How To Get Around Santorini – Cars, Quads, Buses & Taxis

Getting around in Santorini can be tricky in many cases, but if you know the tips I am giving you below, you won’t have any issues. You have plenty of options as you can rent a car, a motorbike, a quad, take a taxi or even take the local bus (UBER does work in Santorini and in Athens). So, this is how to get around Santorini.

• Rent a car
• Use the local Santorini Bus
• Take a local taxi (by UBER or the FREENOW app)
• Rent a quad
• Rent a motorbike
• UBER and LYFT do not exist in Santorini (but only in Athens)
• Use a private transfer taxi after coordinating with your hotel (they can give you all the details)

To get a feel of the local buses in Santorini, you can watch my video from the Santorini Local Bus Central Station at Fira:

Riding an ATV is the most fun option to get around on the island for many people, but it can be more unsafe and potentially dangerous as they are not that stable.

This is the bus station in Imerovigli town. Looks cute right…? Imerovigli is, in my opinion, the best place to stay in Santorini.

HOW TO GET AROUND SANTORINI

How can you get from the Airport / Port to your Hotel in Santorini?

That’s the first thing you have to worry about, but to be honest, most of the hotels in Santorini can normally come and pick you up from the airport or the ferry port.

Always check with your hotel if they offer such a service.

Bear in mind, this is a 10-minute drive, and any taxi shouldn’t charge you more than 30 euros in any case.

So if a hotel asks for anything more than that, then avoid it and just take any taxi from the airport (or the port).

Some of the most premium hotels may offer that for free.

It’s also good to know that there is no UBER or Lyft in Santorini!

Santorini Car Rental Tips

The best way to get around Santorini is by car. I keep on telling everyone who asks me that it’s only by having your own means of transportation that you would be able to explore the island and not waste too much time waiting for the bus.

Where can you rent a car for Santorini?

If you are visiting Santorini in any month other than May, June, July, August, or September, I strongly suggest that you book well in advance online, even though there are tens of car rental places on the island.

The best and safest website to rent a car for Santorini is: RentalCars.com

How is Driving in Santorini?

In Santorini, we drive on the right side of the road. Like the USA.

You do need an international driver’s license if you have a non-EU (European) license, but everyone on the island is pretty flexible about it, and you won’t have any issues with any driver’s license, to be honest, no matter where it’s coming from.

It is true, though, that in the summer months of July, August, and September, you have to be slightly more careful as there are more people and cars on the island.

Also, be careful of the hundreds of quad bikes that may come out of nowhere…

Why Renting A Car is the Best Way To Get Around Santorini?

By having your own car you can explore the island in the best possible way without worrying about timings.

That’s very important if you only have 2-3 days on the island and it’s also very important if you are going home (or hotel) late after a night out (be careful about drinking though as police are carrying out alcohol tests on every corner during the summernights).

Having a car is also giving you the opportunity to go to some places that the buses don’t go.

The longest drive you would probably do is about 20 kilometres for about 30-35 mins…and that’s it!

I’d also say that renting a car in Santorini is also a much safer option from a quad bike or an ATV and it is probably cheaper after all than taking a taxi all the time.

What are the Pros and Cons of renting a car in Santorini?

Pros:
– You are more independent and you can go anywhere
– You can take it directly from the airport upon your arrival
– You can see the whole of the island in one day if you want!

Cons:
– It can be more expensive
– You might be scared to drive through the narrow streets of Santorini
– You might have to worry about parking (especially at the top attractions during the high season)

Santorini Local Buses Tips

CLICK HERE TO CHECK the updated Santorini Bus Timeschedule.

You can take the bus to pretty much every major town or attraction (including Oia) but the thing is that you don’t get a bus whenever you want it and things can get pretty busy and chaotic during the hot summer months of July, August and September.

Where can the local Santorini buses take you?

From the timetable here you can see that there is a bus from Fira to Akrotiri, Perissa, Kamari, Airport, Oia, Imerovigli and Athinios port.

Here are roughly all the destinations that the local bus can take you along with the approximate time that it takes to get there:

How much does the Santorini bus cost?

A single ticket cost anything from 1.80 euros to 2.50 euros depending where you are going. You can buy a ticket from the driver inside the bus and you should always pay by cash. Cards are not accepted unfortunately. (FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE PRICES ALWAYS ASK THE BUS DRIVER)

What are the pros and cons of taking the bus in Santorini?

Pros:
– You don’t have to worry about driving
– It’s by far the cheapest way to get around Santorini (with 2 euros you can visit any major town)

Cons:
– Buses only go from and to Fira
– The bus stop may not be very close to where you want to go (especially for your arrival where you might be carrying your luggage)
– For some areas the bus is not that frequent and if you are visiting only for 2-3 days you may waste time waiting for it
– The bus might be full (especially during July/August/September) and you may have to wait the next one
– There isn’t a bus for every town area (if you are visiting wineries there isn’t always a bus that can take you there)

Santorini Taxis Tips

Getting a taxi in Santorini is another way of moving around on the island.

But to be honest if you are going to use a taxi for every place you want to visit then you are probably better of by renting a car as it can become very expensive during the high season as prices sky-rocket.

• The TAXIs are of grey/silver colour and usually they are a MERCEDES brand (not sure why…)
• There is no UBER or Lyft in Santorini
• The main taxi hub is at Fira. A taxi hub in Greek is also called a “taxi piatsa”.
• If you want to call a taxi then you have to call +30 22860 22555
• You should not pay more than 25 euros for any ride, anytime on the island!
• Always ask/agree the fare with the driver before you get onto the taxi
• You may have to wait some time till your taxi arrives if you are on the other side of the island (all taxis use Fira as their basis)
• After 00:00 midnight you will be charged more (normally double)
• It can be very difficult to find a taxi (even if you call) after midnight during July-August
• All drivers speak English very well
• Bear in mind that there is a limited amount of taxis on the island
• There are some taxis always waiting for travellers at the Airport and at the Athinios main Port but you have to be quick…
• You shouldn’t pay more than 30 euros from the Airport to Fira (it’s literally a 10 mins drive)

There are many ATV or motorbike rental shops on the island and you won’t have any issues finding a vehicle, as long as you book it well in advance.

CONCLUSION

In my honest opinion, the best way to get around Santorini is by renting a car.  It will give you the flexibility and the opportunity to explore the island in a much better way without wasting time and money elsewhere. Taking the bus is the most affordable option and taking the taxi can also be a good option if you don’t want to drive and you want to go somewhere quickly.

It may cost you more though. Many people rent a quad nowadays, but it is a less safe option and it can actually be on the same price range as renting a car, so i am not sure if it’s smart at the end of the day (yes it can be fun for a few hours but for your main means of transportation, I am not so sure…)

The choice is yours!