Getting around Corfu takes more planning than most people expect. The island is bigger than it looks on the map, the roads are slow, and the best beaches and villages are spread out between the mountains and the sea. There is no single right answer. It depends on where you are staying, how much you want to see and how much of your day you are willing to spend waiting. Here is what each option actually gets you, from our office in Roda in the north of the island.
The Bus Network
Corfu has two separate bus systems, and the difference confuses many first-time visitors.
- Blue buses cover Corfu Town and the nearby suburbs and villages, including Kanoni, Gouvia and the Achilleion area. They are frequent, cheap and genuinely useful if you are staying in or near town.
- Green buses are the long-distance network. They run from the terminal in Corfu Town out to resorts and villages such as Paleokastritsa, Sidari, Kassiopi and Glyfada.
The catch with the green network is that it radiates from Corfu Town. Getting from one coastal village to another often means going into the terminal and out again, which can turn a twenty-minute drive into most of a morning. Services also drop sharply outside the peak season and on Sundays.
Best for: travelling on a budget, staying near Corfu Town, and single day trips to the big destinations.
Taxis
Taxis are easy to find in Corfu Town, at the airport and port, and in the larger resorts. They are simple for short hops and evenings out. Longer journeys add up quickly, and outside the main centres you usually cannot hail one on the street. You need to phone, or ask a hotel or taverna to call one. Getting back from a remote beach late in the day is where people most often get stuck, so arrange your return before you set off.
Best for: short distances, evenings out, and airport runs if you are travelling light and staying close.
Private Transfers
A pre-booked transfer is a fixed price for a set journey, usually from the airport or port to your accommodation, with a driver waiting for you. The value is not really the vehicle. It is not having to negotiate anything after a flight, knowing the price in advance and having a vehicle big enough for your luggage and group.
Our private transfers run 24 hours a day to hotels all over the island, with the driver waiting with a name board. There is no extra charge if your flight or ship is late. We also have wheelchair-accessible minivans and minibuses; tell us your needs when you book.
Best for: arrivals and departures, groups with luggage, late flights and remote accommodation.
Car Hire in Corfu
A rental car is the only option that gives you the whole island. The places that make Corfu worth coming back to are mostly not served, or badly served, by buses. Think of the coves below Paleokastritsa, the dunes on the south coast, the bays of the northeast and the mountain villages. The trade-offs are real, though. Parking in Corfu Town is difficult in season, the mountain and coastal roads are narrow and steep, and the vehicle is your responsibility for the whole rental.
Choosing the right car
Smaller is better on Corfu’s roads. Here is how our rental fleet breaks down. Models are examples of each group and may vary.
- Group A (compact): Hyundai i10 manual, or the Hyundai i10 Automatic if you do not want to deal with a clutch on mountain hills. Ideal for couples and village parking.
- Group B and C (hatchback): Hyundai i20, the economical Opel Corsa Diesel and the larger Hyundai i30. Good all-rounders for longer drives.
- Open-top fun: the Suzuki Jimny open top, a four-seater manual, for mountain roads and sea breezes.
- Families and groups: the 7-seat Fiat Doblo and the 9-seat Fiat Scudo Diesel.
Ask us about insurance cover, delivery and the documents you need when you book. Terms depend on the vehicle and the season, and we would rather explain them clearly than put a vague promise here.
Driving tips from locals
- Allow more time than your maps app says. Bends, villages and tractors slow everything down.
- On narrow mountain roads, the uphill driver usually has priority. Use your horn before blind bends.
- Fill up before you head into the mountains. Petrol stations are rare in the interior and some close on Sundays.
- Avoid driving into the heart of Corfu Town in summer. Park on the edge and walk.
- Rental cars from Corfu cannot be taken to Albania on the Corfu–Saranda ferry, so go as a foot passenger. See our Corfu to Albania day trip guide.
Planning a Day with the Car
If you only have the car for a day, this loop from the north of the island shows the variety of Corfu:
- Morning: Paleokastritsa. Arrive early, before the coaches, to see the monastery and take a boat to the sea caves. Then drive up to Bella Vista for coffee with the view.
- Midday: Sidari and Cape Drastis. Swim near the clay cliffs of the Canal d’Amour, then follow the track out towards the cliffs of Drastis.
- Afternoon: Old Perithia and Pantokrator. Climb into the mountains to the abandoned village of Old Perithia, then on towards the summit of Pantokrator, Corfu’s highest point, if you have the energy. Read our guides to the ghost village of Old Perithia and our self-drive loop over Mount Pantokrator before you go.
- Evening: Kassiopi. Come down to the harbour for fish by the water. Our Kassiopi beaches guide covers the coves nearby.
It is a full day. If you would rather split it, do the west on one day and the north and mountains on another.
Places You Can Only Reach by Boat
Some of the best places on Corfu cannot be reached by car at all. Limnopoula on the northeast coast, the caves of Paxos and the bays of Antipaxos are boat-only. For those days, leave the car at the hotel or the port and join a cruise.
Getting Around Corfu: A Practical Rule of Thumb
- Staying in or near Corfu Town for a few days? Buses and the odd taxi will cover you.
- Staying in one resort and mostly using its beach? A transfer in and out, plus a couple of taxis, is usually enough.
- Want to see more than two or three places? Hire a car. The bus network will cost you more in time than the rental costs in money.
- Arriving late or with lots of luggage? Book the transfer, whatever you do afterwards.
Mixing Options
Many visitors do best with a combination: a private transfer on arrival and departure, then a rental car for the middle of the stay, when they actually want to explore. You avoid paying for a car sitting idle on arrival day, and you skip the airport hassle at both ends. Not sure where to base yourself? Our guide to where to stay in Corfu compares the main areas.
Corfu Compass NSK handles transfers, car rental and guided tours from one office, so you deal with one contact for the whole trip. Email [email protected] or call +30 26630 64631.
