Car Hire Mykonos 2026: Airport, Port, Licences & Tips

Do you actually need a car on Mykonos?

Mykonos is compact. According to the municipality it is about 14 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide, and the airport is only about 4 kilometres from Mykonos Town (Chora). A car is useful here, but not essential for the whole stay. In summer the alternatives work reasonably well:

• KTEL buses leave from stations in town, including Fabrika (airport, New Port and south-coast beaches such as Platis Gialos, Ornos and Paradise) and the Old Port (Agios Stefanos, Ano Mera, Kalafatis, Elia and others). According to Greeka, buses run more often from May to September, but off-season usually no more than three or four times a day. Lonely Planet notes that service to the north and east coasts is sparse or non-existent.
• The Sea Bus links the New Port at Tourlos with the Old Port in town, roughly every 30 minutes, according to Greeka.
• From May to September, beach boats link the popular south-coast beaches, running east from Ornos to Elia, according to Lonely Planet.
• Taxis are the weak point. Lonely Planet says they are not plentiful and waits can be long in high season, and Greeka warns that finding one may be challenging.

For many trips the best plan is buses and boats, plus a car for one or two days to explore the north coast, Ano Mera and quieter beaches. If you are staying in a villa outside town, travelling with children or arriving late, a car for the whole stay makes more sense, mainly because taxis are hard to find.

Car, quad or scooter: what the rules say

Quads (ATVs) and scooters are everywhere on Mykonos. The German Foreign Office warns of more serious and fatal quad accidents, and the Australian government says quad and motorcycle crashes cause serious injuries and deaths every summer on the Greek islands.

• Helmets are compulsory on mopeds, motorcycles and quads, for riders and passengers. GOV.UK and the US State Department warn that riding without one may invalidate your insurance, and police can fine you and take your licence.
• Your licence must cover the vehicle. For mopeds, GOV.UK says you need at least category A1; the UK category P is not valid in Greece. For quads, ask the rental firm and your travel insurer which licence they accept.
• Quad and moped hire firms usually include only third-party cover, so you can be charged for any damage to the vehicle, and many travel insurance policies exclude quad biking.
• In June 2026 the transport ministry announced plans to limit quad rentals to drivers who have held a licence for at least five years and to make rental firms supply helmets and check licences. At the time it was a proposal, so ask your rental firm whether the rule is already in force.

Picking up a hire car at Mykonos Airport (JMK)

The official airport website lists four car rental companies in the arrivals area:

Other firms work from offices just outside the airport. Enterprise, for example, is about 700 metres away, with a free shuttle every 10 minutes from outside arrivals; the branch is open 08:00 to 21:00, and outside those hours staff meet you in the arrivals hall for a fee payable locally, provided you have given your flight number. Many companies offer several pick-up points. Check your voucher for the exact meeting point and what happens if your flight is late.

If someone is collecting you, the airport only has limited free short-stay parking opposite the terminal.

Picking up at the port: New Port (Tourlos) or Old Port

• New Port (Tourlos), about 3 kilometres from town: according to Greeka, passenger ferries arrive only here, and both conventional and high-speed ferries have docked here since 2021. Many rental companies offer pick-up at the port.
• Old Port, right next to Mykonos Town: the Sea Bus from Tourlos arrives here and KTEL buses stop here.

When the port is busy, especially at night, Greeka says it is hard to find a free taxi. If you want to collect at the port, book ahead, especially for an automatic, and confirm the meeting point. Some airport branches charge for port delivery: Enterprise lists 50 euros plus VAT each way.

Licence rules for UK, Irish, US, Canadian and Australian drivers

Greece recognises EU licences, licences from countries it has a special agreement with and, for people who do not live in Greece, licences and international permits covered by international conventions. For visitors, official advice is:

Rental companies add their own rules. Enterprise says EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian licences need no IDP. Europcar's Greek conditions exempt only EU and Swiss licences, require an IDP from everyone else and tell UK drivers to check separately. You cannot get an IDP in Greece, so getting one before you travel avoids problems at the desk.

• Minimum ages are company rules: Sixt says 21 at Mykonos Airport; Hertz Greece says over 21 for small car groups and 25 for others; Enterprise says 23, or 21 to 22 with a young driver fee.
• Hertz, Europcar and Enterprise all want the licence held for at least one year.
• Bring your passport or ID card as well as your licence.

Driving on Mykonos: speed limits, alcohol, phones and fines

Greece's new Highway Code (Law 5209/2025) brought lower limits and high fines. Unless signs say otherwise:

• Alcohol: the general limit is 0.5 g/l, and stricter limits apply to novice and professional drivers and motorcyclists (0.2 g/l according to the EU's Your Europe portal, zero according to the German Foreign Office and ADAC). Simplest rule: do not drink and drive at all.
• Phones: using a phone without hands-free is banned; Greek media report that this includes holding it at a red light. A first offence costs 350 euros, 3 penalty points and a 30-day licence withdrawal, according to Your Europe. Hands-free with the phone in a holder is allowed.
• Seat belts: a driver without a belt faces 350 euros and a 30-day licence withdrawal, a passenger 150 euros; repeat offences cost far more.
• Speeding: up to 20 km/h over costs 150 euros; more than 30 km/h over costs 350 euros plus a 30-day suspension, according to To Vima.
• Equipment: Greek cars must carry a warning triangle, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher, according to Your Europe. Check your hire car has them.

Mykonos has no traffic lights, only roundabouts, and summer congestion is a known problem, according to the EU's CIVITAS initiative. Lonely Planet describes narrow lanes, cliffside drops and dirt tracks to some remote beaches. Europcar's Greek conditions forbid driving off asphalt roads, so check your contract before following the sat-nav down a gravel lane.

Parking and Mykonos Town (Chora)

You cannot drive through the heart of Mykonos Town. Chora is a traditional settlement, a municipal rule limits the hours when vehicles may pass through it, and Lonely Planet describes the old town as vehicle-free. Park on the edge and walk.

• Lonely Planet calls parking stressful in Chora and at the beaches and warns of hefty fines if you leave your car in an unapproved spot.
• Yellow kerb markings mean no parking, blue means paid parking and white means free, according to the German motoring club ADAC.
• The German Foreign Office warns that Greek police may remove number plates for parking offences, returning them only after the fine is paid, which can take weeks.

Ferries, insurance, deposit and fuel

Island hopping with a hire car is rarely worth it:

• Hertz Greece allows ferry trips only with prior written approval and its Ferry Boat Cover, at 20 euros a day up to 60 euros per rental.
• Europcar Greece requires written authorisation at pick-up and charges 25 euros plus VAT per direction; without it, the car is not covered for any damage or loss while on board.
• It is usually simpler to travel as a foot passenger and rent again on the next island.

Read the insurance small print. At Hertz Greece, damage to the underside and wheels is not covered by any of its insurance products. Europcar's standard damage waiver in Greece excludes the underside, wheels, tyres, windscreen and mirrors. On narrow roads and rough tracks, that is exactly where damage happens.

1. Bring a credit card in the main driver's name. Europcar Greece does not accept debit or prepaid cards for the deposit. Enterprise at Mykonos Airport blocks 290 euros for small cars and 390 euros for larger ones.
2. Check the fuel policy. Europcar wants the car back at the same level; Hertz Greece asks you to prepay the fuel on rentals of three days or more, refunds unused fuel and charges a 16-euro refuelling fee if you return less than you prepaid.
3. Photograph or film the car at pick-up and return, including wheels and windscreen, and make sure every scratch is on the report.

When to book for Mykonos

The season is short and intense. Lonely Planet says demand can outstrip supply in peak summer and advises booking well in advance, and Greeka also recommends booking ahead. Automatics and family cars are the first to go, so book early for June to September and choose free cancellation. Outside May to September, buses run far less often and beach boats stop, so a car becomes more useful.

Frequently asked questions