Motorbike, quad and scooter hire for getting around Aegina, Aegina

Getting around Aegina, honestly

There is one detail the guidebooks skip that really defines the Aegina experience: the island buses are fine, but they are slow and they limit you a lot. There are three lines (north, east and west), they run every one to two hours, and the last one back is at 20:30. For a day trip from Athens that is enough; for two days or more, the thing that changes the trip is hiring a motorbike, scooter or quad. It is the cheapest option, the fastest, and frankly the most fun.

Aegina has roads with almost no traffic once you leave the port, short distances (the island is 15 km north to south, 11 km east to west) and nearly every point of interest pays off on two wheels: the beaches at Marathonas and Portes, the Temple of Aphaia, Agios Nektarios, the pistachio farms inland. It all sits within 20 to 25 km of the port.

What you can hire, and real prices

The agencies cluster along the northern seafront of the port (to your right as you step off the ferry). There are six to eight visible businesses, similar in price and quality. The best known: Aegina Rentals, Sklavenas, Trohokinisi. All of them work without a booking except in August, when it is worth emailing ahead.

Rough rates in shoulder season (June, September):

50cc scooter: 15-20€/day. No motorbike licence needed (a car licence is enough). Ideal for a couple without heavy luggage.
125cc scooter: 25-30€/day. Requires an A1 or A2 licence. More speed for longer distances.
250cc quad: 35-50€/day. Fits two people, comfortable on tarmac, not off-road. A good plan if you are travelling with a baby and a pile of kit.
Small car (Aygo, Picanto): 35-45€/day. The option for three or four people, or for rain.
Bicycle (electric): 12-18€/day. A growing alternative, especially in September when the heat eases off.

In August prices go up by 30-40%. The deposit is usually 100€ on a card (returned when you hand the vehicle back) and the original licence (not a photo) is essential.

Travelling in August, or would you rather lock the vehicle in? In high season the port agencies run out of stock by mid-morning, and that is exactly the moment when it stings most to have crossed by ferry only to end up on foot. Two ways to arrive with the booking already made: book a motorbike, scooter or quad in advance, which compares the island’s own local agencies and fixes the price, or compare cars and quads on Aegina from 31€/day with pick-up at the port. Outside high season, simply turning up at the counter still works well and is sometimes a bit cheaper.

The real pain points

Helmet: compulsory by law. The agency gives you one. Wear it, the Greek police fine people regularly and there are random checks here.
Licence: a standard car licence (category B) covers a 50cc scooter. For 125cc or more you need an A licence or equivalent. If you are hiring on a non-EU licence, bring an International Driving Permit as well: agencies do ask for it.
Minimum age: 19 at most agencies. 21 at some for quads and cars.
Insurance: third party is included. Damage cover for your own vehicle is a separate charge (10-15€/day). Without the extra cover, every scratch comes out of the deposit.
Petrol: return the tank as you got it (full to full, or low to low). There are three petrol stations on the island, and the ones by the port close at 21:00.
Roads: generally well surfaced. Secondary stretches in the south (Portes, Mount Oros) have the odd pothole. Gentle bends, no dangerous sections.
Rain: when it rains the road gets genuinely slippery from built-up oil. Switch to a car (compare cars on Aegina).
Parking: free everywhere except at the port at peak times (checks from 18:00 to 22:00, when the big ferries leave).
Children on a motorbike: under-12s are banned by law. For families with young children, hire a quad or a car.

The perfect day on two wheels

We recommend a one-day circuit leaving the port at 10:00:

10:00-11:30: Port to Agios Nektarios to Paleochora (one-hour stop).
11:30-13:00: On to the Temple of Aphaia (one-hour stop).
13:00-15:30: Down to Agia Marina, lunch in a taverna on the seafront, a swim.
15:30-17:00: Panoramic road along the east coast to the Chrysoleontissa monastery (views inland).
17:00-18:30: Inland villages, a stop at a pistachio farm to buy some.
18:30-19:30: Arrive in Perdika for a fish dinner on the marina.
20:00: Back to the port.

130 km, nine hours, 8-10€ of petrol. It is the best way not to miss anything on Aegina in a single day.

Do not fancy driving? Alternatives

Not everyone wants to get on a motorbike on holiday, and that is perfectly fair. Three ways to get around Aegina without touching the handlebars:

Car hire with free cancellation: the option for families, rainy days, or if there are three or four of you. Compare car and quad prices on Aegina (pick-up at the port).
Guided tour with pick-up: the Aegina day trip from Athens with a pistachio farm takes you to the key spots without you having to drive or organise anything.
Private transfer: if all you need is to get from the port to your hotel or to one particular beach, a transfer with a driver works out well for groups and saves the wait for the bus.