Central Greece’s new E65 motorway: two more sections are now completed and open for traffic

When the Central Greece Motorway, also known as E65, was announced in 2006, no one could have imagined how its implementation would progress.

With today’s completion of the two sections, the E65 ceases to be the country’s blind motorway as it connects to the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway. Now the road starts from the Anthili interchange before Lamia and ends in Kalambaka, spanning 136 continuous kilometres.”

The road will be inaugurated today in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister of Infrastructure Christos Staikouras, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Nikos Tachiaos, and other political figures and stakeholders from the wider region.

It is expected to be open for commercial operation—meaning to be opened for vehicles—by the end of the day today, as it will take a few hours to clear the space from the inauguration ceremony that takes place near the Othrys Tunnel.

Drivers will be able to enter the motorway, passing west of the city of Lamia, approaching and passing through the areas of Lianokladi, Karpenissi, and the towns of Domokos, Sofades in Karditsa, Trikala, and ending up all the way to Kalambaka.

In 2026, according to officials from Central Roads and TERNA, it is estimated that the remaining 45 kilometres from Kalambaka to Kipourgio Grevenon will also be completed, where the road will connect to the Egnatia Odos.

Since 2020, a 14.2-kilometer segment of Lamia-Xyniada has been delivered in the southern section, stretching from the Anthili interchange before Lamia (in the direction towards Thessaloniki) to the Karpenissi interchange. Now, an additional 18.2 kilometres are being handed over to the Xyniada area, where the new road will connect with the existing Xyniada-Trikala segment.

In Trikala, a new segment of 24.7 kilometres is also being delivered, which will connect the E65 with the major tourist and religious destination of Kalambaka. Significant beneficiaries will also be all other tourist destinations in the prefectures of Karditsa and Trikala, as the direct connection to the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway (E65) is believed to have a catalytic effect on these areas.

The largest engineering project in the southern section is the Othrys Tunnel, approximately 3 kilometres long. Construction was challenging, but once completed, it will be one of the 10 longest road tunnels in the country.

Frontal toll booths are planned at the Uneven Junction of Karpenissi (southern section), as well as two lateral Toll Stations at the Uneven Junctions of Trikala and Kalambaka (northern section). In the future, the frontal Toll Station in Oxynia and the lateral Toll Station at the A/K Agiofyllo – Karpero, both in the northern section of Kalambaka-Egnatia, which are still under construction, are yet to be operational.

Besides the existing Service Area for Drivers (SEA) beyond Sofades, which is already operational, another one will be operational by 2025 in the area of Lianokladi in the southern section of Lamia-Xyniada. A little further north, there will be a two-way Parking & Rest Area (Parking & WC).

In the northern section, a SEA is planned to operate in the area of Raxa Trikala, likely when the northern section is completed. Central Roads S.A. is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the road. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is the contracting authority for the E65. Independent Engineers in this project is the joint venture AECOM-OMEK.