What to prepare for your trip to Greece by car

Greece sits just across the border from Bulgaria, and for many visitors renting a car in Sofia, a beach holiday on the Aegean coast is only a few hours away. Whether the plan is a family trip or a quiet getaway for two, a little preparation goes a long way.

This guide is part of a wider series on driving abroad from Bulgaria, and looks at route planning, the current border situation, tolls and a few practical tips for driving in Greece.

The route is well travelled throughout the year, and border formalities are now considerably simpler than they were only a few years ago, which makes a self drive trip more appealing than it might once have seemed.

Planning Your Route and Using GPS in Greece

Relying on a GPS app to find the way is normal practice these days, but it pays to know the general route in advance rather than trusting the app completely.

Mobile data coverage in Greece can be patchy in rural areas and on some of the islands, so download the map data for your route in the app you plan to use before you set off, so it remains available offline.

It is also worth remembering that navigation data is not always fully up to date, particularly around roadworks or newly opened motorway sections, so keep an eye on road signs even when the app tells you otherwise.

Keeping a screenshot of the planned route as a backup is also worth doing, particularly for mountain sections where signal can drop out for several kilometres at a time.

If you plan to explore beyond the mainland, remember that GPS apps sometimes struggle with ferry schedules and island road numbering, so cross check any island route with a recent map before relying on turn by turn directions alone.

Crossing the Border into Greece

Bulgaria and Greece have both been full Schengen members for some time, and since January 2025 routine checks at their shared land border have been removed entirely. Crossings such as Kulata-Promachonas, the main route toward Thessaloniki, now operate without the queues and passport stops of a few years ago.

A small number of ad hoc checks may still take place close to the border as part of standard Schengen security measures, but these are occasional rather than routine, and most travellers pass through without being stopped at all.

Most EU citizens can cross with either a passport or a national identity card. Visitors from outside the EU should check their own nationality requirements, since visa rules and passport validity periods vary and are not affected by the Schengen changes between Bulgaria and Greece.

If you plan to drive, your national driving licence is normally sufficient if you hold an EU, UK, US, Canadian or Australian licence. Other nationalities typically need an International Driving Permit alongside their national licence, so check what applies to you before you travel.

Tolls and Road Conditions in Greece

Several of the main Greek motorways charge tolls, collected at staffed booths where you can pay by cash or card. Card payment is now widely accepted, though it is still sensible to carry some cash in case a particular lane or booth is card only or out of service.

Regular visitors sometimes fit an electronic tag that opens dedicated lanes at the busier toll plazas, which can save time during the peak summer months, though it is not something most short term visitors need to arrange.

It is possible to avoid some tolled sections by taking an alternative route, but in most cases this is not worth it, since the free roads tend to be slower and lower quality than the equivalent motorway.

Driving on the main Greek highways is generally straightforward. The roads on some of the more popular islands and older town centres are a different matter, with narrow streets and limited parking that call for a more careful approach.

Fuel stations are widely available along the main routes, though prices can vary noticeably between motorway services and towns just off the highway.

Thessaloniki and the Coast Beyond the Border

Thessaloniki, roughly 230 kilometres from Sofia and around two and a half hours by motorway through the Kulata-Promachonas crossing, is the natural first stop for most visitors driving south. As the second largest city in Greece, it sits directly on the main route from Bulgaria.

The city itself has a long promenade along the Thermaic Gulf, lined with cafes and restaurants, which makes for an easy first evening before continuing further along the coast the next morning.

From Thessaloniki, the beaches of Halkidiki and the coastal area beneath Mount Olympus are both within easy reach, which makes the city a practical base for a first night before continuing to the coast.

Further south toward Athens and the Peloponnese, driving times increase considerably, so it is worth allowing an extra day if your route continues well beyond Thessaloniki and the immediate coast.

If your trip continues to Turkey afterward, or you are combining several Balkan destinations in one route, our guide to driving to Turkey covers the practicalities for that leg of the journey.

Renting and Driving to Greece with SpeedyCars

Because Greece is so close, a holiday car rental in Bulgaria usually costs less than arranging one locally, and SpeedyCars can prepare the car for cross border use in advance.

When travelling abroad with a rental car, keep these documents ready for the crossing:

• Driving licence: your national licence, plus an International Driving Permit if required for your nationality;
• Green card: confirms valid motor insurance for the vehicle outside Bulgaria;
• Power of attorney: a signed authorisation letter permitting you to drive the rental car in Greece.

These requirements do not apply to every country, so confirm what your route needs when you book.

For families heading to the coast, a rental car such as the Volkswagen Golf SW offers extra boot space for luggage and beach gear at a lower running cost than a larger vehicle.

Our FAQ page and guide to rental documents cover the paperwork in detail, and full pricing is available before you book.

If you would rather skip the driving, our transfer service is also worth a look, and our guide to planning a family holiday by the sea has more ideas.