Thessaloniki Metro: Main Line’s first section to operate in 2020

Thessaloniki Metro is now definitely planned to operate in 2020 between Sintrivani and Nea Elvetia Stations. Problematic Venizelos Station is expected to protract the delivery of the line’s 3 westbound stations.

The Chairman of Attiko Metro, Mr. Giannis Milopoulos indeed verified just a few days ago the project’s operation in 3 different phases. The first phase concerns the aforementioned section of the Main Line’s 9 station in the Summer 2020. Trial operation is expected to commence one year earlier, in 2019 and last roughly 9 months. It is reminded that Thessaloniki Metro’s trains will be fully automatic and driverless, very much like Copenhagen Metro in Denmark, with their traffic being arranged and monitored by a Central Operation Center.

The second operation phase is expected one year after the release of the Main Line’s first section, i.e. in 2021, and concerns Line 2 to Kalamaria with 5 new stations and 7 shared stations with the Main Line (Sintrivani-Patrikios). The branch will be terminating at Mikra Station.

It is noteworthy that the logic of the trains’ traffic in Thessaloniki Metro will be different than in Athens; trains for both lines will be sharing platforms for a considerable part of the network and passengers will be embarking on their train of preference based on the information provided by the telematics system.

The third and last operation phase will be taking place in the end of 2021 with the operation of the last 4 pending westbound stations of the Main Line that will be incorporated in the itineraries of Line 2 as well.

With regard to “Venizelos Station”, Mr. Milopoulos said that, in the framework of the ‘in situ’ antiquities emergence and exhibition, the responsible Ephorate is expected to approve soon relevant works for a station that will constitute a major landmark for the city, giving both visitors and passengers the opportunity to walk on the trails of the ancient Egnatia Way via a semi-underground passage. The final cost for the construction of the network’s most challenging station will be decided by the technical characteristics of the solution that the contractor will opt for.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

Follow Nikos Karagiannis on Twitter