Car rental · Greece · File no. 008
Rent a car in Santorini without getting played
Real deposits observed, per agency
Amounts observed at the counter during my own rental, not the amounts advertised online.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get Santorini Car RentalNo-deposit policy (no credit card hold), Full Insurance included. Free delivery anywhere on the island. | 25-50 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| Spiridakos Rent A CarLong-standing player (25 years), varied fleet; deposit 0 to 200 € depending on the car. | 25-50 €/day | 200 € | 0 € | Included depending on options | · | Book |
| Loueurs de quad à FiraDeposit 500 to 900 €, high risk of accidents and disputes. | n.c. | 900 € | 1,000 € | Often non-existent / vague | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 12 October 2025
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
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The long-standing alternative: Spiridakos Rent A Car
If Get Santorini is unavailable, turn to the island's long-standing player: Spiridakos, around for over 25 years, with a very varied fleet (from a small Smart to a Jeep Wrangler) and excellent feedback on travel forums.
Do you actually need a car in Santorini?
Yes for the freedom, but pick a small model. Definitely no big SUV: the lanes are extremely narrow and three-point turns are millimetre work. A small city car rented deposit-free from a local is the key to exploring the island away from the tour buses.
When NOT to rent here
If you stay deep in the caldera's perched villages (Oia, Firostefani, Imerovigli) just to watch the sunset: these villages are 100% pedestrian, all stairs, and the few car parks at the entrance are saturated in high season. For Fira and Oia without a car, I walked and took the local bus from Fira station (1.80 to 2.50 € a ticket). The car was for Akrotiri, the Red Beach and the inland vineyards.
Where you pick up the car
→ Meet & greet at JTR airport, the agent waits with a sign
- 01At Santorini airport (JTR), I collect my bags; an agency rep waits at the arrivals exit with a sign.
- 02No desk to queue at: the car is parked in the rental lot, right in front.
- 03Pickup in 10 minutes flat.
The fuel trap
“Pay on delivery / return empty” or “same to same” rule: they often hand you the car near reserve or at a quarter. The trap is filling up fully for 80 € when you will only use a third in a week. I put in exactly 20 € at the Fira station to cover my trips.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- The full ~80 € tank on delivery when you drive little on such a small island
- The “more fun” quad or buggy: huge deposit, vague insurance, frequent accidents
To insist on
- The contract stating “Zero credit card block / Full Insurance”
- Delivery or return at your hotel via a simple WhatsApp (often free)
What I experienced
On the forums, many recommend the quad or buggy. I saw a couple denied their deposit back after a standstill fall on a slippery paved road near Pyrgos. By choosing a small fully-covered no-deposit city car, I drove with the AC on and a clear mind.
Mid-trip, I asked to switch the return spot from the airport to my hotel in Imerovigli. The agency agreed over a simple WhatsApp, with no modification fee at all.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+Can you rent a car without a deposit in Santorini?
Yes. I took Get Santorini Car Rental: no card hold, Full Insurance included, free delivery anywhere. Spiridakos (25 years in business) is the alternative, with a 0 to 200 € deposit.
+Quad or car in Santorini?
Car, without hesitation. Quads pile up a huge deposit, vague insurance and frequent accidents on slippery paved roads. A small fully-covered no-deposit city car is safer and more comfortable.
+Do you need a car if you stay in Oia or Fira?
Not for those villages, 100% pedestrian and all stairs, with saturated parking. The local bus from Fira is enough (1.80-2.50 €). The car is for Akrotiri, the Red Beach and the vineyards.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think