You’ve landed at Kos Airport. It’s warm, the sky is that particular Greek blue, and you can already smell the possibility of a decent holiday. Now you’ve got to get from the airport to Kos Town, which is about 26km away along the northern coast road. This is where the first decision of your trip gets made, and honestly, it’s not a trivial one — what you choose here will shape how much you pay for transfers and how free you are for the entire holiday.

Let’s go through every option properly, with real costs and real talk about what each one actually involves.

Your Four Options for Getting from Kos Airport to Kos Town

You’ve got four choices: hire car, taxi, bus, or a hotel/transfer shuttle. Each has its place, but they’re not equal — and the right choice depends entirely on how you’re travelling and what you’re planning to do once you arrive.

Option 1: Hire a Car at the Airport

This is the best option for most visitors, and here’s why: picking up a hire car at Kos Airport doesn’t just solve the transfer problem — it solves the entire how-do-I-get-around-Kos problem for the whole holiday in one go.

Several major rental companies have desks right at Kos Airport. You walk off the plane, collect your bags, clear customs (which is fast at Kos — it’s a small airport), and then you’re at the rental desk within 20-30 minutes of landing. The paperwork takes another 15-20 minutes if you’ve booked in advance. Then you’re in the car park, following the signs out of the airport, driving to Kos Town.

Cost-wise, economy cars in Kos start from around €25-35 per day in shoulder season (May, June, September, October) and €35-50 per day in peak summer. On a week-long holiday, you’re looking at €175-350 all-in including insurance. Divide that across even two people and you’re paying roughly what you’d spend on 3-4 taxis over the course of a week — except the hire car covers unlimited journeys.

The drive from the airport to Kos Town takes 25-35 minutes depending on traffic. The route is straightforward: head east along the main coastal road, past Lambi and into Kos Town from the north. The road is well-signposted and easy to follow even if you don’t know the island yet.

One practical point: book in advance online rather than walking up to the desk. In high summer, availability gets tight and walk-up prices can be significantly higher than pre-booked rates. Most online bookings include free cancellation up to 24-48 hours before pickup, so there’s no downside to booking early.

Option 2: Taxi from Kos Airport

Taxis are readily available at Kos Airport — there’s always a queue outside the arrivals hall, though in peak season you might wait 10-20 minutes for your turn. The fare from the airport to Kos Town runs to approximately €25-35 on the meter. At off-peak times or for late-night arrivals, some drivers may suggest a flat rate — generally this works in your favour if the quoted flat rate is below €35, otherwise insist on the meter.

The journey takes the same 25-35 minutes as driving yourself. The cars are generally clean and the drivers know the roads well. If you’re staying right in the centre of Kos Town, have just one person travelling, and genuinely don’t plan to go much beyond the town, a taxi for the arrival transfer is perfectly reasonable.

Where taxis stop making sense is the moment you want to explore the rest of the island. A taxi to Kefalos at the far west runs €55-70. To Kardamena, €30-45. To Tigaki, around €25-30. These add up fast across a week. Three or four taxi trips and you’ve already spent what a hire car would have cost you for the whole holiday.

Option 3: Public Bus (KTEL)

The KTEL bus service connects Kos Airport to Kos Town cheaply — a single ticket costs around €3-4. Buses run from a stop just outside the terminal, and in summer there are usually departures roughly every 30-60 minutes during the day. Journey time is around 40-50 minutes with stops.

Here’s the honest version: the bus works, but it’s not much fun with luggage. Schedules can be unreliable for late-night arrivals when most international charter flights come in. The buses fill up, overhead racks don’t accommodate large suitcases well, and you might spend 45 minutes standing in the aisle in 35-degree heat.

If you’re a solo traveller, travelling light, and arriving during the day with no particular hurry, the bus is fine and genuinely cheap. For a couple or family with standard holiday luggage, it becomes much less appealing quickly. And critically — the bus only gets you to Kos Town bus station. Getting to your actual hotel from there might require another taxi.

Option 4: Hotel Transfer or Shared Shuttle

Some hotels, particularly the larger all-inclusive resorts in Tigaki, Marmari, and Kardamena, offer transfer services from the airport. These typically cost €10-20 per person and are booked in advance through the hotel. Tour operators who sell package holidays often include airport transfers in the package price.

If you’re doing a package holiday and the transfer is included, take it — it’s convenient and pre-paid. If your hotel is offering a paid transfer, compare the cost against a taxi fare. For hotels in Kos Town, a taxi is usually cheaper or similar. For hotels further out (Mastichari, Kefalos), a hotel transfer can make more financial sense.

The downside: shared shuttles wait until they’re reasonably full before departing, which can mean a 30-45 minute wait even after the company has confirmed the vehicle is ready. That’s fine if you’re relaxed; less fine if you’ve been on a 5-hour flight with two tired kids.

The Route: What You Pass on the Way

Whether you’re in a hire car or a taxi, the drive follows the main north coast highway. From the airport, you head east and within a few minutes the sea appears to your left. You pass through the outskirts of Lambi — a busy tourist strip with hotels and bars stretching along the coast road — then enter Kos Town from the north.

As you approach the town centre, you’ll see the harbour coming into view: the Castle of the Knights sitting at the water’s edge, the old windmills along the port, boats moored along the quay. It’s a genuinely nice arrival into town. If you’re in your own hire car, pull in near the harbour before going to the hotel — the castle is worth seeing in the late afternoon light, and you might as well start exploring immediately.

The journey takes 25-35 minutes in normal traffic. In the height of summer, add 5-10 minutes for the approach into Kos Town. The road itself is comfortable — dual carriageway in places, well-maintained, signposted in both Greek and Latin script so navigation is easy.

Which Rental Companies Are at Kos Airport?

The following rental companies typically have desks at or adjacent to Kos Airport: Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget, and Enterprise are the main international brands. Local companies with airport presence include Drive, Koscar, and several others. Check comparison sites to compare prices across the options — the difference between the most and least expensive can be €15-20 per day for an equivalent car.

The rental desks are in the arrivals hall or immediately adjacent to it. After collecting your luggage, follow signs for Car Hire or Car Rental. The car park where you collect your vehicle is a short walk from the terminal. Allow 30-45 minutes total from the moment you land to pulling out of the car park.

What to Do When You Land

Kos Airport (officially Hippocrates International Airport, IATA code KGS) is a fairly small, manageable airport. Peak season sees multiple charter flights arriving close together, which means customs and baggage reclaim can be temporarily busy. Here’s what to expect step by step:

Customs is usually quick — EU arrivals particularly, though non-EU queues also move reasonably fast. Baggage comes out on two or three carousels; check the screens for which one. If you’ve pre-booked a hire car, have your booking confirmation on your phone ready. Car hire desks get busy immediately after large charter flight arrivals — either go straight to the desk before collecting bags if your company allows it, or be patient and the queue will move.

For those arriving late at night: rental desks do stay open for late arrivals, though walk-in availability may be limited. The taxi queue is reliable 24/7. The last KTEL bus typically runs at around 11pm, but check current schedules before relying on it for a midnight flight.

Parking in Kos Town

If you’re arriving by hire car, parking in Kos Town is manageable but not without challenges in peak season. The area around the harbour and old town gets busy. Most hotels have their own parking or can direct you to the nearest public car park. Public car parks are on the outskirts of the centre, a 5-10 minute walk from the harbour area, free or very cheap.

If you’re based outside Kos Town — Tigaki, Mastichari, Kardamena — parking is almost never an issue. Just use the hotel car park and drive into town when you want to visit. The Kos Town parking situation is mainly only relevant if you’re staying right in the centre.

Is It Easy to Drive in Kos?

Yes, genuinely. Kos is one of the easier Greek islands to drive. The roads are good, the distances are short, there’s no motorway confusion, and the main route from the airport to Kos Town is practically a straight line along the north coast. Greece drives on the right side of the road — if you’re from the UK, just take a moment to remind yourself at the airport exit before pulling out onto the road.

Speed limits are 50km/h in towns and 90km/h on open roads. The one thing to watch for is scooters and motorbikes, which are everywhere in Kos and don’t always stick to the rules. Just be aware of them, especially near the busy resort areas and Kos Town harbour. Otherwise, driving in Kos is a genuine pleasure — scenic, relaxed, and one of the better ways to spend time on the island.

The Bottom Line

For the vast majority of people visiting Kos, picking up a hire car at the airport is the right call. It costs similar to or less than a couple of taxis, gives you complete freedom to explore the island, and means you’re not dependent on anybody else’s schedule for the entire holiday. Kos has brilliant things to see — beaches, mountain villages, ancient ruins, hot springs — none of which are well-served by public transport. A hire car changes the whole experience.

Book it in advance online, at least a week before you travel. Compare prices across a few comparison sites. And when you land, skip the taxi queue outside arrivals and head straight to the car hire desks. Your Kos holiday starts the moment you pull out of the airport car park.

Compare rates and book: car hire Kos Airport — car hire Kos Town.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Kos Airport from Kos Town?

It’s approximately 26km from the airport to the centre of Kos Town — a drive of 25-35 minutes depending on traffic.

What does a taxi from Kos Airport to Kos Town cost?

Expect to pay around €25-35 on the meter. For late-night arrivals, drivers may suggest flat rates — agree it upfront or insist on the meter.

Is there a bus from Kos Airport to Kos Town?

Yes, KTEL runs buses for around €3-4. In summer, roughly every 30-60 minutes during the day. Less reliable for very late-night arrivals.

Can I hire a car at Kos Airport without pre-booking?

Yes, but in peak season (July-August) availability is limited and walk-up prices are higher. Always better to book online in advance — free cancellation means there’s no risk to booking early.

How long does the airport car hire process take?

If you’ve pre-booked, typically 15-20 minutes at the desk. Allow 30-45 minutes total from landing to driving out of the car park.

Which hire car companies are at Kos Airport?

Major international brands (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget) plus local companies. All have desks in or adjacent to the arrivals hall.