A1 Motorway Athens – Thessaloniki – Evzonoi (PATHE)
Greece's main north–south motorway, about 550 km from Neo Faliro in Athens by way of Lamia, Larissa and Katerini to the border with North Macedonia at Evzonoi. It follows the National Road 1 axis opened between 1959 and 1973 and was upgraded to motorway in stages from the late 1980s. The last gaps, the Maliakos Gulf horseshoe and the Tempi valley, opened in 2015 and 2017. The 44 km between the Axios interchange and Polykastro is still a single carriageway and has been under upgrade since February 2026. Four concessions operate it: Nea Odos (Metamorfosi – Skarfeia, about 172.5 km), Kentriki Odos (Skarfeia – Raches), Aegean Motorway (Raches – Kleidi, 230 km) and New Egnatia Odos (Kleidi – Evzonoi); Kifisos Avenue in Athens stays under the Attica Region. Lots follow the opening dates listed by Greek Wikipedia, grouped at named interchanges, and the separately contracted Maliakos and Tempi works. The Maliakos reconstruction, 78.4 km in five contracts, had a combined budget of EUR 793 million (Kathimerini, 2007). The Aegean Motorway concession's design and construction scope was EUR 1,080 million (as reported at the 2017 opening), and its initial investment EUR 1.3 billion. Neither figure is broken out per lot.
- Total length
- 551 km
- Open today
- 507 km
- Under construction
- 44 km
- Sections
- 26
Sections
| Sections | Status | Length | Timeline | Cost | Funding | Contractors | Contract terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neo Faliro – Agioi Anargyroi (Kifisos Avenue) Length is the sum of the three sections Greek Wikipedia lists (6.4 + 6.4 + 3.7 km). Part of Kifisos Avenue (Neo Faliro – Metamorfosi), the only section of the A1 without tolls and without a concessionaire. | Opened | 17 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Agioi Anargyroi – Schimatari Length is the sum of the sections Greek Wikipedia lists between Agioi Anargyroi and Schimatari. Its first row, Agioi Anargyroi – Varympompi (13.2 km), carries the date 29 August 1962, when that stretch of the new National Road opened. Includes the Metamorfosi interchange with the A6, where Nea Odos's concession section begins. | Opened | 58 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Schimatari – Thebes – Yliki Length is the sum of the three sections Greek Wikipedia lists (8.6 + 13 + 5.7 km). Starts at the Schimatari interchange with the A11 to Chalkida. | Opened | 27 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Yliki – Atalanti – Agios Konstantinos Length is the sum of the nine sections Greek Wikipedia lists between Yliki and Agios Konstantinos. Ends at the Longos interchange, where the new Maliakos alignment begins. | Opened | 69 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Agios Konstantinos – Kamena Vourla – Skarfeia (Maliakos) Two bypasses on a new alignment: Agios Konstantinos (Longos to the exit of the Knimida tunnel, 11.4 km) and Kamena Vourla (Knimida tunnel to Skarfeia, 9 km). Opened on 14 September 2007 except the Lamia-bound carriageway of the last kilometre of the Kamena Vourla bypass, announced for October. The ministry blamed a delay from July on geological problems. Tunnels: Aspronerion, Knimida and Dichaloremata. | Opened | 20 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Skarfeia – Thermopylae (Maliakos) Length is that of the Skarfeia – Thermopylae contract (17.4 km) given by Kathimerini. Greek Wikipedia lists Skarfeia – Thermopylae (12 km) and the Thermopylae bypass (5 km) as separate sections, and dates the bypass to 22 September 2008; Ta Nea reported its opening on 18 September 2008. | Opened | 17 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Thermopylae – Anthili (Maliakos) Southern part of the 17.3 km Thermopylae – Agia Marina contract, from the Thermopylae interchange to the new Spercheios river bed near Anthili, where the Lamia bypass begins. Length derived: 17.3 km contract less Roditsa – Agia Marina (8.1 km); no source gives it directly. Opening date disputed: Greek Wikipedia's table gives 23 April 2008, its Maliakos article gives 22 September 2008 for Thermopylae – Roditsa. | Opened | 9 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Nea Koiti Spercheiou – Roditsa (Lamia bypass) Includes the new Spercheios bridge and the upgraded Roditsa (Lamia) interchange. Built by the State and originally due in September 2009. In September 2008 the minister expected 4 of the 23 km then left on the horseshoe by mid-2009, the other 19 km being the Stylida bypass. Greek Wikipedia states the original award was signed in autumn 2008. Works were finished in September 2014. Operated by Kentriki Odos. | Opened | 4 km |
| – | – |
| – |
| Roditsa – Agia Paraskevi – Agia Marina (Maliakos) Length: Roditsa – Agia Paraskevi 3.6 km (Greek Wikipedia) plus Agia Paraskevi – Agia Marina 4.5 km (Kathimerini). Includes the Mavromantila toll station, opened in 2015. | Opened | 8 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Agia Marina – Stylida – Raches (Stylida bypass) Bypass of Stylida and Karavomylos with the Stylida tunnels, the last gap in the Maliakos horseshoe. Kathimerini gives 19.2 km in 2015 and 19.3 km in 2007. Built by the State; contractual completion was September 2010. Greek Wikipedia states the original award was signed in autumn 2008. Works were finished in September 2014. Operated by Kentriki Odos, with side toll stations at Agia Marina and Stylida. | Opened | 19 km |
| – | – |
| – |
| Raches – Pelasgia Start of the Aegean Motorway concession (Raches – Kleidi), which took over operation and upgrade of this existing motorway from 2008. | Opened | 10 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Pelasgia – Agioi Theodoroi | Opened | 11 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Agioi Theodoroi – Almyros | Opened | 27 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Almyros – Mikrothives – Aerino Length is the sum of the three rows Greek Wikipedia lists (6.8 + 1.5 + 7.5 km). | Opened | 16 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Aerino – Velestino – Larissa (Nikaia) Includes the Velestino interchange to Volos (A12), completed in 2014. | Opened | 41 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Larissa bypass (Nikaia – Gyrtoni) | Opened | 22 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Gyrtoni – Evangelismos | Opened | 9 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Evangelismos – Rapsani (Tempi tunnels) New alignment bypassing the Tempi valley through twin tunnels T1 (2 km) and T2 (6 km, officially Marinos Antypas – Rigas Feraios), the longest road tunnel in south-east Europe. The concession was ratified by Law 3605/2007. Contract duration is the concession's design and construction period: from the concession start on 9 March 2008 to 9 September 2012 (54 months), later reset to 9 August 2015. Greek Wikipedia's section table gives 14 km for Evangelismos – Rapsani; the concessionaire and ministry give 25–26 km for both new sections together. | Opened | 14 km |
| – |
|
| 54 mo total |
| Rapsani – Neoi Poroi Existing motorway between the two new Tempi bypass sections; upgraded under the Aegean Motorway concession. | Opened | 6 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Platamonas – Skotina (Platamonas tunnel) Bypass of the Platamonas bends through the twin T3 tunnel (2.7 km). Greek Wikipedia's table names the section Neoi Poroi – Skotina, 9.9 km; the ministry calls it Platamonas – Skotina. In August 2008 the T3 portals were being prepared while T2 was started. Contract duration: concession design and construction period, 9 March 2008 to 9 September 2012 (54 months). | Opened | 10 km |
| – |
|
| 54 mo total |
| Skotina – Nea Efesos – Katerini | Opened | 28 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Katerini tunnel Twin tunnels under Katerini, the first on the A1: Filippos (1,095 m, southbound) and Alexandros (1,100 m, northbound). Heavy maintenance of the Alexandros tube began in March 2022. | Opened | 2 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Katerini – Korinos – Methoni – Kleidi Ends at the Kleidi interchange with the A2 Egnatia Odos, the northern end of the Aegean Motorway concession. The Korinos and Aiginio interchanges were added under that concession. | Opened | 33 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Kleidi – Axios Common section with the A2 Egnatia Odos (E90), from the Kleidi interchange to the Axios interchange near Chalastra. Built as Kleidi – Gallikos river in the first phase of the motorway upgrade. | Opened | 13 km |
| – | – | – | – |
| Axios (Chalastra) – Polykastro The only part of the A1 not yet a motorway: one lane each way with no central barrier, opened in 1973 as part of the National Road. Being rebuilt to 2 × 2 lanes with emergency lanes, a central barrier and new interchanges at Prochoma and Aspros, starting with a new Evzonoi-bound carriageway. The concession sets five years for the works; a local estimate reported in December 2025 was a little over three. Length 44 km as reported by ERT; Greek Wikipedia gives 48 km in its introduction and 44.3 km across its section rows. The Gefyra interchange, a motorway-standard junction since 1988, lies inside. | Under construction | 44 km |
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| Polykastro – Evzonoi The first section of the axis built to motorway cross-section, ending at the Evzonoi border crossing with North Macedonia. Operated by New Egnatia Odos Concession, which is to upgrade its barriers, signage and pavement. | Opened | 16 km |
| – | – | – | – |
Contractor roles are as recorded in the award. Only builders count toward the delivery rankings.
Funding
- Public-private partnership68 km3 sections
- Aegean Motorway concession (design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of Raches – Kleidi for 30 years). Initial investment EUR 1.3 billion for the whole concession: toll revenue 300, equity 121, State contribution 296 and loans 583 (EUR million).
- Aegean Motorway concession; see Evangelismos – Rapsani for the whole-concession financing.
- Part of the Egnatia Odos concession, signed with GEK Terna (75%) and Egis (25%) at the end of 2025.
- European Union24 km2 sections
- ERDF contribution of EUR 922.6 million through the Operational Programme Improvement of Accessibility 2007–2013 to part two of the project Patras – Athens – Thessaloniki Motorway 'Tempi Tunnels', whose total investment the Commission gives as EUR 2,005.48 million (EUR 2,054.8 million in the same page's technical data). The figure covers the whole 230 km concession, not this lot.
- ERDF contribution of EUR 922.6 million to the whole 230 km concession, through the Operational Programme Improvement of Accessibility 2007–2013. No per-lot split.
A section that lists two sources counts its full length under each: the data records which sources paid, not what share each one carried.
Related projects
- HighwaysA8 Olympia Odos MotorwaySame contractor: Aktor, TERNA
- HighwaysBOAK Northern Crete Motorway (Kissamos – Agios Nikolaos)Same contractor: Aktor, TERNA
- HighwaysA3 Struma MotorwaySame contractor: Aktor
- HighwaysA5 Ionia Odos (Antirrio – Ioannina)Same contractor: TERNA
- HighwaysA7 Moreas Motorway (Corinth – Tripoli – Kalamata) and A71 Lefktro – SpartiSame contractor: TERNA
- HighwaysA3 Central Greece Motorway (E65), Lamia – Egnatia OdosSame contractor: TERNA
Sources
- Greek Wikipedia: Αυτοκινητόδρομος 1 (Αθήνα - Θεσσαλονίκη - Εύζωνοι)read Sep 28, 2026
- Wikipedia: A1 motorway (Greece)read Sep 28, 2026
- Greek Wikipedia: Πέταλο του Μαλιακούread Sep 28, 2026
- Greek Wikipedia: Νέα Οδός Α.Ε.read Sep 28, 2026
- Wikipedia: T2 Tunnel (Greece)read Sep 28, 2026
- Kathimerini: Παράδοση άλλων 32 χλμ. στον Μαλιακό (15 September 2007)read Sep 28, 2026
- Ta Nea: Δόθηκε στην κυκλοφορία το τμήμα παράκαμψης των Θερμοπυλών στον Μαλιακό (18 September 2008)read Sep 28, 2026
- Kathimerini: Στην κυκλοφορία όλα τα τμήματα στον Μαλιακό (17 March 2015)read Sep 28, 2026
- Aegean Motorway: Project Descriptionread Sep 28, 2026 · archived copy
- Aegean Motorway: Κατασκευή Νέων Τμημάτωνread Sep 28, 2026 · archived copy
- Aegean Motorway: Χρηματοδότηση Έργουread Sep 28, 2026 · archived copy
- in.gr: Ξεκίνησε η κατασκευή της μεγαλύτερης οδικής σήραγγας στα Τέμπη (31 August 2008)read Sep 28, 2026
- Thessalia TV: Επιτέλους στην κυκλοφορία οι σήραγγες των Τεμπών (6 April 2017)read Sep 28, 2026
- agro24.gr: Από σήμερα στην κυκλοφορία οι σήραγγες των Τεμπών (7 April 2017)read Sep 28, 2026
- European Commission, Regional Policy: Safe, modern motorway cuts journey time from Athens to Thessaloniki (2 November 2018)read Sep 28, 2026
- Eidisis.gr: Δρόμος Πολύκαστρο-Χαλάστρα: Ποια θα είναι η μορφή του, πότε ξεκινά και πότε τελειώνει (31 December 2025)read Sep 28, 2026
- ERT News: Ξεκίνησαν οι εργασίες στον άξονα Χαλάστρας – Ευζώνων (4 February 2026)read Sep 28, 2026
- Makedonika Nea: Χαλάστρα – Εύζωνοι: Απέραντο εργοτάξιο και ολική μεταμόρφωση για τη βόρεια πύλη της Ελλάδας (27 September 2026)read Sep 28, 2026
- OpenStreetMap contributors (geometry, ODbL)read Sep 28, 2026
Figures last checked against their sources in Sep 28, 2026.