From January 1, toll fees will increase. How much will the Athens-Thessaloniki route cost?

The fare increase from January 1 will range from 7.6% to 7.7%. After a long period of negotiations between the concessionaires and the Ministry of Infrastructure, it was decided that the 2023 surcharge (12%), which was never collected, would be divided into three parts by 2026, with the concessionaires absorbing part of it.

Concession companies, as Newmoney wrote a few days ago, will announce new commercial toll policy that will apply to the entire national road network, with the exception of the Attic Road (Αττικής Οδού). The companies will inform the creditor banks about the agreement reached with the ministry and immediately thereafter new prices will be announced.

At a meeting on Friday 24 November it appears that it was finally decided that the increase will be spread over three years, with the nominal increase reducing from 12% to 10%.

The first increase will take effect from the beginning of the year, and it remains to be seen how it will be distributed. The information suggests an annual adjustment of 6%, which is likely to include September’s 1.6% rise in inflation, and concerns the projected indexation of tolls in 2024. From 2% plus inflation Every year there will be an increase in fares until 2025-2026.

However, it cannot be ruled out that the distribution of the fee will be “flexible”. The amounts of the increase will be finalized through roundings that the companies will make by item (area where the diodes are located) and vehicle categories, about which will be announced in the next few days competent services of the ministry. Immediately after this, new prices will be posted on the websites and corresponding announcements will appear.

So far, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport refrains from revealing even the slightest details about the meeting with the companies and the fees, while the concession companies also remain silent on this matter. It is possible that this attitude is due to the fact that the concessionaires have lodged complaints with the public regarding the months-long delay in tariff adjustments, which the ministry reportedly asked to be “postponed” for some time. However, the agreement in principle shows that there were mutual concessions designed to ensure a happy conclusion to the discussions of recent months.

Let us recall that the companies managing the roads (Olympia Odos, Ionia, Odos, Central Odos, Moreas, Rio-Antirrio Bridge) retreated last year on the issue of revaluation of tolls (although their contracts provide for annual adjustment based on inflation), in accordance with the advice of the previous government freeze rate increases during the pre-election period.

The companies returned in the summer (immediately after the elections) asking for immediate tariff adjustments, but made a decision that brought them into conflict with political leadership due to disagreements over both the size of the increases and the timing of their implementation. Negotiations broke down in September after devastating floods in Thessaly, with both sides returning to the negotiating table late last week. This was reported by the Kathimerini publication.

The annual increase is calculated based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index each September. The index increased in 2023 by 1.65% compared to 2022. To this increase will be added half of the increase from 2021 to 2022, which was 12%, that is, 6%. Thus, the total growth from January 1 will be 7.63%.

If the increase is finally confirmed, the cost for a car on the Athens-Thessaloniki route will increase to 33.75 euros from 31.35 euros, in Ioannina (via the Rio-Antirio bridge) to 41.15 euros from 38.25 euros, the Athens-Antirio route Patra 12.70 euros against 11.80 euros and Athens-Kalamata 15 euros from 13.95 euros today.

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