Rhodes is an excellent family destination — long beaches, shallow water, and an island large enough to offer variety. Getting from the airport to your resort with children and luggage in tow is the first practical test of the holiday. Here is what you need to know.
The airport with children
Diagoras Airport is a single-terminal building. It is not huge, but in peak summer it processes a large number of charter passengers. Passport control can take 20-40 minutes for non-EU families in July and August. Baggage reclaim is sometimes slow. There are basic restroom facilities but no dedicated family lanes, nursing rooms, or children's areas.
Once through, the exit leads directly to the forecourt. Luggage trolleys are available, which matters when you are managing bags, a stroller, and small children simultaneously.
Child seats: the non-negotiable issue
Greek taxis do not carry child seats. This is not a Rhodes-specific quirk — it is the reality across Greece. Taxi drivers at the airport rank will not have a seat for your infant, toddler, or child who is under 12 years or under 135 cm.
Your practical options are:
Bring a travel car seat. Lightweight folding car seats are available from travel gear brands. You install it in whatever vehicle you use. This is the most flexible solution if you are also renting a car for part of your stay.
Book a transfer and request a child seat. Transfer companies can provide child seats (infant, toddler, or booster) when requested at booking. Specify your child's age and weight so the correct seat type is provided. This is the most common solution for families flying into Rhodes.
Skip the car seat. Some families accept the risk for short journeys. For a 14 km trip to Rhodes Town, some families make this call. For a 50-55 minute drive to Lindos on coastal roads that include bends and hills — a route where a car seat genuinely matters — it is a different calculation.
Vehicle size for families
Standard Greek airport taxis are sedans — typically Toyota Avensis, Skoda Octavia, or similar. Boot space is reasonable for two medium suitcases, but a family with two large cases, carry-ons, and a stroller will find it tight. Adding a car seat to the rear seat further reduces space.
A pre-booked transfer lets you choose a minivan, which provides proper boot space, a third row if needed, and room to install a child seat without crowding the other passengers.
The distance factor matters more for families
Many family-friendly resorts on Rhodes are well south of the airport:
- Faliraki: 16 km, about 20 minutes
- Kolymbia: 28 km, about 30 minutes
- Lindos: 50 km, about 55 minutes
- Pefkos: 55 km, about 60 minutes
- Kiotari: 65 km, about 70 minutes
Practical tips for families arriving at Rhodes
- Pack snacks and a water bottle in your carry-on. Children will be hungry, and the airport café is basic and may be closed on late-night arrivals.
- Bring your stroller in a protective bag for the hold. Most charter airlines carry it free as a pram.
- Request the child seat type by weight category when booking (infant up to 13 kg, group 1 for 9-18 kg, booster for 15-36 kg). The supplier needs this to send the right seat.
- If you are renting a car for the holiday, consider arranging a transfer from the airport for the first day. Handling rental paperwork with tired children after a long flight, then loading everything into an unfamiliar car and driving an unknown route, is unnecessary stress when a driver is ready and waiting.
- South coast roads between Lindos and Kiotari include some winding sections. Motion sickness tablets are worth having in the day bag if your children are susceptible.
The bottom line for families
For a family heading to Faliraki or Rhodes Town, a taxi with a travel car seat you bring yourself is workable. For anything further south — which is where most larger family resorts are — a pre-booked minivan transfer with a child seat requested in advance is the practical and comfortable choice. The price difference compared to a metered taxi is small for south coast routes, and the difference in comfort for the journey is significant.