Hellenic Railways has published the second phase of the tender for the project “Rail Link to Pier 6 of the Port of Thessaloniki and Construction of the Western Thessaloniki Suburban Railway, ” with a total budget of €53.4 million plus VAT. The project is now entering the final stage of the tender process and the submission of binding financial bids.
The project is divided into two main sections. The first concerns the development of the Thessaloniki Western Suburban Railway network, involving the construction and operational upgrade of seven railway stations/stops. For passengers, the Western Suburban Railway means new, accessible stations and stops, with platforms, accessible entrances for pedestrians and people with disabilities, as well as parking areas at the stations, making access to the network easier for those traveling to and from western Thessaloniki.
The second phase concerns the rail connection of Pier 6 of the Thessaloniki Port Authority to the existing rail network via a new rail line. This project strengthens the port’s connection to the national and international railway network, enhancing Thessaloniki’s role in freight transport and in the corridors linking the Balkans and Southeast Europe.
The project also includes the necessary technical upgrades to the existing electrified railway line, such as track reconstruction where required, hydraulic works, drainage works and culverts, as well as the necessary electromechanical installations and railway systems for the operation of the new stations and the connection.
The Competitive Dialogue process has selected the development of a “Y”-shaped network, with two eastern branches, Sindos and Anghialos–Diavata, and a single branch to the Thessaloniki Railway Station, serving a total of seven stops: Sindos, Anghialos, Diavata, Kordelio, Eptanisos, Menemeni, and the New Thessaloniki Railway Station.
This new arrangement connects the suburban rail network with the Thessaloniki Metro, creating an integrated and interconnected urban transit system for Thessaloniki. At the same time, the connection to Pier 6 strengthens the strategic role of the Port of Thessaloniki and improves the country’s international freight connections.
Following the signing of the contract, construction of the Thessaloniki Western Suburban Railway is expected to be completed within 18 months, while the rail connection to PPA’s Pier 6 has a 36-month implementation timeline.
Of particular importance is that the project provides for phased deliveries at the suburban railway stations, allowing for the gradual operation of sections of the network and the gradual delivery of benefits to the public as construction progresses.
Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis stated:
“As part of the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s safe railway network, as well as broader efforts aimed at improving citizens’ daily lives, another project—one that addresses a decades-long demand— the rail connection to the port of Thessaloniki and the construction of the Western Thessaloniki suburban railway, is entering its final stage of implementation. And in this specific case, the role of the European funds we have secured is significant. And in this specific case, it is being proven in practice that European funds, as a whole, finance projects and reforms for the benefit of society and the economy. This is what we committed to, and this is what we are putting into practice.”
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis emphasized:
“Thessaloniki is gradually acquiring a unified fixed-track transit network. With the completion of the Kalamaria line, the Metro will connect the eastern side of the city with the Central Railway Station. From there, via the Western Suburban Line, the connection will continue to western Thessaloniki, creating a new transportation corridor that links more areas of the city in a fast, reliable, and modern way.
Our goal is for transportation to function as a unified system: for citizens to be able to move more easily from one side of the city to the other, combining different fixed-track modes. At the same time, the rail connection to the 6th Pier of the Port of Thessaloniki reinforces Thessaloniki’s strategic role as a gateway to Southeast Europe and links it to the broader Greece–Bulgaria–Romania corridor. “It is a project that benefits the city’s daily life, but also strengthens Thessaloniki’s position on the region’s new transportation map.”
Vasileios Siadimas, Secretary General for the Management of Sectoral Programs under the ERDF, Cohesion Fund, and ESF, stated:
“Through the NSRF’s ‘Transport 2021–2027’ Program, interventions such as this one will be funded, which improve connectivity and upgrade the country’s railway infrastructure. The Thessaloniki Western Suburban Railway and the rail link to Pier 6 of the Port of Thessaloniki are projects supported by the Program: initiatives that improve daily mobility for thousands of citizens, integrate different modes of transport, and enhance the port’s operations.
The utilization of European funds is not reflected in the amounts, but in the projects that reach citizens. By moving to the next stage of the tender, we are demonstrating that planning is turning into implementation, with tangible benefits for Thessaloniki and the economy of the wider region.”
Secretary General of Transport Stelios Sakaretos noted:
“The Western Suburban Railway and the rail connection to Pier 6 are critical projects for Thessaloniki’s transition to a more modern and integrated transportation model. They create the conditions for better integration of the port, railway, and fixed-track transport, enhancing both daily mobility and the city’s strategic role as a transport and logistics hub in the wider region.”
It should be noted that the Ministry of National Economy and Finance plans to include the project in the "Transport 2021-2027" of the NSRF, reinforcing interventions that improve connectivity, sustainable transport, and the country’s strategic infrastructure.