Highways in Greece

Highways in Greece are generally organized so that the odd numbered highways are of north-south alignment and even numbered highways are of east-west alignment. However, there are many exceptions.

The designation of some important roads of Greece as "national" was decided by a 1955 decree, while a minister's decision in 1963 determined the numbering of these roads. In 1998, a survey of the Hellenic Statistical Authority defined some new national roads that were constructed after the 1963 decision. Furthermore, motorway numbers in Greece are different and irrelevant to other highways' numbers. For example, Motorway 6 (A6) refers to the Attiki Odos motorway, while "GR-6" refers to a different road.

Motorways

Map of Greece's motorway network as of 2016. Black=Completed routes, Blue=Under Construction, Grey=Planned routes

Greece's motorway network has been extensively modernised throughout the 2000s and part of it is still under construction. Most of it is expected to be completed by early 2017. There are a total of 10 main routes throughout the Greek mainland and Crete, from which some feature numerous branches/auxiliary routes, as described in the listing below.

A1

Motorway A1, Greece
Motorway A1 near Agios Konstantinos

Motorway 1 (A1), colloquially referred to as the PAThE motorway (derived from the initials of the route: Piraeus – Athens – Thessaloniki – Evzoni (the border crossing with the Republic of Macedonia)); is the oldest and most important motorway of Greece, connecting the country's largest cities, Athens and Thessaloniki and passing through many important regions of Greece on a south-north direction. Most of the route has been upgraded to motorway standards, expept for 25 kilometres through the Tempe Valley.

As of summer 2008, works were in progress around the Malian Gulf, due to be completed in 2010. Most of the route around the bay, was completed in April 2008, but due to delays, the last part (the 17 km Stylida-Karavomylos bypass) was finally given to traffic on March 16, 2015. At Tempe valley, works started in 2008, in order to be completed around 2012, but due to severe delays they will be completed in early 2017. This part will include 11 km of tunnels, made mostly for environmental protection and, of course, road safety. Furthermore, the section between Thessaloniki and Evzoni, is yet to be converted into motorway, but this is not planned to happen in the near future.

The full length of this motorway is around 553 km or 346 miles, including 14 km or 8.7 miles of shared route with the A2 (Egnatia Odos). Note that until recently, the "P" in "PAThE" referred to Patras, but the Patra – Athens section has now become part of the A8 (Olympia Odos) motorway, belonging to a different project.[1][2]

A2 (Egnatia Odos)

A2 Motorway Tunnels between Kozani and Veria.

Motorway 2 (A2), colloquially referred to as the Egnatia Odos, is a new motorway starting at the port of Igoumenitsa and ending at the Turkish border crossing in Evros.

The Egnatia Odos is also known as the "horizontal road axis" of Greece, connecting almost all of Northern Greece from west to east; and provides access to various other locations, as well as international borders with various "vertical routes" that begin from various locations along the A2.

Specifically, there are auxiliary routes to Albania and Bulgaria, with the main route leading to Turkey. The Republic of Macedonia is accessed through the A1 (PAThE), as described above. Another auxiliary route runs close to the Evros river in the prefecture of the same name, reaching a point where Greece's, Turkey's and Bulgaria's borders meet. Some of those auxiliary routes are not motorways, but typical 2-lane highways, but are of considerable higher quality than other similar highways in the rest of Greece. The project (including most of the auxiliary routes), was completed in 2009, with the length of the main route being 670 kilometres or 416 miles, making it the longest motorway in Greece.

A3

Motorway 3 (A3), or the Central Greece Motorway is currently under construction starting from Lamia (at the A1) and ending at the A2 (Egnatia Odos), close to Grevena. It will be part of the E65 and be 175 kilometres or 109 miles long.[1][2] Construction started on June 2007. Work was halted in 2011 due to economic problems of the construction companies but resumed in mid-2013. The motorway is expected to be completed early 2016 but construction date of the part from Kalampaka to the Egnatia Odos junction is yet unknown.[3]

A5 (Ionia Odos)

Motorway 5 (A5), also referred to as the Ionia Odos, is another motorway currently under construction. It starts from Ioannina at the A2 (Egnatia Odos) interchange, and ends at Rio, in Patras, after crossing the Corinthian Gulf through the Rio-Antirrio bridge. There, it connects to the A8 motorway (see below).

The route passes through most of western continental Greece, along the Ionian Sea, hence its name "Ionia Odos". Work on the majority of the highway began in spring 2006 and would span six years, to be completed by 2012. Though, because of economical problems of the constructing companies, all construction works were halted in 2011, but since mid-2013 works on the whole of the 196 km motorway are undergoing. Completion of the motorway is expected by 2017. Completed parts include the Arta and the Agrinio bypasses with lengths of 33 km and 17 km respectively.[1][2]

A6 (Attiki Odos)

Interchange at the Attiki Odos Airport entrance

Motorway 6 (A6), or Attiki Odos forms part of the urban motorway network of Athens's metropolitan area. Its full length is 65 kilometres (40 mi) and it is also planned to be extended to various directions, bringing its total length to 141 km (88 mi). The Attiki Odos has various auxiliary routes, namely the Aigaleo Beltway (A65) and the Hymettus Beltway (A64), serving parts of western and eastern Athens respectively; while the 6 km (4 mi) section leading from the main route to the Athens International Airport is numbered as the A62.

A7 (Moreas)

Moreas Motorway (A7).

Motorway 7 (A7), known as the Moreas Motorway or Eastern Peloponnese motorway starts from Corinth, at the interchange with the A8 (Olympia Odos) and continues to Kalamata, passing through Tripoli. It replaced the old GR-7 as the main road, with the section between Corinth and Tripoli, constructed between 1984 and 1990 and officially becoming part of the Greek road network in 1992.

The A7 has recently undergone extensive improvement to full motorway standards. As of December 2012, the motorway section between Corinth and Kalamata is fully constructed and operational. Its total length is 205 kilometres or 127 miles.[1][2]

A8 (Olympia Odos)

Motorway 8 (A8), referred to as the Olympia Odos, is the motorway under construction, from Athens to Patras. It begins in Elefsina, at the interchange with A6 (Attiki Odos) and will end in Patras.

The Elefsina–Corinth section has been completed to motorway standards, while the Corinth – Patras section begun construction in 2008, and was due to be completed in 2012. After construction works had begun again the whole motorway will be completed by late-2016 or early-2017. It will mostly include the widening and general reconstruction of the GR-8A along with some new tunnels and bridges.[1][2]

A90

Motorway 90 (A90) is a temporary name for a motorway under construction in Crete. It is more widely known as North Road Axis of Crete (Greek: Βόρειος Οδικός Άξονας Κρήτης, BOAK) and is Greece's only motorway that is not on its mainland, but on an island. Certain parts have already been completed, as of summer 2007, at Heraklion and Chania. In late 2014, the Agios Nikolaos - Kalo Chorio part (which also serves as a bypass of Agios Nikolaos) was opened to traffic. Its full length will be 310 kilometres or 193 miles. Other sources claim it to be 250 km or 156 mi.[1][2]

List of motorways

Pireaus - Athens – Lamia – Larissa – Thessaloniki – Evzonoi (Republic of Macedonia border)
Igoumenitsa − Ioannina − Metsovo − Grevena − Siatista − Kozani − Veria − Axios − Thessaloniki − Langadas – Kavala – Xanthi – Komotini – Alexandroupoli − Kipoi (Turkish border)
Kallithea - Kalambaka – Trikala – Karditsa − Lamia
Ioannina - Filippiada − Arta − Amfilochia − Kouvaras - Agrinio − Aitoliko − Mesolongi − Rio–Antirrio bridge − Rio
Eleusis - Metamorfosi − Glyka Nera - Koropi
Corinth - Nestani - Tripoli – Megalopoli - Tsakona - Kalamata
Eleusis - Megara - Corinth - Zevgolateio - Kiato - Xylokastro - Aigio – Rio
Schimatari - Chalcis
Komotini - Nymfaia (Bulgarian border)
Promachonas (Bulgarian border) - Serres - Lagkadas - Thessaloniki − Kato Scholari - Nea Kallikrateia - Nea Moudania
(Republic of Macedonia border) - Niki - Florina - Amyntaio - Ptolemaida - Kozani
Krystallopigi (Albanian border) - Koromilia - Kastoria - Neapoli - Siatista
Rafina - Athens (unknown)
spur to Athens International Airport
Eastern beltway of Athens
Western beltway of Athens
Megalopoli - Sparta
(Kastelli planned) - Chania - (Souda planned) - Rethymno – (Gazi planned) - Heraklion - Gouves - (Malia - Chersonisos - Agios Nikolaos - Sitia planned)
spur to Southern Thessaloniki
spur to Larissa
Connection between and near Athens
Kallithea - Kalambaka – Trikala – Karditsa − Lamia
Ioannina - Filippiada − Arta − Amfilochia − Kouvaras - Agrinio − Aitoliko − Mesolongi − Rio–Antirrio bridge − Rio
Eleusis - Megara - Corinth - Zevgolateio - Kiato - Xylokastro - Aigio – Rio
Preveza - Vonitsa - Amfilochia
Velestino - Volos
Thiva - Eleusis
Angelokastro - Agrinio - Fragkista - Karpenisi - Leianokladi - Lamia
spur to Alexandroupoli Centre
Feres - Didymoteicho - Orestiada - Ormenio - Bulgaria
Serres - Nea Zichni - Kavala
Ilioupoli - Paiania
A121 spur to Northern Thessaloniki
A122 Planned upgrade of the western Thessaloniki Inner Ring Road

Motorroads

Motorroad sing in Greece

The Motor-Roads in Greece constructed in Regions how connected Motorways or other Main-Roads. The most Motor-Roads constructed in the Regions of Athens and Thessaloniki. A lot Motor-Roads constructed by the Egnatia A.E. and connected the A2 with other Roads and Regions. All the Greek motorroads more detail in the list:

Edessa - Skydra - Giannitsa - Gefyra (Junction with ) - Thessaloniki
Elassona - Tsiritsani - Tyrnavos - Larissa
- Veria - Naoussa - Edessa
Trikala - Larissa
Neo Monastiri - Karditsa - Trikala
Thessaloniki - Liti (Junction with ) - Kilkis - Doirani
- Neos Kavouras - Keratea - Lavrio
Andrea Syngrou Avenue

National roads

Greek National Road 1: Athens – Lamia – Larissa – Thessaloniki – Evzonoi - Republic of Macedonia, replaced by Motorway 1
Greek National Road 2: Albania - Krystallopigi – Florina – Edessa – Thessaloniki – Kavala – Xanthi – Komotini – Alexandroupoli – Feres - Turkey (runs parallel to Egnatia Odos from Thessaloniki to Alexandoupoli)
Greek National Road 3: Elefsina – Thiva – Livadeia - Lamia – Farsala – Larissa – Elassona – Kozani – Florina – Niki - Republic of Macedonia
Greek National Road 4: Kozani – Veria – Chalkidona
Greek National Road 5: Antirrio – Agrinio - Amfilochia – Arta – Ioannina
Greek National Road 6: Igoumenitsa – Ioannina – Metsovo - Trikala – Larissa – Volos (runs parallel to Egnatia Odos from Igoumenitsa to Metsovo)
Greek National Road 7: Corinth – Argos – Tripoli – Megalopoli – Kalamata
Greek National Road 8: Athens – Corinth – Aigio - Patras old road
Greek National Road 9: Patras – Pyrgos – Methoni
Greek National Road 12: Thessaloniki – Serres – Drama – Kavala
Greek National Road 13: Elassona – Katerini
Greek National Road 14: Drama – Xanthi
Greek National Road 15: Kalambaka – Grevena – Neapoli – Kastoria – junction with GR-2
Greek National Road 16: Thessaloniki – Arnaia - Ierissos
Greek National Road 17: Ioannina - Dodoni
Greek National Road 18: Preveza – Filiates
Greek National Road 20: Ioannina – Konitsa – Neapoli – Kozani
Greek National Road 21: Preveza – Filippiada
Greek National Road 22: Kakavia (Albanian border) – Kalpaki (junction with GR-20)
Greek National Road 24: Corfu (city) - Palaiokastritsa
Greek National Road 25: Corfu (city) - Lefkimmi
Greek National Road 26: Elassona – Deskati - Karpero (junction with GR-15)
Greek National Road 27: Amfissa – Lamia
Greek National Road 29: Itea - Desfina - Steiri
Greek National Road 30: Arta – Trikala – Karditsa – Farsala – Volos
Greek National Road 31: Aigio – Kalavryta
Greek National Road 33: Patras – Panopoulo – Psofida - Vlacherna
Greek National Road 34: Volos - Argalasti - Platania
Greek National Road 35: Zakynthos - Keri
Greek National Road 36: Mytilene – Kalloni - Mithymna
Greek National Road 38: Thermo - Agrinio – Karpenisi – Lamia
Greek National Road 39: Tripoli – Sparta – Gytheio
Greek National Road 42: Vasiliki - Lefkada – Vonitsa – Amfilochia
Greek National Road 44: Thiva – Chalcis – Karystos
Greek National Road 48: Antirio – Nafpaktos – Galaxidi – Livadeia
Greek National Road 50: Argostoli – Sámi
Greek National Road 51: Feres – Didymoteicho - Orestiada – Ormenio - Bulgaria
Greek National Road 53: Alexandroupoli - Aisymi - Metaxades – Ormenio
Greek National Road 55: Xanthi - Kotyli - Bulgaria
Greek National Road 56: Athens - Piraeus
Greek National Road 57: Drama – Exochi - Bulgaria
Greek National Road 59: Nea Zichni – Amfipoli
Greek National Road 62: Karlovasi – Samos
Greek National Road 63: Serres – Sidirokastro - Promachonas - Bulgaria
Greek National Road 65: Thessaloniki - Kilkis
Greek National Road 66: Nemea – Levidi
Greek National Road 69: Thasos ring road
Greek National Road 70: Corinth – Epidavros – Nafplio – Argos
Greek National Road 73: Kratygos (Lesbos) – Mytilene – Thermi (Lesbos)
Greek National Road 74: Pyrgos – Olympia – Tripoli
Greek National Road 75: Kardamyla – Vrontados – Kallimasia
Greek National Road 76: Krestena – Andritsaina – Megalopoli
Greek National Road 77: Chalcis – Mantoudi - Istiaia - Aidipsos
Greek National Road 79: Malakasa – Skala Oropou
Greek National Road 81: Afidnes – Kalamos
Greek National Road 82: Pylos – Kalamata – Sparti
Greek National Road 83: Anoixi – Marathon – Rafina
Greek National Road 85: Rafina – Lavrio
Greek National Road 86: Krokees – Monemvasia
Greek National Road 87: Pallini – Spata
Greek National Road 89: Markopoulo Mesogaias – Lavrio
Greek National Road 90: Kissamos – Chania – Rethymno – Heraklion – Agios Nikolaos – Sitia
Greek National Road 91: Vouliagmeni – Sounio
Greek National Road 95: Rhodes (city) – Lindos
Greek National Road 97: Heraklion – Tympaki
Greek National Road 99: Heraklion – Arkalochori
Greek National Road 8A: Athens – Corinth – Patras new road (partly motorway)
Greek National Road 16A: Greek National Road 16 – Polygyros
Greek National Road 34A: Volos – Portaria - Horefto
Greek National Road 111: Agia Triada – Lambia - Lalas - Ancient Olympia

Current construction projects in Greece

Currently, there are several construction projects all over Greece.

Correlation with European routes

This is a list of European routes that shows which parts of them run through Greece.

Major routes:

Preveza – Rio - – Patras - - Pyrgos - – Kalamata
Medžitlija-Níki (border with the FYROM) – Florina – Florina – Kozani - Kozani – Elassona – Larissa – Lamia - Amfissa – Galaxidi - Galaxidi – Antirio - Rio – Corinth - Corinth – Kalamata - Kissamos – Chania
border with the FYROM – Thessaloniki – Athens - Chania – Aghios Nikolaos (will be replaced by )
Bulgarian border – Serres through GR-57, Serres – Thessaloniki
Greek National Road 51
Albanian border at Kristalopigi – Florina – Edessa – Giannitsa – Gefyra (west of Thessaloniki)
Egnatia Odos or Via Egnatia, Igoumenitsa - Thessaloniki - border with Turkey
Greek National Road 6 (will be replaced by )
Attiki Odos - Athens – Corinth

Other routes:

Kakavia (Albanian border) -
Greek National Road 5 (will be replaced by )
Preveza-Amfilochia - Karpenisi – Lamia
Greek National Road 39
Elefsina – Thiva (will be replaced by )

Note: When certain highways that carry European routes are replaced with motorways, the European routes will be reassigned to the new motorways. For example, GR-7 carried the E65 from Tripoli to Kalamata. When the Corinth – Tripoli – Kalamata motorway was completed, the E65 numbering was reassigned to it.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://www.ypodomes.com
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://motorways-exitlists.com/
  3. ↑ ypodomes.com

External links

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