A portion of the highways in Greece works in a weird way. You pay tolls at the entrance and there is no check at the exit, and so far it could be perfectly normal, but not everyone knows that at almost all junctions along the way there are no tollgates! This means that you can, usually with minimal deviations in terms of miles and often time, bypass tollgates and get back on the highway after a few miles without paying exorbitant tolls and everything is perfectly legal! 🙂
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[ATTENTION! updated Feb. 10, 2012
This is not possible any more. The payment system changed and now tolls are payed at the entrance and at the exit from the toll-road and they also raised the tariffs. A motorhome will now pay 5,40 at Elefsina (Athens) and 4,60 at Corinth]
Corinth to Athens Direction
AComing from Peloponnese you have to find your way and get on the old national road, following signs for Athens tolls free. Once in Corinth, cross the canal bridge, continue past the turn to the left to Loutraki. After a few hundreds meters you see a sign saying to keep left for Athens tolls free, follow it and you pass below a bridge, keep going for 12 km till you’ll see a sign for Athens Highway at Agioi Theodori, take a left and you’ll see just befor the tollgates an exit to your right for Athens tolls free, follow it. You will find your self going on the side of the highway for about 1 km and a half, at the end of the road go left to pass under it and then right and you’ll continue to go on the side of the highway, having it on your right now. Continue for about 6 km and a half, till the end of the road, where you will have to take a left and then to the right, and then to the right again. Pass below the bridge and turn left following the green sign for Athens, you’ll get on hte highway and coontinue straight to Athens. That’s it! (8,10€ gained)
Athens to Corinth Direction
Get out of Athens following the directions for the Corinth highway. As you get close to the tollgates, keep your right, Exactly at the height of the tollgates there is an exit on the right for Nea Peramos, follow that, get under the bridge and then turn right. After one km you’ll get to a big crossroad, turn right, climb up the turns and you’ll find yourself on the side of the highway. Follow this road up to Megara, where it ends after about 11km. Take a right on the old national road, pass under the bridge and keep left. After about 1800 meters you will have to slow down and spot a little road to your right just a couple of hundreds meter from the bridge in front of you. It’s easy to miss it, so be careful. Continue to the end of the road and the turn left. After a few hundreds meters you’ll see the green sign to Corinth, turn right and… that’s it!
I will add some more soon
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