Apart from walking, you can take a taxi, hire a moped, ATV quad-bike, or car. Or simply hop on a bus – a choice of routes range across the island.
While paved, many roads on Santorini are narrow and winding. Local drivers tend to drive fast and most of the people in Santorini – especially during high season – are tourists. As a result, road conditions are unsafe and accidents are very common.
It takes about 50 minutes to drive the island from end to end (from Vlichada to Ia).
Car hire: Car hire is availble from travel agents and at the airport. A small car in high season should cost about €60 a day, with unlimited mileage.
Scooters and ATVs (all-terrain-vehicles) are available to rent starting at about €15 - €30 per day, respectively.
Greek law requires wearing a helmet, however not all agents supply the helmet.
An international driving permit is recommended. Without one, you may still be able to hire a car, however you may experience a problem in case of an accident.
Note: If you park in a no-parking area, the police will remove your license plates, and you, not the car-rental office, will have to pay a fine to get them back.
Taxi: In high season, it's best to book a taxi in advance by phone (tel. 22860/22-555 or 22860/23-951), as there are insufficient taxis on the island during high season to meet demand. Be sure to agree the price before you set out.
The Aegean Taxi App allows you to book your taxi ride at any time and to any destination on the island. You can book a transfer in advance or on request for a taxi on the spot.
For most point-to-point trips the prices are fixed. If you call for a taxi outside Fira, you'll be charged a pickup fee of at least €2. You'll also need to pay the driver's fare from Fira to your pickup point.
As a general rule in the Cyclades, taxi fares are typically shared between multiple passengers, so don't be surprised if your driver picks up more passengers during your trip.
Bike: Santorini is small enough that it can be explored by bicycle. Unfortunately, the island is not very bicycle-friendly – there are no dedicated bicycle routes and bicycle rentals are fairly hard to find. Most places advertising bike rentals refer to motorbikes, rather than bicycles.
Bus: The central bus station is just south of the main square in Fira. Schedules are posted here. Most routes are served every 30-minutes or 60-minutes from 7am to 11pm, during the high season.
The conductor collects fares, which range from €2 to €5. Popular destinations include Akrotiri, Athinios (the ferry pier), Oia, Kamari, Monolithos (the airport), Perissa, Perivolas Beach, Vlihada, and Vourvoulos.
Excursion buses visit all the major attractions.
Buses are air-conditioned but may be overcrowded during the high season. If you prefer getting a private or shuttle transfer from airport or port to your destination or even a private tours service throughout the island, there are companies such as Santorini Transport offering such services. In addition, there are hop-on-hop-off private bus services.
Sea: Boats run between major coastal towns on the island.
Latest update: How to get around Santorini: 10 May, 2022
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