On Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:51:02 +0200, Martin wrote:

There's also a train route that goes part of the way down the west
coast. There is a station at Olympia.

The problem is that the regular trains of the Peloponnese don't run
all the way to Athens any more. The rail link between Athens and the
Peloponnese is via the "Proastiako" (suburban) line, which runs as far
as Kiato (just west of Corinth). To proceed onward by rail, you have
to transfer to a regular train. And that regular train goes west,
through Patras. The line south from Corinth (Argos - Tripoli -
Kalamata, with a branch to Nafplio) has been discontinued.

If youi're going to start by exploring the western part of the
Peloponnese by car, the logical hub would be Patras. Plenty of car
rental agencies there. The rail terminus is directly adjacent to the
ferry port. One can take an overnight ferry to Corfu, or even proceed
to Italy.

What sort of support do you get from a local car hire company if
things go wrong?

They all give you a telephone number to call if you need road service
or in case of an accident. (After all, it's to their advantage to get
their car back.) Even the smallest car rental places have people that
speak English, and often other languages.

I always get the "full insurance" add-on, but I've never had any
problems.

BTW, having a mobile phone in Greece is a must, and is cheap. Just
bring your own GSM phone and get a local prepaid SIM card from
Vodafone or Wind. Mobile telephony is one of the few things that work
really well in Greece. (The SIM cards can be "topped off" at any
kiosk.) If you are a couple and have two phones, and get the SIM cards
from the same company, calls between you are free. Also, all incoming
calls are free. You get charged for air time only if *you* place the
call.