1. Despite strict rules and heavy fines, traffic in Greece is quite fast and dangerous. In particular, this applies to large cities, where the situation on the roads is significantly complicated by two-wheeled vehicles.
2. While driving, drivers are advised to look around more often. Even if the moped or motorcycle is not visible in the rearview mirror, it may be in the “blind spot”, so before making a maneuver, you need to make sure that there are no obstructions.
3. In large cities, the layout of roads is quite complex and provides for a lot of dangerous turns, interchanges, as well as one-way streets. Athens and Thessaloniki are considered the most difficult cities to travel by car, inexperienced drivers should be especially careful here.
4. In many large cities, drivers may experience a lack of familiar road signs. The signs “Give way” and “Main road” are extremely rare, which also complicates orientation while driving. When approaching an intersection, drivers are advised to always slow down, regardless of whether there is any sign near the intersection or not.
5. You should be more careful at intersections where traffic lights are installed. Do not move immediately after the green light has switched. The fact is that many local drivers like to “skip” the intersection to the red one that has just turned on.
6. The parking place should be chosen with particular care, bearing in mind that parking is prohibited in the center of some large cities.
7. The maximum speed when driving within the city must be 50 km/h, on country roads the speed limit is 80 km/h, and on autobahns the maximum speed can be 130 km/h. It is worth noting that local drivers often violate the speed limit, almost none of the locals will move along the autobahn at a speed of less than 150 km/h.
8. Local roads are of high quality. Major highways are considered the best, but even small country roads will pleasantly surprise drivers with the level of coverage and equipment.
9. Autobahns in Greece are paid, the fare depends on the specific route and type of car. On average, the driver will have to pay from 2.5 to 6 euros for driving on the autobahn, payment is usually made in cash, so you should stock up on coins and small denomination banknotes in advance.
10. The road connecting Patras and Corinth is also marked on the maps as an autobahn, although in fact it is not. The route Patras – Corinth, passing along the bay, is considered one of the most extreme in the country.
11. The main danger on this road is posed by truckers who make very dangerous overtaking and other maneuvers that even very experienced motorists cannot calmly react to.
12. A significant part of the gas stations located along country roads are open until 19:00. There are round-the-clock gas stations in large cities, as well as near large and busy highways connecting large settlements.
13. One of the most serious violations is driving through a red traffic light. It is subject to a fine of 700 euros, as well as a temporary deprivation of a driver’s license for a period of 2 months. For serious violations of the rules, the driver can also temporarily withdraw the technical passport of the car and numbers.
14. While driving, the driver and all passengers in the car must fasten their seat belts. For violation of the rule, a fine of 350 euros is provided, as well as the withdrawal of a driver’s license for 10 days.
15. The most serious violation is driving under the influence of alcohol, the maximum allowable level of alcohol in the blood is 0.5 ppm. At the first detention, the driver faces a fine in the amount of 200 to 2000 euros, and at the second detention, the maximum amount of the monetary penalty is provided.
16. If you pay a fine within 10 days from the date of its imposition, you can get a “discount” of 50%. Despite the large amounts of fines, local drivers do not bother to comply with traffic rules, disciplined tourists often become the culprits of accidents on local roads.
17. Traffic police on local roads is not often seen, especially in the coastal area and in the countryside. The police are on duty on the busy highways of big cities, but this fact does not bother local violators at all.
18. In general, the local police are quite soft and favorable to motorists from other countries. They can withdraw the rights only for a very serious violation, but this is not at all a reason to follow the example of local drivers and neglect the rules that are insignificant at first glance.
19. There are almost never traffic jams on toll freeways. This is due to the fact that local drivers move along them at a very high speed, a traffic jam is possible only if a serious accident has occurred on the road.
20. The most terrible roads for foreign drivers are local highways. Despite the 80 km/h speed limit, local drivers rarely drive over them at speeds below 120 km/h. As a rule, two-lane roads have long wide shoulders, many cautious drivers prefer to drive along them.
21. If on a two-lane road a car moving behind wants to overtake, then you need to pull over to the side of the road as much as possible and let the hurrying driver pass. You should also move carefully along the side of the road, it can end very unexpectedly due to a ditch, a bridge, or a broken car thrown on it.
22. Local pedestrians are also not distinguished by diligent observance of traffic rules. They may start crossing the road in the wrong place, not paying any attention to the rapid flow of cars. When approaching a traffic light, one should also not rely on the vigilance of pedestrians, they do not always wait for the desired signal to switch.
23. On the roads you can see quite a lot of unusual memorial structures, which are miniature temples with a candle installed nearby and photographs of people who died in accidents. About 1,500 people die on the roads of Greece every year.
24. While driving, you can not talk on a mobile phone. In the tense situation that prevails on local roads, this is almost impossible, since the driver needs to continuously monitor the rest of the traffic.
25. Inexperienced drivers are highly discouraged from traveling on mountain roads. They are very winding and narrow, on some sections of the road only one car can pass. There are no fences and roadsides on mountain roads, if you can’t pass with an oncoming car, then the only way out is to turn back until a place suitable for passing appears.
26. If it became necessary to park on a narrow street, then before making a maneuver, you should turn on the emergency signal. In this way, you can notify the drivers behind you of the upcoming maneuver so that they have time to slow down and wait for the parking to be completed.
27. Taking into account the peculiarities of local roads (narrow and often providing one direction of movement), it is best to steam backwards, this is exactly what the indigenous people do. With such parking, it will be easier to drive back to the highway and merge into the fast flow without any problems.
28. In the evening and at night, police officers are on duty on the roads that pass by popular bars and taverns. Their main target are drunk drivers. If a police officer asks to take a breath test for blood alcohol content, you can not refuse – this will inevitably entail severe punishment.
29. Athens has a rather unusual rule that governs entry into the city center. On even dates, cars with a number ending in an even number can enter the center, and on odd dates, cars with a number ending in an odd number can enter the center.
30. Due to this feature, many local residents who cannot live a day without the central area have two cars at their disposal. The above rule does not apply to motorists who live in the center of Athens.
31. On some roads you can see signs that notify the driver that in this place the speed can be measured by radar. Most likely, there will be no radar nearby, it’s just that a police patrol often stops in this place, which makes speed measurements.
32. One of the toll roads is the Egnatia motorway (E90), which connects Igoumenitsa and Alexandroupolis. In total, there are 5 payment points on the route, overcoming each of them, you need to pay about 2.5 euros (the fare is indicated for an ordinary car).
33. The passage through the underwater tunnel Aktio – Preveza is also paid. The length of this tunnel is 1570 meters, of which more than 900 meters are underwater. For a passenger car, the fare through the tunnel will be about 3 euros.
34. You will also have to pay for the passage on the Rio-Antirio bridge, the length of this incredibly beautiful bridge is 2880 meters. The fare on the bridge for a passenger car is about 13 euros.
35. In the center of Athens, a zone suitable for parking is clearly demarcated. If there are blue markings on the road, then such parking spaces are intended for local residents. For guests of the area, parking spaces are marked in white, and for special services and privileged cars in yellow.
36. Parking in the center of Athens is paid on weekdays from 9:00 to 21:00, and on Saturdays from 9:00 to 16:00. The parking fee system is also quite interesting. So, for an hour you need to pay about 0.50 euros, for two hours 1 euro, for 2.5 hours 4 euros, and for 3 hours 6 euros. Parking time is limited to three hours.
37. For cars that are equipped with snow chains, a special speed limit has been set. It is 50 km/h regardless of the type of road.
38. If for experienced drivers the permissible blood alcohol content is 0.5 ‰, then for drivers whose driving experience is less than two years, the limit is 0.2 ‰. This figure cannot be exceeded by motorcycle drivers, the fine for the first violation will be 250 euros.
39. On the roads of Greece in the daytime, you can not drive with the dipped beam on. It can only be used in conditions of poor visibility, when it is raining or there is fog.
40. Children under the age of 3 years can only be transported in a car in a special child seat. Children between the ages of 3 and 11 years old, whose height is less than 135 cm, are only allowed to be transported in the back seat of the car. The fine for violating these rules is 80 euros.
41. Unleaded gasoline (95 and 98) as well as diesel fuel are available to drivers at local gas stations. Those who travel long distances should take into account that it is forbidden to transport gasoline in cans in Greece.
42. According to local regulations, in addition to the driver’s license, technical passport and green card, the driver is required to keep a fire extinguisher, an emergency stop sign and a first aid kit in the car.
43. In winter, the use of studded tires is optional. At the same time, many mountain roads are completely covered with snow and ice in winter, so you can only drive on them in a car equipped with snow chains.
44. It is forbidden to use radar detectors on local roads, the fine for this violation is 2000 euros. In addition, the violator is threatened with the seizure of a technical passport and numbers for two months, as well as a temporary deprivation of a driver’s license for 30 days.
45. Warriors who are accustomed to observe the speed limit will not be easy to move on local roads in accordance with the designated rules. If the car following behind wants to overtake, then you should change lanes as far to the right as possible and let it pass. You can only overtake on the left side.
46. In large cities, traffic in a circle is organized at many intersections. Drivers who are going to enter the intersection have an advantage at such intersections; you need to make a maneuver confidently and slowly.
47. Leaving the car, do not leave any valuables in it. Even if you plan to leave it in a guarded parking lot, you should not lose your vigilance, the probability of losing valuables is still very high.
48. The roads of Crete are considered to be one of the most difficult and dangerous. On the northern coast, the roads are of good quality of coverage, a significant part of the roads has two lanes. The closer to the south coast, the narrower and more winding the tracks become, on many sections of the road there are so-called blind bends.
49. Mountainous areas are characterized by roads covered with gravel, they do not have any signs and road signs. Before setting off to travel along such routes, it will not be superfluous to get advice from local residents or contact a travel agency for help, where you can find out all the necessary information.
50. Traveling along the serpentine roads of Crete with children is very problematic, they can get sick. To avoid trouble, it is recommended to make more frequent stops along the way, naturally, in this case, the path to a given goal will take much longer. Travelers will also need bracelets for motion sickness, as well as special medicines that relieve attacks of seasickness.
51. It is not at all difficult to navigate local roads in the absence of familiar signs. It is enough to remember that while driving, cars that drive to the right have an advantage, this simple rule will help you easily resolve any disputes.
52. Quite unusual for many drivers are signs with crossed-out Roman numerals I and II on a blue background. Installed along the roads, they mean that parking on this side of the road is prohibited on odd or even months, you need to be very careful about these signs.
53. While driving, you can not use sound signals without special need, this is considered a violation of the rules. Press the horn only in case of serious danger.
54. On some road sections, speed limits may change for no apparent reason. This should be the first sign for drivers who don’t want a speeding ticket. It is likely that somewhere nearby the traffic police like to be on duty.
55. There are no self-service petrol stations in Crete. It is enough for the driver to drive to the designated place and inform the employee of the required type of gasoline. It is also worth considering that at most gas stations you need to pay in cash, credit cards are useful only in large cities.
56. In the event of an accident or breakdown, you should not rely on special SOS telephones, which in some countries are installed along the roads. You can call for help only by mobile phone: 112 – emergency assistance, 104 and 154 – road companies, 100 – police, 174 – round-the-clock assistance to foreign motorists.
57. On the roads, moped drivers should be treated with increased attention, the fact is that they have a habit of overtaking vehicles on the right. Even if there is enough space for overtaking on the left, the moped driver will still do his best to overtake the car on the right.
58. If a car appears in the rearview mirror that blinks its headlights, this means that he asks to give way. Possible actions for a leisurely driver are to pull over to the side of the road or change lanes to the far right.
59. According to statistics, most drunk drivers are driving on the night from Saturday to Sunday. For inexperienced drivers, if possible, it is best to avoid night driving at this time.
60. On many rural roads, as well as in small towns, there are no sidewalks along busy roads. Pedestrians have no choice but to move along with motorists along a busy highway, which also significantly complicates traffic.
61. Not all drivers accompany their maneuvers with appropriate light signals. It is very rare to see a driver turn on the door before turning onto another road, such actions should be expected every minute.
62. In rural areas, livestock poses an additional risk to drivers. Often it grazes in the immediate vicinity of the road, so it can appear on the way very unexpectedly.
63. Crossing the median here is also not uncommon. Even in large cities on busy highways, the median can end as suddenly as it begins, which is another indisputable argument in favor of violators.
64. In many regions, road signs are installed very low, on special stretch marks, they can be noticed only if you move at low speed. You should not try to find here road signs fixed on high poles, and information boards, there are practically none on the roads of Greece.
65. Despite the unpredictability and aggressiveness of local drivers, it is not at all difficult to adapt to the peculiarities of Greek roads. Every day, foreign drivers will feel more confident behind the wheel, and their actions will become decisive.
66. Cyclists are quite rare on local roads, the reason for this is the hot climate and rapid movement. However, pedestrians are much more dangerous to cyclists than motorists. They do not feel the danger from two-wheeled vehicles, so they can get off the sidewalk onto the road at the most unexpected moment.
67. At intersections, it is not uncommon to notice a situation where drivers of mopeds and motorcycles are trying to pass through a crowd of pedestrians. For the latter, these modes of transport pose a much greater danger than cars.
68. In some areas of Heraklion, Chania and other fairly large cities, there are no pedestrian crossings at all. That is why people can start crossing the road anywhere they want.
69. If in the territory of large cities, on autobahns and highways, road signs usually provide information in two languages (Greek and English), then on local roads you can see signs exclusively in Greek.
70. Moving along a winding mountain road, you should not be afraid if a huge tourist bus suddenly turns out to meet you. Here, such situations are not uncommon, if it is not possible to pass on a narrow road, then you need to back out until a suitable place for maneuver appears.
71. Despite the modest width of rural roads, many local residents have cars of rather impressive dimensions. The fact is that most of them grow vegetables and fruits for sale, and also often transport livestock from one area to another – it is more convenient to do this in large vehicles.
72. Drivers who leave their cars parked in the wrong place, in narrow streets and near corners, risk finding many new scratches on the car. Local motorists have long ceased to pay attention to such trifles.
73. If it starts to rain, then be sure to slow down (this is done even by local drivers who are used to significantly exceeding it). The beginning of the rain is considered one of the most unfavorable moments, the roads at this time become very slippery.