Ferry Take a Santorini rental on the ferry vs picking up locally on Anafi. Vehicle ferry fares, loading queues at Athinios, which operators carry cars. On the surface, renting a car on Santorini (JTR) and taking it on the ferry to Anafi seems like a savvy travel hack. Santorini has dozens of rental agencies, competitive pricing, and a massive selection of vehicles. The logic follows that you could secure a cheaper or better car there and simply bring it with you. However, this plan almost always backfires. When you factor in the high cost of ferry transport for a vehicle, strict insurance limitations, and logistical hassles, the initial savings are quickly erased. For nearly every traveler, renting locally on Anafi is the smarter, cheaper, and safer choice. The single biggest reason to avoid this plan is the cost. The money you save on a lower daily rental rate in Santorini is immediately consumed by the expensive round-trip ferry ticket for your vehicle. A 4-day cost comparison in peak season makes the financial reality clear. Cost Item Santorini Rental Anafi Local Rental Vehicle Rental (4 days) €240 (€60/day) €200 (€50/day) Round-Trip Ferry (Car + Driver) ~€100 Round-Trip Ferry (Foot Passenger) ~€18 Port Transfer Time (Athinios) 90 mins early arrival 15 mins walk Total Estimated Cost ~€340 ~€218 As the numbers demonstrate, renting directly on Anafi saves you over €122 and eliminates significant logistical hassle. You travel to Anafi as a foot passenger for just €9 each way and pick up your vehicle upon arrival at Agios Nikolaos port. ⚠️ Warning: Most Santorini rental contracts prohibit taking the vehicle off the island. Driving onto the Anafi ferry without written permission voids your Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) entirely. Only specific ferry operators accommodate vehicles on the Santorini-Anafi route. Attempting to board a foot-passenger-only ferry with a car will result in being turned away at Athinios port. Ferry Operator Car Transport Passenger Type Approx. Crossing Time Blue Star Ferries Yes Vehicle & Foot Passengers 1.5 - 2 hours SeaJets No Foot Passengers Only ~1 hour Zante Ferries Yes Vehicle & Foot Passengers 2.5 - 3 hours If you bring a car, Blue Star Ferries is the primary option. Loading a vehicle at Santorini's chaotic Athinios port requires arriving at least 90 minutes before departure in high season to navigate the long vehicle queues. This strict timeline adds considerable stress to a short island hop. The vast majority of car rental agreements in Santorini explicitly forbid taking the vehicle to another island without prior written authorization. This geographic restriction is a standard contractual obligation. If you ignore this rule and have an accident on Anafi—or even on the ferry itself—your insurance coverage becomes null and void. You would be personally liable for the full cost of repairs or replacement of the vehicle, which could amount to thousands of euros. Securing written permission is often difficult and may come with an additional daily surcharge that further erodes any potential savings. 🚗 Local insight: Only Blue Star Ferries and Zante Ferries carry vehicles to Anafi. SeaJets is strictly foot-passenger only. Showing up with a rental car at the wrong ferry terminal means a ruined itinerary. Travelers sometimes wonder if they can rent a car in Santorini and drop it off in Anafi. Major international brands like Hertz, Avis, and Sixt have no physical presence, offices, or representatives on Anafi. The required rental infrastructure simply does not exist on the island. Any car you rent on Santorini “must” be returned to Santorini, locking you into a round-trip vehicle transport fare and eliminating any flexibility. Rental Brand Santorini Presence Anafi Drop-off Nearest Anafi Return Hertz JTR Airport & Athinios No Santorini (JTR) Avis JTR Airport & Fira No Santorini (JTR) Sixt JTR Airport & Kamari No Santorini (JTR) Manos Rent a Car-Moto Anafi (Agios Nikolaos) Yes Anafi There are very few niche scenarios where taking a car from Santorini makes logistical sense. These apply almost exclusively to complex, extended travel plans. Very Short Trip (1 Night): If you are only staying one night, some local Anafi operators may enforce a 2 or 3-day minimum rental period. In this rare case, a one-day Santorini rental plus the ferry cost might be evaluated. Multi-Island Tour: If your itinerary involves taking the same car from Santorini to Anafi, then onward to Ios or Naxos via vehicle-friendly ferry connections, keeping the same car provides continuity. For over 95% of visitors, these exceptions do not apply. The most efficient and stress-free way to have a vehicle on Anafi is to separate your travel from your rental. Book your ferry ticket from Santorini to Anafi as a foot passenger. Upon arrival, secure your pre-booked car via port pickup at Agios Nikolaos. This method saves you over €100 and ensures you have a vehicle fully insured for the island's unique road conditions. 💡 Tip: Travel as a foot passenger from Santorini (€9 each way) and rent locally on Anafi. You save over €120 on a 4-day trip and completely avoid the chaos of loading a car at Athinios port. Compare Car Rental Deals