The A8 motorway, also known as the Athens–Patras motorway (Greek: Αυτοκινητόδρομος Αθήνα-Πάτρα),[1][2] is a toll motorway in southwestern Greece, which connects Athens with Patras via Corinth, spanning a total of 215 km (134 mi).

A8 motorway shield
A8 motorway
Αυτοκινητόδρομος 8
Route information
Part of E94 and E65
Maintained by Olympia Odos S.A.
Length135 mi (217 km)
History1962–1973: Constructed as National Road 8A
2008: Eleusis–Corinth section reassigned as A8 motorway
Since 2008: Corinth–Rio section upgraded to dual carriageway standard and completed in 2017
Major junctions
East endEleusis East
Major intersectionsEleusis interchange:
to Athens airport
Corinth interchange:
to Kalamata
West endRio interchange:
to Ioannina and Patras
Location
CountryGreece
RegionsAttica, Peloponnese, West Greece
Major citiesEleusis, Corinth, Aigio
Highway system
  • Highways in Greece

The motorway replaces Greek National Road 8A, which has been upgraded to modern motorway standards. The completion date was scheduled for 2014.[3] Since April 2017, the entire motorway from Eleusis to Patras is fully operational.[4]

Operation

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Olympia Odos S.A. will maintain and operate the road for a total of 30 years. Operations will include two Traffic Control Centers built to operate 24/7 to handle emergency calls, as well as monitor traffic situations and contact emergency services when needed. Also, as part of the construction deal, 24/7 patrols, worksite protection, timely detection and response to incidents, and special services in the winter, are included.

During the construction phase, routine maintenance and work for all parts of the infrastructure of the existing National roads were conducted.

Facilities

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As of 2023, there are 5 front, two-sided toll stations on the A8: at Eleusis, the Isthmus, Zevgolateio, Elaionas[5] and Rio. The section between Eleusis and Corinth has 3 lanes per direction. There are service areas in Nea Peramos, Megara, Isthmus, Kiato, Akrata and Aigio.[6]

Construction progress

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On September 2, 2016, the first fully completed Olympia Odos segment, the section between Ancient Corinth and Kiato (20 km with 2 lanes in each direction + emergency lane and two interchanges in Zevgolatio and Kiato), was officially opened to traffic, with the presence of the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras.[7] Although there were still some minor scale works (mostly on interchanges), traffic flow was not impacted. On the same day, the Derveni tunnels were given to public use. On December 19, 2016, another 9 km opened in Olympia Odos from Kiato to Xylokastro, without the Xylokastro interchange which was opened in February together with Derveni Interchange.

Any remaining segments of the motorway under construction were completed and opened to traffic in April 2017 when the official inauguration of the road took place as well,[4] at the same month that segments of the A5 motorway and the A1 motorway's Tempe tunnels were also inaugurated and opened to traffic.

Tunnels

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Westbound (direction Patras)

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Eastbound (direction Athens)

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Exit list

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A8 near the Epidaurus exit
Notes
      Under construction
      Planned
Regional unit Exit Name Destinations Notes/Also as
West Attica 1 Eleusis   GR-3 Eastern terminus of the motorway
2 Attiki Odos interchange   A6   E94 to Athens International Airport (to Eleusis only)
2A Nea Peramos toll post free to Patras only
3 Nea Peramos
4 Megara
5 Pachi
6 Panorama
7 Kineta
Corinthia 8 Agioi Theodoroi
9 Loutraki   GR-8
10 Epidaurus   GR-10
11 Corinth center   GR-8
12 Moreas interchange   A7   E65 to Tripoli, Kalamata
13 Ancient Corinth   GR-7
14 Zevgolateio
15 Kiato
16 Xylokastro
17 Lykoporia
18 Derveni
Achaea 19 Akrata
20 Kalavryta
21 Aigio east   GR-8
22 Aigio west   GR-8
23 Selianitika   GR-8
24 Drepano
25 Rio interchange   A5   E55   E65 to Ioannina Western terminus of the motorway

References

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  1. ^ Lialios, Giorgos (12 January 2016). "Αλλαξε η λίστα των αυτοκινητόδρομων" [The list of motorways has changed]. Kathimerini (in Greek). Athens: Kathimerini Publishing. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ Ministerial Decision DOY/oik/5776/2015 (FEK AAP' 253/21.12.2015, pp. 2098–2099).
  3. ^ Ferron-Hugonnet, Estelle (2008-08-07). "VINCI Has Completed the Financing of the Athens-Tsakona Motorway Concession, the Largest Ever Won by the Company Outside France". Business Wire. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
  4. ^ a b Olympia Odos, the motorway from Eleusis to Patras, in operation, on ypodomes.gr
  5. ^ https://www.olympiaodos.gr/en/Diodia-OLYMPIA-PASS/Times-diodion/
  6. ^ Motorways-Exits
  7. ^ "Στην κυκλοφορία το πρώτο τμήμα της Ολυμπίας Οδού Κόρινθος-Κιάτο - ypodomes.com". Archived from the original on 2016-09-05. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
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