Bus from €2 · ATV from €25/day
Only ~40 taxis island-wide
Two things to sort before anything else: pre-book your arrival transfer — taxis are too limited to rely on — and match your main transport to your group. Families with luggage lean toward a rental car or private transfer; couples and adventurous travellers do best on an ATV or quad (from ~€25/day self-drive, or ~€75pp for a guided tour with hotel pickup). Solo budget travellers can manage fine on the KTEL bus plus a rented scooter or a single quad day.
The south island — Perissa, Emporio, Megalochori, Vlychada, Akrotiri — is the area where the bus falls short. All KTEL routes hub through Fira, so any village-to-village trip means a change and extra time. That's where an ATV, quad, buggy or car wins. For the caldera towns (Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia), the bus is perfectly functional and much cheaper.
Six criteria — with the plain-language answer for each option.
| What matters | ATV / Quad | Car | KTEL Bus | Taxi / Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | €25–€65/day self-drive; €65–€95pp guided | €25–€70/day depending on season | €2.00–€2.80 per ride | €20–€45 per trip (fixed fares) |
| Comfort & weather | Open-air, windy, dusty — no AC | Air-conditioned, weatherproof | Air-conditioned coaches | Comfortable — depends on vehicle |
| South-island access | Yes — freely and easily | Yes, but hard parking in peak | Poorly — all routes hub through Fira | Yes, but expensive for touring |
| Parking | Easiest — fits almost anywhere | Hard in Fira and Oia in peak season | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Luggage | Minimal — no large bags | Best for families and luggage | Fine, but route-limited | Good for airport/port transfers |
| Best for | Couples, adventurers, one free day | Families, luggage, August heat | Tight budgets, caldera towns only | Arrival/departure, not touring |
Short version: adventure + south island → ATV or buggy; families + luggage → car; caldera towns on a budget → bus; arrival day → pre-booked transfer. Most visitors combine a car or bus with one ATV or buggy day. See our full ATV vs car vs bus comparison for more detail.
The honest picture on buses, cars, scooters, taxis and walking — so you can plan the right mix for your trip.
The table gives the quick read. Here's the fuller picture on each option — what the marketing doesn't always tell you.
Modern, air-conditioned coaches running year-round (more frequently June–September). Single fares: €2.00–€2.20 for shorter routes (Oia, Kamari, Airport); €2.50–€2.70 for longer southern routes and the port. No day passes — pay cash per leg, on the bus. The catch: every route starts and ends in Fira. A trip from Oia to Kamari means two buses and a change. The post-sunset Oia→Fira bus is chronically oversubscribed.
Air-conditioned, luggage-friendly and the most practical for families. Expect €20–€42/day in shoulder season, €55–€70/day in August (automatics sell out first). Non-EU visitors generally no longer need an IDP for a car since 2021 (Greek Law 4850), though carrying one is still advised. The weakness: parking. Fira and Oia centres are pedestrian — you park at the edge and walk in. In peak season, spots fill hours before the Oia sunset.
50cc mopeds run €15–€30/day; 125cc scooters €20–€45/day. Nimble and easy to park, but Santorini's narrow, dusty roads have a poor safety record for scooters — long-time visitors repeatedly flag them as disproportionately involved in accidents. Helmets are legally mandatory. A 50cc needs at least an AM licence; a 125cc requires an A1 motorcycle licence, so if you hold only a car licence, your legal two-wheeler option is a 50cc moped (where permitted).
Santorini's notorious weak spot: only about 40 licensed taxis for roughly 3.4 million annual visitors. Don't count on hailing one — use taxi ranks (Fira central square, Oia bus station, airport, ports) or call ahead (+30 22860 22555). Typical fares: Airport→Fira €20–€25; Airport→Oia €30–€40; Fira→Oia €25–€35; Athinios port→Fira ~€35. Strict four-passenger limit. Uber dispatches licensed taxis only. Treat taxis as arrival/departure transfers, not as touring transport.
Connects the Old Port to Fira in about three minutes, rising 220 m up the caldera cliff. In 2026: €10 one-way adults, €5 for children 6–12, under-6 free, €5 per luggage item. Peak-summer hours ~06:30–23:00. When multiple cruise ships tender at the Old Port, queues can hit 30–60 minutes. Strong Meltemi winds can close it. The alternative is the 588-step zigzag path (free; hard work going up). Donkey rides are still offered but strongly discouraged on animal-welfare grounds.
The caldera-rim towns — Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia — are largely pedestrian and very walkable. Walking between Fira and Imerovigli is often faster than waiting for a bus. The Fira–Oia caldera hike (10.5 km, 2.5–5 hours, moderate) is one of the island's best experiences: start early (no shade on the back half), carry 2+ litres of water, and wear proper shoes. Smart logistics: bus to the start point, hike toward your hotel.
The easiest way to do the ATV day — training, hotel pickup, wine stop and guide all included. Check live dates on the right.
Why we recommend it: if the ATV is your pick for exploring Santorini, this guided tour is the most hassle-free version — no rental admin, no route planning, no parking to find. The highest-reviewed ATV tour on the island (4.9 from 200+ reviews), running in small groups on 450/550cc quads. Read our full review.
You ride the south-island loop from Perissa: Emporio's Venetian Kasteli, the Megalochori vineyards with a wine-cellar tasting, a caldera viewpoint, a hidden cave chapel and an off-road descent to Vlychada. Guides named in reviews for keeping nervous riders relaxed. A photographer follows the group and shares pictures after.
Morning and late-afternoon departures available. Check live dates and book on the right. For self-drive rental, see our ATV rental guide.
Why pre-booking beats walk-up taxis every time — and what to expect at Athinios port specifically.
With only ~40 taxis serving the whole island, walk-up arrivals at the airport can wait 60–90 minutes at peak times. Private transfers are the smart call: a driver meets you at arrivals with your name, monitors your flight or ferry, and handles your luggage. The cost — €35–€60 from the airport or port to Fira or Oia for a sedan, more for vans — is worth it on arrival day.
Shared shuttle services cost roughly €15–€25 per person and run on a fixed schedule. Slower than a private transfer (multiple stops) but significantly cheaper. A good option for budget travellers who don't have a lot of luggage and can wait for other passengers to be dropped off.
The ferry port sits at the bottom of steep switchback cliffs with no town and essentially no services. A KTEL bus meets each ferry to Fira (€2.50–€2.70) but fills fast with the entire ferry's passengers and luggage. A pre-booked transfer eliminates that scramble entirely and is the single most important booking to make before you arrive.
Guided ATV tours include hotel pickup but do NOT collect from the airport or Athinios port. Sort your arrival transfer separately — get to your hotel first, then join the tour from there the next morning.
Book a Santorini airport or port transfer:
No scheduled water-taxi network — but the caldera's best experiences are only reachable by boat.
There's no public water-taxi for everyday transport in Santorini. Sea travel is dominated by boat tours: caïque and catamaran trips to the Nea Kameni volcano and the Palea Kameni hot springs, and to beaches only reachable from the water. These depart mainly from the Old Port below Fira, Ammoudi Bay below Oia, and Vlychada Marina. A classic volcano and hot springs half-day runs about €30–€37 per person. A sunset catamaran cruise with BBQ and drinks is one of the island's most popular evening experiences — booking ahead is strongly recommended in peak season.
Book a Santorini catamaran cruise or sunset sailing:
The option that makes sense for your group, your budget and the season.
Two thresholds change the recommendation: in July–August, weight your choice toward a car or private driver (heat, parking and crowds punish open-air two-wheelers and buses); and if your group is three or four adults with luggage, a car beats an ATV on capacity and comfort. A note on prices: fares and rental rates are highly seasonal — treat the figures in this guide as indicative and confirm at the time of booking.
The KTEL bus is perfectly functional for caldera towns and genuinely cheap. Add one day on a rented ATV, scooter or quad to see the south island — this covers the island's highlights without a big daily spend.
The sweet spot on Santorini. From ~€25/day self-drive (or ~€75pp guided with hotel pickup and training), an ATV or buggy is more fun, easier to park and covers more ground than the bus. Do the south-island loop; it'll be a trip highlight.
The safe, air-conditioned all-rounder. Rent a car for the flexibility and luggage space, and pre-book transfers for arrival and departure. Add a boat tour for the caldera — the caldera looks different from water level than from the villages above.
Take the cable car up from the Old Port to Fira (€10, ~3 minutes), then either the bus to Oia or a half-day guided ATV tour that departs from and returns to Fira. Pre-book the ATV — cruise-day spots sell out.
Buses, taxis, cable car, transfers and the ATV option — what visitors ask most.
It depends on your group. An ATV or quad is the most fun, easiest to park and reaches the south island freely — the best pick for couples and confident solo travellers. A car is the safest, air-conditioned option for families and luggage. The KTEL bus is cheapest at €2–€2.80 per ride but hubs through Fira. Most visitors combine one main transport with a guided ATV or buggy day. See our full ATV vs car vs bus comparison.
No. Santorini runs only the KTEL public bus network — hub-and-spoke routes from Fira, not a tourist sightseeing circuit. There is no hop-on hop-off bus on the island. For flexible touring across the caldera towns and the south island, most visitors use a rented ATV, quad, buggy or car.
Around 40 licensed taxis serve the whole island — a tiny number against roughly 3.4 million annual visitors. Don't count on hailing one. Use the taxi ranks at Fira central square, Oia bus station, the airport or the ports, or call central dispatch (+30 22860 22555). Pre-booked private transfers are the reliable alternative for airport and port arrivals.
In 2026 it costs €10 one-way for adults, €5 for children aged 6–12 (under-6 free), and €5 per luggage item. Peak-summer hours run roughly 06:30–23:00. When multiple cruise ships are in port, queues can hit 30–60 minutes. Strong Meltemi winds can close it. The free alternative is the 588-step zigzag path up the cliff.
No. Most visitors manage without one. The KTEL bus covers the main caldera towns and major beaches; an ATV, buggy or guided tour handles the south island and back roads. A car is most useful for families with luggage, the July–August heat, or if you're staying in quieter villages like Akrotiri or Pyrgos that the bus doesn't serve well.
Athinios port sits at the bottom of steep switchback cliffs. A KTEL bus meets every ferry to Fira (€2.50–€2.70) but fills fast when a whole ferry's passengers board at once. Pre-booking a private transfer eliminates the scramble — sedan transfers to Fira or Oia run about €35–€45. Walk-up taxis at the port are too scarce to rely on.
Yes. Many visitors use the KTEL bus for Fira, Oia, Kamari, Perissa and airport or port connections, then add one guided ATV, quad, buggy or boat-tour day for places the bus serves poorly. A car is most useful for families, luggage, August heat, or stays outside the main transport corridors.
Once you've sorted how to get around, these are the experiences most visitors add to their itinerary.
Santorini's most memorable days usually combine two experiences: a morning on an ATV riding the south-island loop through Perissa, Emporio and the Megalochori vineyards, and an evening on a catamaran sunset cruise around the caldera — watching the famous Oia sunset from the water rather than the crowded clifftop. Many visitors also add a guided wine-tasting tour at one of the island's volcanic-soil wineries, a boat trip to the Nea Kameni volcano and the hot springs at Palea Kameni, or a private tour to combine Akrotiri's Minoan ruins with the Red Beach. Browse what else is available:
Self-drive rental
Want to explore at your own pace? Our full rental guide covers vehicle types, engine sizes, hotel delivery, what you need and how to book.
Full ATV, quad & buggy rental guide Read the guide
Detailed comparison
Still deciding? Our full side-by-side comparison covers price, comfort, parking, south-island access and the honest recommendation for your trip type.
Full transport comparison guide Read the comparison
For couples
Side-by-side seats, a roll cage and a local tour leader — the stable, photo-friendly upgrade for two on the south-island loop.
Featured: Santorini Buggy Highlights Tour · ★ 5.0 · 3.5 hours Check availability
Top-rated guided ATV tour
The island's highest-rated ATV tour — small groups on 450/550cc machines with hotel pickup, wine stop, training and a guide-photographer.
Featured: Santorini: ATV-Quad Experience Tour · ★ 4.9 (200+ reviews) Check availability