Corfu Airport Auto Rental: 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Booking

Corfu rewards the traveller who can transfer on their very own agenda. The island seems small on a map but when you get off the key roads, distances feel longer, buses skinny out, and taxis add up instantly. That is why such a lot of travellers opt for up a car the moment they land at Corfu International Airport Ioannis Kapodistrias.

I even have rented automobiles at Corfu airport for work and vacation trips, in high season and in past due October drizzle. The pattern is all the time the identical. The those who did some homework are on the line in 20 mins. The ones who rushed the booking stand in queues, argue over insurance plan at the desk and realize wonder rates on their card every week later.

If you desire a gentle Corfu airport automobile condominium journey, the gold standard lesson is to recognise wherein others pass unsuitable. The following ten errors are the ones I see quite often at Corfu airport, including what to do alternatively.

1. Assuming “airport car or truck condominium” at all times capacity on-site

Many visitors seek “Corfu airport vehicle rental” or “rent auto Corfu airport” and count on every result is within the terminal. It is not very that clear-cut.

At Corfu, some manufacturers have desks within the arrivals corridor and their automobiles in the airport parking just across the line. Others perform “meet and greet” or travel offerings. You go out arrivals, search for an individual holding a small signal, and ride a minibus to an off website online lot a couple of minutes away.

That is not always horrific. Off website online services is also inexpensive and greater bendy on matters along with mileage or additional drivers. The main issue seems while you be expecting to stroll in your car in five mins and instead lose 40 minutes tracking down a commute in 30 measure warmness after a three hour flight from London.

If you prefer a in actuality on web page Corfu airport rent a automobile option, money fastidiously. Look for transparent wording equivalent to “table inside of terminal” or “on airport”. If the confirmation mentions a shuttle, assembly aspect or “office 400 m from terminal”, build that into your timings. It topics on arrival, and it quite subjects you probably have an early morning departure and want to drop the automobile and still examine in on time.

2. Booking only on expense and ignoring the assurance structure

I nonetheless see humans brag that they came across the “nice car rental Corfu airport” for 12 euros a day in August. That base charge is incomprehensible with out awareness the insurance.

In Greece, basic insurance plan primarily entails 0.33 social gathering liability and a few type of collision injury waiver (CDW) with a top excess. I even have viewed excesses from seven-hundred to one,800 euros for an economy vehicle. If there may be spoil, you pay as much as that quantity until you will have extra canopy.

The standard error are two. First, worker's bypass any more quilt and pass their fingers, then spend their vacation worrying about slim streets in Corfu Town. Second, they purchase an “excess refund” coverage from a broking service web site and do now not understand that the rental organisation will nonetheless block the complete extra on their card at collection.

A intelligent method at Corfu airport motor vehicle condominium counters is to figure out in advance the way you choose to address hazard. Some visitors are cosy with a big deposit as a result of they've got a mighty credits card and knowledge with rental claims. Others sleep more effective with a “0 excess” equipment that prices greater in step with day however shrinks the protection block and economic publicity.

Read the coverage area beforehand you click on “Book”. Compare the money of adding complete disguise from the condominium supplier with a standalone excess coverage from a credible insurer. There is no single appropriate answer, however strolling as much as the table without a plan is the quickest course to tension and expensive upsells.

3. Not checking gas policy and mileage in the past confirming

Corfu airport rental vehicles nearly at all times use the equal couple of gasoline guidelines. The concern is that they look equivalent at a glance, yet settlement very alternative amounts over per week.

“Full to full” manner you go with up the car with a full tank, go back it complete, and simply pay for what you employ. This is routinely the fairest option, enormously when you plan to power across the island.

“Pre buy” or “complete to empty” method you pay for a tank of gasoline at selection and might return it on fumes. It sounds handy yet rarely works to your favour except possible honestly use maximum of the tank and the issuer costs fuel at just about pump prices plus a small expense. Many do not.

Mileage is another quiet lure. Most Corfu motor vehicle condominium companies present unlimited kilometres, which is good for exploring Paleokastritsa, Kassiopi, the south coast and inland villages with no fascinated by distance. A few low price provides hide a in keeping with kilometre rate above a modest every single day decrease.

If your affirmation e-mail is vague or makes use of terms you do now not comprehend, e-mail or message the issuer and ask for readability. You prefer written affirmation of the two fuel coverage and mileage. Verbal reasons at a hectic airport desk are light to misconceive and much more difficult to dispute later.

4. Overlooking riding realities on Corfu when making a choice on auto size

Looking at shiny images, that is tempting to improve to a bigger automotive. More space for baggage, more effective air-con, perchance even an automated for alleviation. On Corfu, the larger the automobile, the extra you need to think ofyou've got wherein you plan to pressure.

The avenue from the airport into Corfu Town is large satisfactory, but as soon as you wander into older districts, roads slender to at least one lane with stone walls on both sides and tight corners around buildings. Some coastal villages and hilltop settlements are even tighter, with parking that slightly matches a compact hatchback.

If you're staying at a lodge on the key east coast highway, a larger motor vehicle may not be a quandary. If your villa is up a steep lane inside the north of the island, a small to medium car with good strength and right turning circle is a far more desirable selection than a cumbersome SUV. I have watched humans spend 15 minutes maneuvering a enormous car or truck out of a lane that used to be simply designed for scooters and donkeys.

For such a lot viewers, the candy spot for Corfu airport car or truck condominium is a small or compact auto, handbook or automated relying on your alleviation. Enough boot house for baggage, yet small adequate to slide into tight parking spaces and meet oncoming traffic with room to respire.

five. Ignoring stories of particular Corfu airport branches

Many visitors do a short assess of the emblem call and stop there. They see a large foreign firm they understand from domestic, count on a ordinary journey, and reserve. In observe, branch fine can vary commonly.

Search specially for the organization identify plus “Corfu airport” and learn the recent evaluations for that situation. Patterns rely more than distinguished lawsuits. If one individual mentions an extended wait time, which could simply be a busy Saturday in August. If 20 individuals throughout 3 months document aggressive damage claims or unexplained expenses, pay interest.

This information applies equally to neighborhood providers. Some small Corfu rent a auto establishments close the airport are just right, with pleasant provider and versatile guidelines. Others lower corners or depend upon technicalities to enhance sales. Reviews in many instances make the difference clean.

A 15 euro change on every week’s condo isn't well worth a foul argument over “pre latest” scratches you were in no way allowed time to report.

6. Not making ready your information and card correctly

One of the dullest trouble, yet I nonetheless watch it unfold in line at the airport every summer season. The paperwork for hiring a motor vehicle in Greece is simple, but there are a number of major particulars.

You ordinarily desire:

1. A valid riding licence that you have held for as a minimum 12 months, at times two, depending at the visitors and car or truck group.
2. For non EU / EEA drivers from detailed countries, an International Driving Permit alongside your place licence. Check this upfront, on the grounds that you cannot gain an IDP whenever you are already in Greece.
3. A credits card within the main motive force’s identify with satisfactory possible decrease to cowl the deposit or excess block.
4. Passport or country wide ID card for identity.

Where folks get caught is with the card. Many Corfu airport motor vehicle rental desks do now not settle for debit playing cards for the safety deposit, only for charge. Others take delivery of them yet best with expensive further insurance plan. Prepaid playing cards are primarily refused outright.

If your affirmation does no longer clearly country that debit cards are prevalent for the deposit, suppose you want a typical credits card with embossed name and numbers. Also ensure that the card limit is high adequate. I watched a couple from Germany turned away for the reason that their modest decrease could not accommodate a 1,500 euro block for the extra plus their hotel’s pre authorisation.

Print or keep your affirmation e mail as a PDF, along with the voucher when you booked through a broking service. Mobile internet at Corfu airport is often tremendous, but a dead battery or roaming problem ought to now not stand among you and your motor vehicle.

7. Chasing “no deposit” affords devoid of examining the small print

The word “Corfu airport vehicle rental no deposit” is desirable, fairly in the event you dislike the proposal of enormous quantities of euros blocked on your card. Genuine low deposit or no deposit recommendations do exist, but the satan sits in the detail.

Usually, when a supplier advertises no deposit, it skill one in all two matters. Either they have developed the probability into a greater day to day rate with crucial full assurance, or they're going to nonetheless maintain a smaller quantity as a fuel or site visitors superb assure. Sometimes the two.

There is nothing incorrect with paying a little greater for the peace of thoughts that comes from now not having 1,000 euros frozen to your card. Just be aware of what you are shopping for. Check:

The correct amount they may retain for your card, if any.

Whether the no deposit provide is tied to a particular coverage package deal. How they address minor break, akin to small scratches or chips.

Compare this to a usual package from any other enterprise that uses a deposit however presents diminish charges. Over a week’s vacation, the overall expense can swing both way. The worst mistake is to publication at the power of “no deposit” alone after which observe a long list of exclusions and further fees for those who attain the table.

8. Skipping the inspection and image regimen at pickup

You are worn out, the queue has been gradual, and the seaside is asking. The agent facets to the auto, you sign the style, throw your baggage inside the boot and force off. That 5 minute shortcut can payment dearly if there may be current break that by no means made it onto the document.

At Corfu airport, in which dozens of autos rotate between renters each and every week in summer, small bumps and scrapes are pursuits. Most enterprises are honest about this and mark everything they be aware of. Some should not thorough, incredibly at height times.

Treat your inspection as component of the apartment, no longer a nuisance. Walk round the car, payment each and every panel, the wheels, and the entrance and rear bumpers notably. Pay cognizance to:

Small scratches and dents.

Alloy wheel scuffs and hubcap harm. Chips or cracks within the windscreen. Any hurt at the roof if you happen to are tall adequate or can see from an perspective.

Photograph all the pieces, even matters which are already marked. Capture the car from every single corner, the odometer interpreting, and the gas gauge. Time stamped photos in your cellphone create a report this is demanding to argue with later.

Encourage the workers member so as to add any missing marks to the kind formerly you sign. If they seem to be reluctant, stay well mannered yet company. A jiffy right here is price some distance greater than an offended email replace after you come back dwelling.

nine. Forgetting to plan parking and access at your accommodation

Corfu airport vehicle rental is the straightforward piece. The harder element, quite in height season, is residing with the automobile when you attain your lodging.

Many outdated villages and a few ingredients of Corfu Town have very confined parking. Some beachfront motels have non-public thousands, others be counted fully on public areas that fill up rapidly in July and August. Steep personal driveways are popular for villas, mostly with awkward angles and loose gravel.

Before you booklet, ask your lodging approximately parking in designated, real looking phrases. Do no longer accept “parking plausible”. Ask no matter if it's miles inner most or public, what number of areas they've got, how tight the get entry to is, and whether larger vehicles in shape conveniently.

This may want to outcome now not handiest your preference of condo car size, as said previously, but also even if you even want a automobile in your finished continue to be. For instance, while you are spending 3 nights in Corfu Town after which per week in a north coast village, you can actually do superior to spend the 1st area strolling and taxis, then manage a Corfu airport automobile condo opening on the day you go away metropolis.

Thinking in segments like this may store funds, parking headaches and the stress of threading a car due to the town’s one method approach when you are still jet lagged.

10. Returning the automobile in a hurry and neglecting the basics

long term car rental CFU

I actually have lost rely of what percentage disputes leap at drop off for the reason that the renter is hurrying to trap a flight. When you are speeding, you forget gas, you park wherein you aren't imagined to, or you quit keys with out checking the remaining bureaucracy.

Give yourself a right kind buffer for return. If your flight is at thirteen:00, do not plan to roll into the auto park at eleven:forty five, particularly once you rented off website and desire a go back and forth trip lower back to the terminal.

At go back, intention to:

1. Refill the tank at a station on the brink of the airport if you are on a full to complete coverage. Keep the receipt. There are quite a few petrol stations within a short force, but a few could be busy.
2. Remove all individual goods from the auto, such as door wallet and beneath seats.
3. Walk round the auto with the agent the place you can actually and ask them to be sure in writing that the auto is returned without new ruin and with a full tank if appropriate.
4. Take final portraits, including the gas gauge and odometer.

If it's worthwhile to use a key drop box on account that you might be returning outside administrative center hours, photos and a quick video walkaround come to be even extra very good. Corfu airport appoint a motor vehicle prone more often than not maintain those returns surprisingly, yet a clear visible listing protects you in case a new dent seems at the inspection sheet later.

A quick pre reserving checklist

Used neatly, a auto turns Corfu into a flexible, smooth island to discover. Used badly, it becomes a thread of anxiety operating by your excursion. Before you commit to any airport automobile hire Corfu deal, run with the aid of this short listing.

1. Verify if the organization is on airport or off website with a commute, and the way that affects your timings.
2. Read contemporary reports above all for the Corfu airport branch, no longer just the brand.
3. Compare entire price, consisting of coverage, gasoline coverage and any mileage limits, now not just the base on a daily basis charge.
4. Check parking and entry at your accommodation and judge car size therefore.
5. Confirm what playing cards and files you want and even if any “no deposit” supply has restrictive stipulations.

Handled with this point of concentration, Corfu airport rental vehicles feel less like a bet and more like a good controlled instrument in your outing.

Final ideas from the queue at Corfu airport

If you spend 30 minutes inside the arrivals corridor on a busy afternoon, you can actually well-nigh predict who will breeze with the aid of and who will finally end up annoyed. The ones with printed confirmations, transparent judgements on coverage and reasonable expectations about the auto and the island have a tendency to leave smiling. The ones who booked on value by myself and did not learn a observe of the terms are the ones arguing on the table.

Corfu auto apartment does not ought to be challenging. It is quickly a topic of matching the fact on the flooring together with your very own tolerance for danger, funds and using confidence. Look beyond headline prices, be aware of how insurance plan and deposits work, prefer the good length of motor vehicle for Corfu’s roads, and provide your self time at equally pickup and go back.

Do that, and your rent a car or truck at Corfu airport turns into what it need to be: an light gateway to mountain villages, quiet shorelines and late dinners in small tavernas, to your very own clock instead of any person else’s.