Toll Roads are the bane of the holiday motorist’s life and the situation in most European countries is so complex, travellers often avoid them completely, despite the benefits in terms of cost of fuel and time savings.
Greek toll roads have recently been in the news following the delays to four toll road projects which meant that the country nearly lost the funding to build the roads which were vital to the country’s regeneration. If you’re considering driving any distance in Greece, all motoring organisations highly recommend using the toll roads where possible and for several reasons.
Price of Toll Roads in Greece
Greek toll roads are inexpensive. You can get from Thessaloniki in the north to Athens on a fast motorway for under €20 whilst a trip from the airport into Athens city centre on the very quick expressway will set you back under three euros. For an indication correct at the time of publication, take a look at the table of toll charges below and don’t forget you’ll also pay to use the road tunnel to Preveza and any major bridges.
Ease of Travel
The Greek transport authorities have been very clever in deciding which routes should have the toll booths and where they should be placed. Their location means that getting off the motorway to avoid them leads you onto very poor roads that are narrow and winding, estimated to triple your journey time. Additionally, many of the roads you can take before the toll booths have limited connectivity further up the route meaning that most who try it end up going back and rejoining the motorway. The roads themselves are pretty much all of Greece’s decent roads. Think, if the road looks like a good dual carriageway or motorway in the UK, it’s going to have a toll.
Safety of Toll Roads in Greece
Greece’s road safety record is very poor and most of the accidents happen on the minor roads. The motorways are generally uncrowded and a lot safer. The only problem is likely to be boredom leading to a driver nodding off at the wheel but plenty of coffee, a good CD and pleasant travelling companions should ward this off.