Santorini - cost of transfers from the airport
 

Hi Everyone - thanks for the replies so far to my post re. Santorini accommodation - still open to ideas (Particularly on Enigma apartments if anyone knows of them.) <BR> <BR>What I'm wondering now is about transportation to the hotel. I've received a quote from one of the recommended hotels which charges an extra 9000dr for pick up and return from the airport. Is this a reasonable amount, it seems like a lot to me? Otherwise their prices seem fairly good (Well - by exorbitant Santorini standards anyway... :-P ). I'm not even sure if we'd use the return part as I'm only booking 3 nights and winging it from there. Do you think they'll still give us the return transportation if we end up at a different hotel for the rest of the week? <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR> <BR>Caitlin <BR>

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I don't know about the airport (or where the Enigma apartments are) but when we landed by ferry, buses were available to Fira. Is that an option? If not, maybe someone knows what a taxi would cost.

IMO, GDR 9,000 for transfers back and forth to the airport is way exagerated. A taxi would cost way less. The only problem is that there aren't enough taxis in the island to fit the peaks of demand (flight and ferry arrivals) and one may have to wait quite a while to be able to catch one. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

Are there buses though? <BR> <BR>([email protected])

Caitlin, also be aware that some taxi's can not get all the way to certain hotels that are out on the caldera. We are staying at the Loucas hotel (a hotel which falls into that category) in October and they added on an extra, about $20.00 for transfer to and from the airport.

It is actually the Loucas that quoted the extra 9000dr - maybe that is US$20. So I guess this is standard. <BR> <BR>I'm still wondering about paying for this if I only end up using the transport in one direction though. I haven't heard anyone yet say that a taxi is only 1000dr yet though so maybe it isn't the exorbitant cost it sounds to me. <BR> <BR>Caitlin

Caitlin - <BR> <BR>I stayed at the Loucas Hotel this June and took a taxi from the airport. The airport was very busy at the time my plane arrived and it took about 20 minutes to get a taxi, standing in line. I shared a taxi with 4 other people, all going to roughly the same part of the island. I can't remember what I paid, but the taxi dropped me and my large suitcase off at the main road in Fira, which left me a hefty walk up the hill and then down many stairs to get to the hotel. The taxi driver just pointed the way and said "go up and then go down". I had to ask 2 shop keepers along the way for further directions. So, if the transfer includes help with luggage to the hotel entrance, that would make a difference and be worth some money. <BR>Martha <BR>

I just checked in with the Universal Currency converter and as of this writing, 9,000 GDR is worth $24.23 USD.I believe the Loucas charged this amount in TOTAL to cover the transfers, not 9,000 each way.

Ok - thanks guys - you've convinced me. It definately sounds like the arranged transportation is worth it. <BR> <BR>Martha, how did you like the Loucas? Did you feel once you were there you had made a good choice? <BR> <BR>Caitlin

Caitlin, <BR>We took a taxi, just my husband and me, from the airport to Oia. He charged us 4000 GDr, but said is was 4800 originally. They don't use fare meters and don't be surprised if your driver picks up/drops off additional passengers along the way. As was said, there aren't enough taxis to go around. There is a bus for less than $1 USD I think, but why hassle with that when you just have arrived and have your bags with you? Our hotel had a charge of $42 for transfers (donkey and taxi), which was a roundtrip rate and was charged at the end of our stay, so you might ask your hotel about your possible one-way situation.

We too stayed at the Loucas this summer and went for their transfer package --sorry, don't have the price at hand -- but it was definitely worth it. Their man literally handled our luggage alone, and when we left Santorini, the same thing applied. Carrying the luggage up all those stairs would have been even worse than carrying it down. And we loved the Loucas!!!!

Thanks for the continuing responses. Unfortunately in the few days I pondered the Loucas hotel offer the nights we wanted were booked, so we are now staying at a different hotel. They do not have a pick up service but have organised a taxi to collect us. I will post a report when we get back (we are leaving in 8 days now!) <BR> <BR>

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