Car Hire Zante - Zakynthos: Twelve Top Tips
Helping you to get the most from your car hire.
Here are a few tips to help you to have a safe and memorable car hire on Zante.
1. License
Remember to take your license before you leave home. To hire a car on Zante, you will need a full UK or European driving licence. There can be problems if your licence has been issued elsewhere in the world, such as the USA. If you have a two-part photo licence, you’ll need both parts if you plan to hire a car on Zante, even if it’s just for one day. Obviously if you still have the old style licence with no photo card, just the one part will suffice.2. Payment
You’ll also need some means of payment. Credit or debit cards are widely accepted and sometime mandatory as a deposit is often required to hire a car on Zante3. Age regulations
Most car hire companies require you to be between the ages of 23 and 65 to hire a car. If you wish to hire a jeep or 4x4, you will usually need to be over the age of 25 and have held a full licence for more than 1 year. Check with your Zante Car hire company what are their requirements. Additional items like child seats can also be figured into your car hire package. There is usually an extra charge for car seats but this should be no more than an extra three or four euros per day.4. Insurance
It’s a good idea to make sure you know what sort of cover you have for your Zante car hire. Collision Damage Waver is about the minimum these days though so people choose to pay more to avoid any excess charges should you need to claim on your car hire policy. Always make a check and if you are not sure ask the hirer to explain. It's their job to be helpful and informative.5. Collection, delivery and return
It’s a good idea to have a mobile phone with you if you are picking up a car at the Zante airport, in Zante Town or having it delivered to your apartment or villa. Don’t forget to take the telephone number of the car hire company on Zante with you and this might sound obvious but if you are waiting for a delivery, don’t forget to switch your phone on! This way it’s easy to arrange its delivery or collection. Most hiring staff for all of Zante’s car hire companies will speak good English. Make sure you know if the delivery and collection are included in the price. Sometimes it’s cheaper to collect and drop of your car hire from Zante airport. If you are returning a car late, find out where to leave the car keys.6. Inspection
When you hire a car on Zante remember when picking up the car to give it a thorough inspection first. This way you can note down any damage that was done before you collected it. Make sure your hirer marks down any damage to the hire car. Also know how to return the tank on your car hire. Do you need to return it full or just at the same level as when you picked it up?7. Right-hand drive
Remember that Greece, like the rest of Europe, drives on the right. This might be strange at first so take your time and avoid built up areas until you feel more comfortable. Hiring a car can seem intimidating but many of the roads on Zante and quiet and easy to manage. Do not feel pressured by drivers behind you but take your time – safety first!8. Traffic regulations
Most of the road signs will be familiar. What will be less familiar are one-way systems. Zante Town and Alikes now have a one system to regulate traffic so you won’t be able to take your hire car in whatever direction you like. Zante Town has a one-system and is also partly pedestrianised at night. When you hire a car on Zante don’t make your first trip straight into town.9. Petrol stations
Garages on Zante will often have pump attendant. Just tell them how much you want, passing over the keys for you hire car so they can open and fill the tank. Modern small engine hire cars on Zante are very fuel economic. You’ll be surprised how far you can go on a single 10-euro note. If you fail to make yourself understood, simple hand over the appropriate size note to the attendant and he’ll fill your hire car up.10. Maintenance
It’s a good idea to check over your hire car on Zante every couple of days. Have a quick look at the tyres and make sure you have some water to wash dusty windscreens. Cars can also get very hot inside so you might like to consider hiring a car on Zante with air conditioning. If you head off into the wilds of Zante in your car, make sure that your car is ready for the journey.11. Unmade roads
Most car hire companies on Zante will not insure for damage to the underside of your vehicle. Make sure you do not take your car hire off-road onto unmade roads unless it is a jeep hire that’s up to the job. If it is only taking your car off road for a few metres, say near a beach, then do so carefully and take your time. Be aware any damage is not likely to be cover with standard car hire.12. Itinerary
All too often visitors hire a car on Zante and then spend the entire day driving around and around in circles. Not only is it a waste of petrol and rather un-green, but it is also a waste of the car hire itself. A little forward planning can make a real difference. It will also get you out of your hire car so you can enjoy Zante to the full. All Zante car hire with Friends of Zante come with a free map and DVD/CD Explorer pack, packed with loads of ideas to make the most out of your car hire. Click here for a great deal on Zante car hire.
This list of car hire tips for
Zante is by no means exhaustive or definitive.Hopefully we have provided you with some extra useful information to make your car hire on Zante that bit more memorable and safe.
Friends of the Ionian are a not for profit company. For the past 17 years we have been working to bring about sustainable development in the Ionian islands of Corfu, Paxos, Lefkas, Ithaca, Kefalonia and Zante, Zakynthos.
We always encourage visitors to use public transport where possible though on Zante car hire to visit some of the remoter villages is essential. Friends of the Ionian offer competitive rates for car hire on Zante with free maps and Information packs included.