A new railway line connecting Central Greece with the Ionian port of Igoumenitsa to be completed within a decade

OSE is moving in the direction of initiating the studies for the new Kalampaka-Ioannina-Igoumenitsa railway line, with the goal being for that line to be completed in the next decade. According to an OSE document when asked by an MP about the issue, the first phase of the studies has already been completed. This is a significant missing part of the Egnatia Railway promoted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport that concerns the expansion of the national railway network.

In order to complete the required studies (final studies) for the auction of the construction of the project, OSE submitted in March 2021, a request for funding of 15 million euros to CEF 2014-2020 which was approved last November. The new line already has approved environmental conditions.

The project includes the construction of a single line which will start from Kalambaka, will reach Ioannina and will end at the new port of Igoumenitsa. The new line, approximately 154 km long, will directly connect Athens with the two major urban centers of Epirus. The study speed is 160km / h.

According to railway sources, Athens-Ioannina by train will be done in 4 hours and Athens-Igoumenitsa in about 4 hours and 30 minutes. The line will be electrically operated and will have signaling, ETCS, RTMS and remote control. The new stations that are planned to be built will be a new station in Kalambaka and then Malakasi, Metsovo, Ioannina (branch line to the city), Kastritsa (passenger and freight station), Anthochori, Neochori, Igoumenitsa (passenger and freight station that will also serves the port).

A great project

The cost of the projects is estimated (as the studies will have to be completed) between 1-1.5 billion euros. At the same time, the dream of the railway connection of the ports of Igoumenitsa and Volos will finally become possible. The new railway line Kalampaka – Ioannina – Igoumenitsa is part of the Central Network Trans-European Transport Network.

We are essentially talking about the beginning of a multi-year process that will eventually lead us to the implementation of these new for the country railway lines that are the largest part of the Western Railway Egnatia.

It should be noted that OSE has started the first studies for the expansion of the railway in Epirus since the 2000s with an ambitious plan which -unfortunately for the railway- did not follow.

Last November, a financing agreement was signed between CINEA and the Ministry of Development and Investment with a funding rate of 50% from CEF and the remaining 50% from the EDP, which is expected to join. The auction of the studies is expected in the next period and it is estimated that it will attract the interest of many consulting companies.

The completion of the studies is foreseen for the end of 2024 and then funds will be sought for the construction of the new line which will be electrified. The goal is to complete the projects by 2030.