Three upcoming large-scale railway projects in Greece

A large number of new rail projects have been launched by ERGOSE since last December,. The first is the, now, well-known Sepolia Railway Tunnel, for which contract signatures are considered to be a matter of days (Contractor: J/V INTRAKAT – SIDIRODROMIKA ERGA ATE). Tenders for the electrification of Kiato – Rododafni (AKTOR), Isthmos – Loutraki (MYTILINEOS – KSANTHAKIS), Paleoparsalos – Kalambaka (AKTOR) and the new railway bridges on Gallikos River (SIDIRODROMIKA ERGA ATE) followed.

These projects, will be entering their implementation stage by 2019, introducing the new generation of railway projects. But the momentum is equally important. Over the next period, 3 major railway projects are expected to be auctioned.

The first one concerns the  Phase B’ construction works for Athens Central Railway Station. The cost of the project has been estimated at 41m euros. These projects aim to complete the modernization and upgrading of the country’s largest train station with a so-called “sweep” contract, incuding the reconstruction platforms 1 – 6 (currently out of service), the old underpass (which is located at the northern end of the station), an underground connection will be finally established with Athens Metro Line 2 station: “Larissa Station” as well as the completion of the semi-finished Pelopos Str. node at the southern entrance of the station, allowing safe movement of all trains, vehicles and passengers.

In addition, track laying works, electrification systems installation on the reconstructed platforms as well as 3 metal pedestrian overpasses with several associated works (such as road works, plumbing, buildings restoration, greenery and fencing works) will be also implmented.

The second project concerns the completion and operation of Rododafni – Psathopirgos railway section, in Peloponnese. The cost of these projects has been estimated at around 91m euros. This section includes the third largest tunnel in the country, in Panagopoula area (4.5 km-long). The scope of the remaining projects includes track laying, electrification systems installation, the construction of 4 new stations (Rododafni, Selianitika, Kamares, Psathopyrgos) and ETCS. A wired telecommunication network will be developed on the new line section. It will also include individual works such as landscaping works and rehabilitation of the surrounding area.

The third project concerns the electrification of Larissa – Volos railway section and the bypass of Nea Ionia. The cost of projects has been estimated at 71m euros. It also includes the installation of signalling and ETCS systems on the existing single-track railway line Larissa – Volos with a length of approximately 61 km. The new design includes the normalization of the old metric line of Quarry – Volos Port section, to standard gauge.

The common element of all these 3 projects is their funding from NSRF 2014-2020. The first of these 3 projects to be auctioned is the “sweep” contract of Athens Central Railway Station and, depending on their maturity, it will be decided which of the two other projects will follow.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com