Construction

The road near the Corinth interchange

The section Athens - Corinth was first opened in November of 1962 (except the section Megara - Kineta {Kakia Skala pass} opened in late 1964 with motorway characteristics). The section Corinth - Patras was first opened in December of 1969 as a 14m width undivided road (except the Aegion bypass, opened in 1973 with motorway characteristics). The E94 part (Athens-Corinth) was upgraded to motorway standards from 1993 to 1997 (the section from Megara to Elefsina and Kineta to the Corinth Canal in 1994, the 2 km section west of Megara in 1995 and the section from the Corinth Canal to near Ancient Corinth in 1997). In Kakia Skala pass, a network of 5 tunnels and several bridges was constructed between 1999 and 2006, converting what was a particularly hazardous and narrow road section to a modern motorway with 3 lanes per direction.

A large number of reconstruction and renovation projects were carried out at various parts of the 8A in the 1990s. Additionaly, a major overhaul of the 8A is currently in the planning stages as of 2006, which is expected to upgrade its entire length to modern motorway standards, mostly by widening already constructed sections.Its construction is expected to begin in 2006 or early 2007, barring possible legal problems.

Route Overview

Here are the complete listings of marking of the 8A, Patras-Corinth, Corinth-Athens Road, also known as Athens-Patras New National Road. Posts are marked going west. The markings here are not by exit numbers:

Kilometre	Features, Interchanges, Junctions
4	easternmost point of E94
5	Thevon Avenue Interchange
27	Thebes-Eleuthriae Interchange, now cloverleaf
28	Athens Tollway (spur) junction, opened in 2004
30	Eleusis toll booth
35	Neos Peramos Interchange
42	Megara/Old National Road (GR8) Interchange (westbound cloverleaf)
43	Megara Rest Area, opened 1999
44	Megara-Pachi Interchange (cloverleaf)
46	easternmost point of Kakia Skala
52	Westernmost point of Kakia Skala
52	Old Kineta Interchange (closed 2001)
54	New Kineta Interchange (cloverleaf), opened 1995
57	Attica-Corinthia prefectural (departmental/provincial) boundary
62	Aghioi Theodoroi Toll Interchange
68	north of the refinery
72	Isthmia Toll booth
73	view of Kalamaki
74	Corinth-Loutraki (Old GR-9) interchange (westbound), old toll booth
75	Epidaurus (GR-70) Interchange
77	underpass
78	West Corinth-Examili Interchange
80	Tripoli (GR-7 E65) Junction, end of E94
82	Argos, Nauplion-Lechaeum (GR-7) Interchange
90	Corinth rest area (eastbound)
91	Corinth Toll booth or station
102	South Kiato Rest Area
106 and 107	2 overpasses
108	Elissus/Elissos River
109	Kiaton-Stymphalia Interchange
110	Kiaton Rest Area (westbound)
125	Xylokastron-Trikkala Interchange
146	Parking area (both directions)
147	Akrata-Aigiera Interchange
154	ELPA Rest Area
158	Kalavrita-Diacopton(um) Interchange
171	Texaco Bon Voyage sign (torn down)
172	Aegion-Pterion-Kalavrita Interchange
173	GR31 overpass
174	Aegion Rest Area (Shell gas station/gasbar)
175	West Aegion
177	West Aegion/Old GR-9 Interchange, (eastbound, partial) (cloverleaf)
181	Longos-Selimantika-Old GR-8 Interchange
182	view of Longos
183	view of Seliamantika
184	Low railway bridge
187	Achaea and the Peloponnese's Northernmost point
205	Rhion Toll booth or station
206	Rhion Junction, access to Rio-Antirio bridge , Rio and the old road
207	Patras Interchange, also access to Panachaiko , access to Patras By-Pass, opened 2003
209 to 211 (2 to 4)	Patras Tunnel
209	University of Patras-Proasteia Junction
212	Pyrgos-Port of Patras Junction (opened 1996)
213	Aretha Street Jct. (Skiessa-Hagyia) (former fourth route)
214	Amerikis Street Jct. (fmr. third route)
215	Panepistemeiou Street
216	Downtown Patras

There are 4 toll stations in the 8A at this time: Eleusis Toll booth, Isthmia toll booth, Corinth toll Booth, and Rhion toll booth at the 205th km. Before the completion of the Rhion-Antirrion Bridge, this part of the highway was the only one connecting the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece. The motorway part has 3 lanes per direction. Rest areas are in Megara, Corinth, between Corinth and Kiato, the old ELPA about 10 km west of Aigeira and Aigio.

The non-motorway part from Corinth to Patras is considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in Greece at this time. It has dangerous curves, and many drivers perform dangerous overpasses, which causes a significant number of accidents.

Patras Bypas

The bypass of Patras is a freeway that runs from the Mintilogli exit (GR-9), 8.8 km S of Patras up to the Patras exit, nearly 7 km N of the city.

Planning of the bypass began in the 1980s, but construction didn't begin until the 1990s, in th region between Roitika and Mintilogli. Construction reached Dimokratias Street (GR-33) in 1992, the Glafkos river in about the mid-1990s, the tunnels in the late-1990s, and in 2001.In October of 2002, the bypass was opened to traffic. As a result, traffic in downtown Patras was significantly decreased.

It was closed for a few days a month after its opening as a result of a mudslide, but was reopened after repairs. The bypass has five interchanges (four full and one partial with a northbound exit at the beginning .)

GR-9 for southbound lanes of the bypass, (N) indicates northbound lanes and (S) indicates southbound lanes on the bottom part of the chart

View of the bypass