Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis announced in May 2025 that the Athens–Thessaloniki railway line will be fully operational and safe by next summer.
“In summer of 2026 the safe Athens–Thessaloniki line will be completed. By then we will have all the systems we need,” Kyranakis stated.
In an interview with state broadcaster ERT on Friday, the deputy minister addressed issues from railway safety to public transport upgrade.
He highlighted the introduction of a new geo-location system as a major upgrade for the network.
“Each train, each train engine will carry a special type of transmitter, which will correct the signal and in real time will give an accuracy of a few centimeters.” he explained. He also announced that passengers will be able to track trains in real-time via the railway.gov.gr website within the next three months.
His statements come amidst ongoing public furor over the deadliest railway accident in Greece, the Tempi train crash with 57 dead in February 2023.
A disgruntled Greek public opinion sees the tragic accident as a culmination of poor management by its government, revealing a litany of chronic equipment failures in the country’s railway system and the lack of effective policies to address serious safety transport issues. As the investigation into the accident has dragged on, and government officials have still not been investigated, there were ongoing allegations of a cover-up.
In his interview, the deputy minister underlined that strict banksnewscols are in place for safety. “No train enters the line unless the previous one has been evacuated,” he emphasized, underscoring the commitment to preventing further accidents.
PS So the deputy transport minister tells us that the rail is not 100% safe nowadays and it won’t be until over a year later….?