VRENTY CAR is an independent comparison service. We compare local Rhodes agencies and the international chains side by side, then you book directly with the provider. Always confirm the price, insurance and deposit before you pay.
📍 Rhodes Airport (RHO) — Diagoras: Paradisi, 85106 Rhodes — about 14 km (20 min) southwest of Rhodes Town.
Why Rent a Car in Rhodes
Rhodes is big enough that a car transforms the trip. The medieval Old Town and the nearest beaches around Rhodes Town and Faliraki are easy without one, but the island's signature sights are scattered down a long coastline and across a hilly interior that the buses serve slowly. With your own car you can watch the sun rise over Lindos, stand at Prasonisi where two seas meet, and find an empty cove on the west coast — all in a single relaxed day.
As an independent comparison service, our advice for Rhodes is the usual island rule: book airport pick-up for the best availability and the smoothest start, and rent a compact that's nimble on the narrow village lanes. Local agencies generally offer the better all-in value here, and Rhodes' competitive market keeps prices among the lowest in Greece.
Top Places to Drive to in Rhodes
Car Rental at Rhodes Airport (RHO)
Rhodes Airport, Diagoras (RHO), sits on the northwest coast at Paradisi, about 14 km from Rhodes Town. Rental desks are in or beside the arrivals area, with cars in the adjacent car park. The international chains operate alongside a strong field of local Rhodes agencies, which usually offer the better value and often include or cheaply add Super CDW.
Airport pick-up gives you the widest availability and the easiest start; pre-book in summer to secure your car category and rate. If you'd rather not drive for the first day or two, many agencies deliver to hotels in Rhodes Town, Faliraki and the main resorts.
Documents and age. Bring your driving licence (held at least a year), passport or ID, and the booking voucher. EU/EEA licences are accepted directly; non-EU drivers must carry an International Driving Permit. Minimum age is usually 21, with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Rhodes Car Rental Prices (2026)
Rhodes is one of the more affordable Greek islands for car hire, with plenty of local competition. The figures below are typical starting rates; July and August run higher and sell out first, while late spring and September offer the best balance of weather and price.
| Car Class | Local All-In / Day | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Economy / Mini (Toyota Aygo, Fiat Panda) | €20–€32 | Couples & village lanes |
| Compact (VW Golf, Opel Astra) | €26–€42 | The whole island comfortably |
| SUV / Crossover (Nissan Qashqai, Dacia Duster) | €38–€62 | Families & the hilly interior |
| Super CDW / Full insurance | +€10–€23 | Zero excess, usually no deposit |
Check whether each quote includes Super CDW or only basic CDW with a high €800–€1,500 excess. See our full Greece insurance guide for how SCDW works and what it commonly excludes.
Driving in Rhodes: Roads and Parking
Rhodes is a straightforward island to drive, with no tolls and good main roads, but it rewards a defensive style on the smaller lanes.
Roads
The east-coast road down to Lindos and beyond is generally good and well signposted, and the west-coast road is quieter and scenic. Inland and in the villages, expect narrow lanes, a few rough patches and some assertive local driving — overtaking on blind bends is not unknown. A compact car is the sweet spot: nimble enough for the lanes, comfortable enough for the longer coastal runs. Use GPS, keep your distance, and toot the horn on blind mountain corners.
Parking
Don't drive into the Old Town. Rhodes' medieval city is largely pedestrian and the gates are tight — park in one of the car parks just outside the walls and walk in. In Lindos, vehicles can't enter the village either: use the car park above it and walk or take the donkey path down. Popular beaches charge a small parking fee in peak season.
Rules to Remember
- Speed limits: 50 km/h in town (40 in residential zones), 90 on the open coast roads
- No tolls anywhere in Rhodes or the Dodecanese
- A phone in your hand while driving: €350 fine + 30-day licence suspension (2025 code)
- Seatbelts compulsory in every seat; €150 per unbelted person
- Blood-alcohol limit 0.05%; fuel roughly €1.85–€1.95/litre; policy full-to-full
Insurance & Deposit in Rhodes
The insurance picture matches the rest of Greece. Basic CDW leaves you liable up to a high excess pre-authorised on a credit card; Super CDW (SCDW / Full Damage Waiver) reduces it to zero and, with most local agencies, removes the deposit. It costs about €10–€23 per day.
Read the exclusions before you sign: even on full insurance, tyres, wheels, glass, mirrors, the undercarriage and lost keys are often excluded unless explicitly listed, and driving on unpaved roads voids cover — worth remembering on the dusty tracks to some west-coast beaches. Photograph the car on every panel and wheel at pick-up and return, with timestamped photos emailed to yourself.