Tenders for 3 major railway projects in Northern Greece now underway

At least for Northern Greece, the three railway projects that will connect the ports of Thessaloniki, Kavala, and Alexandroupolis with the national railway network, as well as with the networks of neighboring countries, are moving forward.

As stated by the CEO of ERGOSE, Christos Palios, at the Green Deal Greece 2024 conference organized by the Technical Chamber of Greece , 2025 will essentially be the year when the tenders for the new railway line from Nea Karvali to Toxotes Xanthi, the Alexandroupolis-Ormenio line, and the connection to the 6th pier of the Thessaloniki Port Authority  will move forward.

The largest project of all is the Alexandroupolis-Ormenio line. According to Mr. Palios, binding offers will be submitted within 2025. The most significant development in the tender, which began in 2022, is that funding for the Pythio-Ormenio section has been secured through CEF II, while there is an ambition to secure funding for the other section, Alexandroupolis-Pythio, through a new CEF II call.

If this is achieved, the entire project can proceed to upgrade the railway line in the Evros region and connect it to the Bulgarian network.

The mid-term goal is to create an Alexandroupolis-Burgas railway line that would serve as an alternative route for freight transit, bypassing the Bosporus Strait.

It is worth noting that in the ongoing tender, the consortia expressing interest are: AKTOR-METLEN, GEK TERNA-INTRAKAT, and AVAX-ALSTOM. The project’s tender budget amounts to €1.08 billion (excluding VAT), and the selected contractor will be responsible for the design and construction to upgrade the existing single railway line from Alexandroupolis to Ormenio and the Greek-Bulgarian border, covering 176 kilometers. This includes converting it to a double track, installing signaling systems and ETCS Level 1, electrification, and upgrading/renovating existing railway stations/stops.

Furthermore, flood control works will be constructed to address flooding caused by the overflow of the Evros River (where it occurs), along with stream regulation structures, drainage works, and flood protection for the railway line, roads, and other related infrastructure.

The new line Nea Karvali-Toxotes Xanthi

Meanwhile, as has been announced, the tender process for the new Nea Karvali-Toxotes Xanthi railway line is progressing. In the September tender, TERNA was selected as the contractor with a 27.63% discount. The project, costing €193.2 million (excluding VAT), has secured funding from CEF II.

The project includes construction work for the infrastructure, superstructure, and stations/stops for a new single-track railway line in the Nea Karvali-Toxotes (Xanthi region) section, approximately 32 km long, as well as a branch line from Nea Karvali to the new freight port of Kavala, approximately 5.3 km long.

With this project, the port of Kavala will gain a connection to the national railway network, providing it with new momentum as it can operate complementarily and in coordination with the ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis.

Thessaloniki’s railway projects

In the same address, the head of ERGOSE referred to another ongoing tender involving a dual project: the connection of the 6th pier of the Thessaloniki Port Authority (OLTH) to the railway network and the Western Suburban Railway of Thessaloniki.

He mentioned that the tender process is being expedited, with the goal of completing the necessary studies and initiating the submission of bids within 2025.

The project is considered essential for the efficient operation of the 6th pier, especially with the upcoming expansion works scheduled to begin soon.

With the railway connection in place, freight trains will be able to operate daily to and from the northern borders of the country, facilitating the distribution of containers arriving at the port of Thessaloniki.

The remaining projects

Regarding projects undertaken by ERGOSE, Mr. Palios mentioned that several are in an advanced stage of construction. These projects include the upgrade of Athens Central Railway Station, the Sepolia Tunnel, the electrification of the Kiato-Aigio line, and the comprehensive contract for the Aigio-Rio section.

The electrification works on the Paleofarsalos-Kalambaka and Larissa-Volos sections are also under construction. However, these will be completed alongside the upcoming projects aimed at restoring both lines from the damage caused by the 2023 floods.

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