Thessaloniki metro project will be fully operational by end 2024

Thessaloniki will have a working metro system before the end of 2024, Infrastructure & Transport Minister Christos Staikouras said on Saturday during a visit to the ‘Agia Sofia’ station of the city’s new metro, which opened to the public in the context of the two-day festival ‘Open House Thessaloniki’.

“Our commitment remains unchanged. Thessaloniki will have an operational metro in the second half of 2024,” stressed Staikouras, who was accompanied by Deputy Minister responsible for Infrastructure issues Nikos Tachiaos, the secretary of New Democracy’s parliamentary group Stavros Kalafatis, and VP & CEO of Elliniko Metro SA Nikos Kouretas.

Staikouras was given a tour of the works and saw the project’s progress, while he also spoke with dozens of visitors to the station who visited the premises despite the rain and asked him questions about it.

“We are very near the completion of our target. This means that the justifiable suspicion level in Thessaloniki about the timely completion of the projects is dropping. As political leaders, we are committed that all projects in Thessaloniki we will be on time,” Staikouras said.

Speaking to the press, he revealed he had used the city’s urban transportation to see the situation and the traffic issues burdened additionally by the flyover project on the ring road. He underlined the efforts to improve public transportation, noting the addition of 5 bus lines, the upcoming hiring of 150 bus drivers, and the 110 electric buses expected to be delivered in the city as of April 2024.

Open House

The ‘Agia Sofia’ metro stop was opened to the public in the context of the city’s ‘Open House’ event, which provides free access to 71 public and private spaces of architectural interest, including monuments, schools, homes, hotels, offices, and medical offices.

The metro station will also be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday. It will be accessible from both of its entrances on the corner of Egnatias and Agias Sofias streets.

It is the 11th year that Open House is held in Thessaloniki, to promote architecture to the public.