The first cars crossed the new section of the Patras-Pyrgos highway today, Friday August 1st, marking the beginning of a new era for road safety and connectivity in Western Greece. Specifically, at 12 noon on August 1st, 65 of the total 74.8 kilometers of the project were officially opened to traffic, particularly the section from Pyrgos to Kato Alissos, near Patras. The completion of this specific section definitively closes a multi-year pending issue that plagued the region for decades.
The remaining 10 kilometers to Mintilogi will be completed and opened to traffic by the end of November, according to the schedule.
New era for Olympia Odos
Olympia Odos now connects Patras with Pyrgos in just 45 minutes and Athens with Pyrgos in 2 hours and 45 minutes, with safety and comfort.
With the new Patras-Pyrgos section, Olympia Odos becomes the third largest highway in the country, with a total length of 277 km. It directly connects three regions – Western Attica, Peloponnese and Western Greece – and directly affects two others – Epirus and the Ionian Islands. It also ensures the connection of the capital with Greece’s most important gateway to Europe, the port of Patras, as well as the ports of Kyllini, Katakolo and Araxos airport.
As announced, the toll system comes into effect for the Kyllini-Pyrgos zone (29 km), while the Mintilogi-Kyllini zone (46 km), which includes the remaining 10 km under construction from Mintilogi-Kaminia, will be free of charge – without tolls – until construction is completed, which is estimated within November 2025.
The Patras-Pyrgos is the first fully automated highway in the country that will operate exclusively with electronic tolls and Automatic Payment machines.
Images: ERT
