Greek National Road 3

Greek National Road 3 (Ethniki Odos 3 - EO3) begins from Eleusis and heads north, passing Larissa, Florina and terminates at the border with the Republic of Macedonia in Niki, which from there links with the M3. The road is part of the E65. In the late 1980s, motorway bypasses have been constructed for the towns Tyrnavos and Elassonas. Greek National Road 3 is one of the longest highways in Greece and up until the 1960s it served as the main route from Larissa to Thessaloniki. Today it is being bypassed by the A1 motorway. In 2003, farmers' took over the road protesting against high prices, resulting them to spill their milk produce on the highway. It lasted for a couple of days and tractors blocked many parts of the road.

Future developments

In 2002, a new motorway from Larissa to Kozani and further on to Bitola in the Republic of Macedonia began construction. Motorway sections are already running north of Larissa and north of Kozani, up to Ptolemaida. Remaining parts have either fallen through as no construction works are currently being done at all and there has been no formal announcement from the governemnt.

Route

The highway passes and bypasses through these places:

• Eleusis (western part)
• Mandra
• Thiva
• Levadeia
• Lamia, and bypasses
• Pharsalus/Farsala
• Larissa
• Tyrnavos, and bypasses
• Elassona, and bypasses
• Kozani, and bypasses
• Ptolemaida, and bypasses
• Florina
• Niki