In this installment of our guide to holidays in Greece we look at the transportation on offer there…

It is inexpensive and easy to hire a car or moped in Greece. All you need is an internationally recognized driving license and a passport. Prices per day start at about $40 for a car and $15 for a moped – but make sure the quoted price includes all insurance and taxes. Hiring a vehicle offers the freedom to travel where you please. Most roads are good, but be careful in some parts of rural Greece or on the islands as some roads in these areas can be narrow and poorly maintained.

The bus system is very efficient and you can travel anywhere on the Greek mainland on the ‘KTEL’ (intercity) buses. It’s great value for money and lets you travel through parts of Greece that you would otherwise never get to see. The bus system was never created to accommodate tourists though so you might encounter some language problems; if you do, most young people in Greece speak a little English and most would be more than happy to assist you.

Taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced; all are required to have a meter and you’re not expected to leave a tip. In the cities and on the islands, most drivers will speak a little English, but not all will. It’s also worth noting that it’s common for them to continue to pick up passengers until they’re full so you can still try to flag a taxi that already has passengers so long as they’re heading in the same direction that you want to go.

To travel to and from the islands, you’ll have to take a ferry or a short flight. Many of the more distant islands have airports and can be flown to from Athens or Thessaloniki – distances within Greece are small, so even the farthest islands are less than an hour’s flight.

For islands close to the mainland, ferries are the best option; they run regularly throughout the day, but keep in mind that they might take longer than you expect because of making several stops on different islands en route to their final destination.

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