Why the delivery of the new Motorway by GEK TERNA is important for Central Greece

Yesterday (23.4.2024) new sections of the Central Greece – E65 motorway, constructed by TERNA, were handed over to traffic in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras and Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Nikos Tachiaos.

The Motorway of Central Greece – E65, one of the most important national projects with a length of 182.1 km and a total budget of approximately 1.397 billion euros, has the necessary capacity, a modern 2-lane highway in each direction and an Emergency Lane and is being built by TERNA entirely in a new layout connecting Eastern and Western Greece.

With the delivery of the new sections of the E65, 136 km of modern and safe highway are in traffic, from I/K to the A.Th.E. at 206.5 km (start of E65) up to A/K Kalambakas, through which the journey Athens – Karditsa now takes 2 hours and 35 minutes, while Athens – Trikala, less than 3 hours.

Important tourist destinations such as Meteora, Lake Plastira, Karpenisi, Trikala are now accessible, quickly, easily and safely, while a new development dynamic will be given to the core of the country.

In these 136 km at the disposal of every driver are, as always, the road safety services of the Central Road such as:

• 24-hour Road Safety Patrol
• 4-digit 24-hour Emergency number, 1075
• Free Roadside Assistance in cases of stoppage
• Telephone Customer Service at 801 700 7000

The technical characteristics of these 136 km built by TERNA include:

• 11 Uneven Interchanges (Gorgopotamou, Karpenisiou, Xyniada, Anavra, Sofadon, Karditsa, Proastiou, Trikala, Vasiliki and Kalambaka) and 4 Semi-interchanges (A.TH.E Anthilis, Smokovo and Loggou)
• 3 twin tunnels, with the largest being Tunnel T2, 3 km long (Othryos mountain range, Moschokaria)
• 31 Bridges, the most important of which is the 595 m long Pinios Bridge.
• 27 Upper Passes and 41 Lower Passes
• 5 bilateral Parking and Rest Areas (H.S.A.)
• 3 Control and Maintenance Centers (CMS), 1 Traffic Management Center and 1 Tunnel Service Center
• 3 Traffic Police buildings and 1 Fire Department building
• 3 Motorist Service Stations (SEA – Lianokladiou, Sofadon and Raxas).

It is noted that currently only the SOFAS of Sofadon is in operation.

• 1 Customer Service Point (Trikala Toll Terminal)
• 3 Front Toll Stations (Lianokladi, Sofadon and Trikala) and 4 Side Toll Stations (Anavras, Proastiou, Trikala and Kalambakas). From midnight Tuesday, April 23 to Wednesday, April 24, the operation of the new Lianokladi frontal station and the lateral Trikala and Kalambaka stations will begin.

The prices of the toll fees for the new stations as well as the Trikala frontage are:

The duration of the distances after the completion of the E65:

• Lamia – Egnatia Road: 01:45 (from 03:15 today)
• Athens – Grevena: 04:00
• Athens – Metsovo: 04:00
• Athens – Kastoria? 04:35
• Athens – Kozani: 04:30
• Athens – Karpenisi: 03:00
• Athens – Trikala: <03:00
• Athens – Karditsa: 02:35′

In the future, and with the entire E65 in circulation, another frontal station will operate in Oxyneia at 151.9 km.

During the handover ceremony, the Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, emphasized that: “Today is indeed a great day for Central Greece, for Thessaly, for Western Macedonia, for Epirus, as we are now handing over the largest part of a very important road.

And I know very well, especially for Western Thessaly, for Trikala, for Karditsa, for Kalambaka, how important this road is and how it was actually a dream of many decades to finally be completed.

Two and a half hours to go from Athens to Karditsa, three hours to go to Trikala. Accessibility for such a beautiful but also such a tested part of our homeland, Western Thessaly.

And of course, the prospects for the connection, as we said, with the completion of the project, with Western Macedonia, with Epirus. A road of truly enormous developmental importance.”

The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Christos Staikouras noted that the E65 highway “facilitates access abroad, as the modern highway is connected, through Egnatia Odos and its vertical axes, to the outside world”.

“48% of the remaining project has already been completed”, added Mr. Staikouras, emphasizing that “the Central Greece Motorway would not be a reality if we were not members of the European Union”.

Referring to the benefits of the project, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport pointed out that:

• Faster and more economical movements are achieved. The Athens – Trikala route is reduced to 3 hours and the Athens – Karditsa route to 2 hours and 35 minutes. With the completion of the road axis, access to the regions of Western Macedonia and Eastern Epirus will be accelerated.
• The safety of road movements and transport is enhanced.
• Regional development, tourism and trade are promoted, helping to further reduce the unemployment rate and increase per capita income.
• Access abroad is facilitated, as the modern highway connects, through Egnatia Odos and its vertical axes, with the outside

He concluded by saying that: “We assure that we will continue in the same direction, with speed, responsibility and method, so that, with a sense of responsibility, we contribute to the all-round strengthening of our Motherland.”

The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Nikos Tachiaos, stated that: “E65 will be a “development fuse” for the areas recently tested by the natural disasters. During this year’s festivities, Easter travelers heading towards Fthiotida and Western Thessaly (in the mountains of Karditsa of Trikala on Lake Plastira) will be able to travel on these new sections of the highway with greater comfort and safety.”

The President and CEO of GEK TERNA Group, Mr. Giorgos Peristeris underlined that: “The Central Greece E65 motorway was designed from the beginning to complement a motorway network, which offered alternative routes. It is the most economical, fast and efficient road, so that someone can come from the west-northwest, central Macedonia or from central Greece to Athens and vice versa.

Today, the entire southern section and a significant part of the northern section are handed over to traffic. We will do everything we can, as we always do, to speed up the delivery of the northern section as well. We hope that next year it will be completed to its end, which is the point where it meets the northwestern part of Egnatia”.