If you are planning on driving in Greece, you can examine and plan your routes ahead of time using Google Maps, which will generate detailed directions for many routes throughout Greece.
Here is a link to a driving route from Athens to Corfu (Kerkyra). I generated this by selecting Athens International Airport as my starting point. Google generated several alternate locations for that spot, and I had to re-select Athens International Airport from the list which appeared. As it happened, it was the last entry on the list, after various hotels, car rental agencies, and other outfits with locations at or near the airport.
I then selected Corfu-Kerkyra, selected "Directions" and hit enter. Google then provided three routes, with different timings, to choose from. The route then appeared in a reassuring thick blue line. In this example, that's reasonably accurate as the roads are relatively good between Athens and Corfu. Google estimates that it will take 8 hours and 18 minutes for the quickest, shortest route of 524 kilometers. The two other routes are both estimated to take 8 hours and 48 minutes, even for the longest-in-distance route said to be 697 kilometers. I'm cautious on that one - it seems like covering 173 extra kilometers in 30 minutes is pushing things quite a bit.
The first instruction assumes that, having just landed in Greece, you are now fully oriented to the compass and instructs the driver to "Head southwest" from the airport. Google notes that sections of the road are "partial toll roads" but does not provide the tolls, understandably enough, and does not seem to allow extra time for passing through the booths.
At one point in the directions, Google's instructions go a bit vague, understandable in any automated system but still a challenge for a driver left without street names or landmarks to check for a number of miles.
" 11. Turn right
9.6 km
12. Turn left
1.4 km
13. Take the 1st left
4.7 km
14. Turn right
It is also vague on how one is crossing at Rion - by the Rio-Antirion Bridge (with its heavy toll for cars, 12 Euro or more) or by the cheaper ferry (about 6 Euro). The instructions do include an estimate of gas costs (82.95 Euros at this visit) which are useful for basic comparison purposes, but of course cannot be used as a perfect predictor of gas costs at the time of your visit.
At Igoumenitsa, the instructions also assume that the ferry to Patras will be waiting for you as the last car to board and omits the ferry fare.
Overall, this is a very handy way to calculate routes in Greece. For any car trip in Greece, I recommend:
- Have a good, detailed map of Greece with you in the car. The one given out by the GNTO office at Athens International Airport will help in a pinch, but ideally, stop at one of the newsstands and get as big and detailed a map as you can find - this will probably cost you 8-10 Euros, and if you do go at all astray, it will save you much more than that in gas, anxiety, and time.
- Add two hours to the time. This will include a break for lunch, a stop for gas, and getting mildly lost at some point. It does not include waiting time for the ferry.
- Optional but advised - bring one of those small half-ball car compasses with you. It's a handy way of double-checking yourself.
- Optional but helpful - bring a CD or two or buy one at the Metropolis shop at the arrivals area of the airport. I am convinced that Greek music helps you to drive on Greek roads.
- Optional but advised - Have a cell phone with you. Ideally, pick up a pay-as-you-go cell phone at the airport to use while you're in Greece. Not everyone in Greece will want to call an international long distance number, and a local phone solves that.
- Optional but fun - At the airport, buy a keychain amulet with blue eye beads. It can't hurt, and may make you look slightly less like a fresh-off-the-plane tourist. And it will be a wonderful reminder of your road trip in Greece.
