The Thessaloniki Metro has inaugurated its 4.8-km extension to Kalamaria, adding five new stations and providing access to underground transport in the eastern part of the city.
The opening ceremony took place on 27 August 2026 at Mikra station and was attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Elliniko Metro CEO Christos Fafoutis, THEMA CEO Francesco Rosella and Aktor Group CEO Alexandros Exarchou.
„The city can take pride in having a Metro system that is one of the most modern and beautiful in Europe, fully automated, with regular services, security personnel and accessibility for everyone, particularly our fellow citizens with disabilities. It also has one of the most affordable fares, and this is worth emphasizing, with even lower fares available for school pupils, university students, large families and our fellow citizens aged over 65,”, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said.
The new extension is expected to serve between 60,000 and 63,000 passengers daily and remove approximately 12,000 cars from road traffic, resulting in a reduction of pollutant emissions equivalent to 25 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day.
“For Thessaloniki, these figures have real value because the Metro is built for the people who live here. […] The Thessaloniki Metro bears a strong European imprint. More than €1 billion in European funding has supported its construction. And our efforts continue, with the next major step being the extension of the Metro towards western Thessaloniki,” European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said.
EUR 2.5 billion investment in the Thessaloniki Metro network
The development of the Thessaloniki Metro network has involved an investment of EUR 2.5 billion across all programming periods, including both eligible and non-eligible expenditure. Of this amount, almost EUR 1.1 billion has been provided through European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) cohesion policy funding for the two lines – the main line and its extension to Kalamaria.
The Kalamaria extension itself required an investment of EUR 610 million, of which EUR 335 million was covered by the ERDF.
The new metro section directly connects the eastern districts of Nomarchia, Kalamaria, Aretsou, Nea Krini and Mikra with the civic centre and the main railway hub. It reduces journey times from the end of the line to the city centre to 15 minutes and to the New Railway Station to 25 minutes, without the need to change trains.
The Mikra terminal station also assumes a key intermodal role, becoming the closest underground transfer point for passengers travelling to and from Macedonia International Airport.
The Thessaloniki Metro extension project was delivered by the state-owned urban transport developer Elliniko Metro, Aktor, Honeywell, Hitachi and metro system operator THEMA.
The infrastructure adds 15 additional trains to the rolling stock, bringing the entire network to 14.4 km, with 18 stations and 33 fully automated trains operating at GoA4 standard, without drivers. Hitachi Rail supplied both the trains and CBTC technology and is responsible for the rolling stock as well as the signalling and automatic train control system for the Thessaloniki Metro network.
“Less than two years have passed since Thessaloniki received its Metro, and today we are taking the next major step. We are delivering the extension to Kalamaria. Five new stations are joining the network, transforming the daily lives of thousands more citizens. Kalamaria is now directly connected to the city centre, creating a new reality for mobility in Thessaloniki,” the Minister of Transport said.
CBTC technology and a 2040 development vision
The new section represents the first junction on an automated metro system in the history of Greek engineering, with the branch towards Kalamaria connecting directly south of 25 Martiou station.
The communications-based train control (CBTC) digital signalling system supplied by Hitachi Rail provides the highest level of automation, GoA4, supporting a capacity of at least 18,000 passengers per hour per direction and a minimum technical headway of 90 seconds.
Regarding systems integration, Elliniko Metro CEO Christos Fafoutis explained: “Beyond the construction works themselves, the greatest technical challenge of the Kalamaria extension was transforming a complex combination of independent systems and trains into a unified, coordinated, safe and fully operational metro system. Through thousands of tests and inspections, followed by the necessary certifications, this challenge became a reality, and today the project is being handed over to serve the citizens.”
In 2024, Thessaloniki inaugurated its 9-km main metro line with 13 stations, operated by 24 automated trains. The operating contract is implemented through a public-private partnership and was signed for an 11-year period with THEMA, a consortium comprising ATM, Milan’s public transport operator, and Egis Projects.
The newly inaugurated Thessaloniki Metro extension forms part of a broader metropolitan strategy outlined in the Thessaloniki Metro Development Study (MAMTH). Funded through European Structural Funds under ESPA and prepared by Elliniko Metro between 2021 and 2023, the study mapped the mobility patterns of 30,000 households, collected data from 67,000 questionnaires completed by drivers and public transport users, and analysed 690 km of road network.
The long-term objective for 2040 is an underground network structured around two metro lines serving 44 stations.
The further development of the Thessaloniki Metro network initially focuses on two major directions: northwards along Langada Street and westwards towards the Evosmos–Kordelio area. Planning for the northern extension has already reached an advanced conceptual stage, while the technical concept for the Evosmos–Kordelio section is currently being developed.
The immediate priority is to develop transport connections to the western and north-western districts of Thessaloniki, including Neapoli, Stavroupoli, Efkarpia, Ampelokipoi, Evosmos and Kordelio, an area home to more than 400,000 people. Extending the metro network in this direction would address significant transport demand and improve connectivity between these communities and the rest of the city.
The project forms part of a wider programme for the development of transport and logistics infrastructure across the metropolitan area, alongside the redevelopment of Pontou Street, the elevated FlyOver motorway, the development of a three-line western suburban railway system, the expansion of Pier 6 at the Port of Thessaloniki and the new Gonou logistics hub.
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