Monday begins the training of drivers in the ETCS system
In eleven months from now, the country will have a double rail line from Piraeus to Thessaloniki. Konstantinos Kyranakis At the 8th ITC 2025 Infrastructure and Transport Congress, which takes place at the Athens Conference Center.
The Deputy Minister, presenting the improvement interventions implemented and implemented by the Ministry of Transport in rail transport, stressed that “the rail transport system in the country is changing. We have a new administration, under a common roof, and now the issues are moving at speed. ” Mr Kiranakis referred to the administrative changes in the railway, Ras, but also to EDOSAAM, but also to the ongoing renegotiation between the public and the Hellenic Train.
As Mr Kyranakis typically stated, “we have laid the groundwork for major changes, and soon the training of drivers on the ETCS system are starting, with the aim of having a operating automatic braking system on the railway.” In addition, as it was known, the JMD was signed today for psychometric evaluations to the railway security personnel in collaboration with the GEHEA.
As he pointed out, communications must be made in a specific way. At the psychometric and operational level, we must ensure the highest levels of security, stressed and added that, despite any reactions, these changes will do good to railway staff. In addition, he added, we set security valves so that a business center controls the trains in a centimeter, while making special reference to the enrichment of the human resources of Greece, with Greeks abroad, as 300 applications are already in evaluation.
“It is a unique opportunity for the Greek railway to gain know -how from abroad,” he said. According to Mr. Kyranakis, security and passenger experience play a leading role and completed the implementation of projects for the renovation of stations in Athens and Thessaloniki, the suburban and the rail network.
He also emphasized that there is interest from a Levante Train to run in the western Peloponnese.
In addition, for freight transport, he said that the goal is for Thriasio to “fill life, with products, containers and export materials, which through the railway to go all over Europe, with a significant footprint for the country.”
He also pointed out that the projects in Thessaly are moving forward and ending in the summer of 2026, and the autopsies will be done with a drone so that they are closely monitored.
Regarding Thessaloniki’s urban transport, he stressed that projects are being expanded to expand the Thessaloniki Metro to Kalamaria, which will be inaugurated in early 2026.
He also underlined the overall reinforcement of the transport project in the city, as in 2026, we will have 550 buses in Thessaloniki and “so the Thessaloniki transport map will be further improved”.
For Athens, he stressed that the bus fleet in Athens has been renewed, as we will reach 1,000 new buses, while trolley routes will be gradually reduced as they will be replaced by electric buses. As the Deputy Minister has made known to ISAP (formerly electric), the first remodeled train comes in December and after a trial two months, we will also be supplied with a new train every month.
“In addition to the 14 trains renovated by the existing contract, another ten trains have joined the potential, and from the social climate fund we also have new trains in the subway, as the aim is to increase the routes to and from the airport,” he said.
Finally, to reduce traffic in cities, according to Mr Kyranakis, cameras enter buses, but also on roads in Attica, while each municipality and region will also be able to put its own cameras, receiving revenue from violations.