The new signalling and telecommand system on the Thessaloniki-Edomeni railway section has become fully operational, marking the completion of a project of strategic importance for transport safety and the strengthening of the country’s international freight role.
The project was implemented under the AS 713 contract, signed in March 2022, which provided for the installation of a new signalling system along the entire length of the line from Thessaloniki’s TX1 to Idomeni. At the same time, 37 track switches were replaced at key points of the network, and an ETCS Level 1 system was installed.
With the completion of the interventions, about 75 kilometres of modern signalling and telecommand infrastructure have been added to the main railway line connecting Greece to Europe via freight.
The new system replaces the old infrastructure, which was installed in the late 1980s and had been phased out since 2005.
The upgrade of the line to the northern border enhances the international character of the Greek railway network, allowing now direct freight trains to run directly from Thriasio to Idomeni and the European mainland, without the need to detour via the Thessaloniki Railway Station.
The new facility contributes to reducing transport time and enhances the competitiveness of the country’s central freight corridor.
In a statement, Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis said the activation of signalling and telecommand after two decades adds critical control infrastructure and enhances the safety and reliability of the network. At the same time, he stressed that the completion of the works in Thessaly creates a single modern rail corridor that will allow direct freight transport to Europe, noting that it is part of a wider infrastructure rehabilitation and upgrade project.
For his part, the managing director of Sidirodromoi Elladas, Christos Palios, described the reopening of the line as an important milestone for the modernisation of the railway system, stressing that both traffic safety and the possibility of developing international transport are enhanced. At the same time, he noted that the effort to upgrade critical infrastructure continues with the aim of a modern and functional network.
