Western Thessaloniki takes to the rails – the Suburban Railway and the connection with the port move ahead

Western Thessaloniki and the port are gaining new rail connections through the Western Thessaloniki Suburban Railway project and the connection of Pier 6 of the Thessaloniki Port Authority with the existing railway network.

Hellenic Railways is advancing the tender procedure for the project, with the publication of Phase B and the start of the final stage for the submission of binding offers by the participating economic operators. The project has a total budget of EUR 53.4 million plus VAT.

With seven stops – Sindos, Anchialos, Diavata, Kordelio, Eptanisou, Menemeni and the New Railway Station of Thessaloniki – the Western Suburban Railway creates a new railway axis for parts of the city that are currently not adequately served by fixed-track transport.

For passengers, the project means new and accessible stations and stops, modern platforms, purpose-built access for pedestrians and people with disabilities, and parking areas at the stations. The aim is to make access to the railway network easier for the residents, workers and visitors of western Thessaloniki.

At the same time, the connection of Pier 6 of the Thessaloniki Port Authority with the existing railway network by means of a new double railway line strengthens the port's capacity to serve freight flows by rail, reducing the need to move cargo through the urban fabric and reinforcing Thessaloniki's position on the map of combined transport.

The project includes the technical works required on the existing railway infrastructure, such as the reconstruction of lines where necessary, hydraulic works, drainage works and culverts, as well as the electromechanical installations and railway systems needed for the operation of the new stations and of the connection.

The Competitive Dialogue procedure has selected the development of a "Y"-shaped network, with two eastern branches, Sindos and Anchialos-Diavata, and a single branch towards the New Railway Station of Thessaloniki.