The government announced a new increase in tolls on toll roads

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis announced another increase in prices for toll roads from 2024.

According to a government spokesman, the increase will occur in parts and will amount to 12% by 2026. More specifically, from the new year the increase will be 7.6%, during 2024 it will increase by 2%, in 2025 – by 2%, and in 2026 – by 2%.

Pavlos Marinakis, no more and no less, speaks of the government’s success in that the increases did not come sooner. “The story goes back to 2022, when the then political leadership of the ministry was called upon to implement an earlier agreement. At that time, the agreed increase from 1/1/23 was 12%. After negotiations it was frozen, it did not happen, and it was a success that the citizens and the state budget were not burdened”– noted the government press secretary and added:

“Since there is inflation for 2024, which amounted to 1.6% in September, then in general we will have an increase of 7.6% in 2024, 2% in 2025 and 2% in 2026. In fact, this is already accepted undertake a contractual obligation managed in such a way that it is as mild and gradual as possible.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK7guxdsRyw&t=2198s

How much tariffs will increase can be seen in the examples. If the increase is 7.63%, this means that car route from Athens to Thessaloniki will cost 33.75 euros (down from 31.35 euros), the Athens-Ioannina route (via the Rio-Antirrio bridge) will cost 41.15 euros (down from 38.25 euros), the Athens-Patras route 12.70 euros (compared to 11.80 euros) and the Athens-Kalamata route will cost 15 euros (compared to 13.95 euros today).

Please note that these examples are indicative as prices are rounded up at toll plazas (usually upwards).

For the remaining percentage of up to 12%, the companies agreed to “absorb” a small portion (2%) and collect the rest from tolls in 2025 and 2026 (2% will be added each year to increases in the consumer price index).

Recall that last year, then-minister Kostas Karamanlis asked not to increase tariffs for 2023, but companies returned to the issue after the elections, raising it with current minister Christos Staikouras, who called the consortia “unreliable.” Finally, a few days ago, an agreement was reached.

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