with a debit card, just because fewer companies accept it, so it’s sort of like a premium service.

✅ Insurance. Your car rental should come with third-party liability insurance and a collision damage waiver as standard. These are legal requirements in Greece, so just do a quick check that they’re included in the quoted price so that you don’t get slapped with extra fees later on.

#7 Cost Of Hiring A Car In Rhodes?

On our most recent trip to Rhodes, we paid €176 for a 1-week rental. That covered both the cost of the vehicle and DiscoverCars’ full coverage insurance, which was about €9 per day.

We went with a Kia Picanto, which is a relatively small car. Prices are obviously more expensive for bigger or more luxury vehicles. Automatic cars also tend to be more costly than manual ones.

Our visit was in October, so after the end of high season. Still, it’s not the cheapest time of year. The best car rental in Rhodes that we’ve had in terms of cheap deals was in late winter/early spring. Of course, you then have to factor in that a lot of things are closed, and the weather is on average about 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler.

We recommend booking as soon as you know your travel plans for the more affordable prices, especially if you are travelling in the summer. 

Another thing to budget for when renting a car in Rhodes is the deposit. We had €1,000 blocked off on our credit card for this, which was released about a week after we returned the car. If you have the option, it’s always better to go with a credit card over a debit card, since the funds aren’t actually withdrawn from your account and there are better protections.

#8 What Kind Of Car Is Recommended?

There’s not really a wrong kind of car to get for Rhodes. We’ve already mentioned that the roads aren’t perfect, but they’re still good enough that you won’t need to worry about getting something sturdier like a 4×4.

Our manual Kia Picanto was comfortable for driving everywhere, including through the mountains. It was just the two of us in the vehicle, but for families or bigger groups it might make sense to go for a bigger car. 

Rhodes is one of the 10 largest islands in the Mediterranean, and while it’s nowhere near the size of Sicily or Sardinia, it still takes about 90 minutes to get from the capital to places like Lindos or Embonas. For some people, that might be a little too long for cramped conditions!

#9 Important Checks Before You Drive Away

There are a few general tips around leasing a vehicle to keep in mind:

✅ Check the type of petrol and the petrol level before leaving the leasing office. Some companies ask for the fuel levels to be like for like when the car is returned, while others require a full tank. Remember to top up before you head back, otherwise you can face a hefty charge.

✅ Record all scratches and dents. Take photos and videos of any problem areas, and make sure they are noted down on any paperwork by the rep. This can save you a lot of headaches later on. Don’t feel rushed, just take as long as you need.

✅ Make sure you have all emergency contacts in case you need assistance, including things like police, ambulance, etc. There was an occasion recently when we had an issue with the car and needed to contact a rep from the hire company asap. Fortunately, we’d double checked we had the number on the paperwork beforehand, so we got them on the phone quite rapidly. 

#10 Gas Stations In Rhodes

There are tons of petrol stations on Rhodes, so you never have to worry about running out of gas! These are self-service, and you pay after you’ve filled up your car. 

All the petrol stations we’ve used recently seem to accept debit and credit cards, but we always have a bit of cash on us when renting a car in Rhodes, just in case. Besides, it’s not as if we’re never going to find an opportunity to use euros again if we have some left over after the holiday.

#11 Parking In Rhodes

Good news folks! Most parking lots near beaches and tourist attractions are free. Of course, these can fill up at busy times of day, so turn up earlyish during high season if you want to nab a prime space.

Pro tip: If you arrive at an activity and are looking for a parking space, we always drive as close to the place as possible. Then, if there is no space, we drive back until we see a spot.

Most of the time, people copy other people when they see cars parked far away from the parking lot on the road, but most of the time, when the first visitors leave, spaces open up for new cars.

Bad news folks! Finding a parking spot in Rhodes Town is very hard. There are spaces outside of the historic city walls, but you definitely have to come in the early morning if you want to guarantee a spot.

One of our top driving in Rhodes tips is to take a bus to the capital, rather than driving. It’s much easier to park up at one of the suburban spots on a busy bus route than it is to spend ages looking for a space. We’re not saying you won’t be lucky and find parking downtown, we’re just saying that it’s a gamble.

If your accommodation is in Rhodes Town, try to book somewhere with parking included.

#12 Awesome Places To Visit With A Car

Driving on Rhodes makes it a lot easier to visit some of our favourite places on the island, from ancient ruins to beautiful nature. We’re going to assume that Rhodes Town with its medieval fortifications, Ottoman mosque, and pretty Jewish quarter is already on your list, and head straight to …

📍Lindos 

Glittering white sugar-cube houses are layered into the hillside at Lindos, an adorable town that is home to a very popular sandy beach. 

Watching over the scene is the spectacular acropolis, which has fab views of Lindos and the sea. The oldest parts of the complex date to the Ancient Greeks, but the superb location also appealed to everyone from the Romans to the Knights of St John.

📍Valley of the Butterflies 

Taking its name from the profusion of Jersey tiger moths that appear in the summertime, the Valley of the Butterflies is a beautiful place to chill out at any time of year. 

The walking route winds beneath leafy trees and past small waterfalls, with a couple of places you can stop for drinks and light refreshments. Tickets are €5 from June to September and €3 the rest of the year. 

📍Tsambika Beach 

There are a lot of beaches on Rhodes, but Tsambika is one of our favs, with a long sandy shoreline and clear, gentle waters. There’s a lot going on here in the summer, when there are plenty of people enjoying water sports, music, and drinks.

A bit away from the main action, there are several cool rock formations, offering some relative peace and quiet, as well as great photo opportunities. 

📍Charaki 

Considering it was founded as a fishing village, it’s nice to see that Charaki continues to boast excellent seafood restaurants. Fanning out in a semicircle around the pebble beach, these tavernas are interspersed with various little hotels, which make for cute holiday stays.

For the adventurous types, hike up to the ruins of Feraklos Castle, which overlook the village. The site has been pretty much abandoned to nature, which adds the quaint charm.

📍Embonas 

We always try to check out the local wineries wherever we go, which is what first led us to Embonas. It’s the highest village on Rhodes, spilling down the side of Mount Attavyros.

There are 4 or 5 wineries around here, and we’ve not tried all of them, but of the ones we have visited, the Kounaki Winery was the best. We were quite impressed with the quality, so much so that we even bought 4 bottles to go!

Renting A Car In Rhodes: Final Word

Renting a car in Rhodes may not be essential, but it is definitely preferable. For starters, it means you can stuff those wine bottles in the boot, rather than having to lug them back on the bus!

Especially for anybody planning a shorter visit to the island, so much time can get sucked up waiting around for public transport that it’s really the most sensible option.