Today signed (28.4.2025), in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the conventions relating to rehabilitation projects on the rail network of the Regions of Thessaly and Central Greece, from extensives damage caused by the Daniel and Elias natural disasters in September 2023.
The contracts were signed, in the presence of the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas and Deputy Minister of Finance Nikos Papathanassis, by Deputy Minister of Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis and the contractors. It is a bundle of four contractors, which are expected to repair critical infrastructures that have suffered serious damage.
The budget of the projects is EUR 450.12 million, and the duration of contracts is set to 15 months from today.
This beam includes 4 contractors:
1. The restoration of the Athens – Thessaloniki double railway linefrom the exit of the SS Domokou until the entrance of the SS Krannon.
Work includes the restoration of the infrastructure and the line of the line, the stabilization of slopes, minerals and houses, as well as the strengthening of the network’s strength against future extreme weather.
2. The restoration of the Paleofarsalos – Kalambaka Single Railway Line.
Work includes the construction of the necessary projects to restore and improve the hydraulic side of the line, so that the line can be securely and uninterrupted and obtain in these sections, resilience to the weather that regularly affects the area.
3. The restoration of the Larissa – Volos Railway Railwayin sections:
- Exit SS Larissa – SS Quarry
- SS Quarry – SS entrance Volou
- Two seats in the SS Volos.
Work in these sections include, rail and metal bridges, shielding of the rail infrastructure and allowance in sections of the line that exhibit increased vulnerability against flood phenomena, as well as concomitant hydraulic work.
4. Restoration of signaling systems, ETCS L1, telephoto and electric In the part of the double rail line from the SS Palaiofarsalos to SS Krannon.
The restoration of the systems in the destroyed section will allow the signaling, telecommunications and ETCS to be re -operated. This will increase traffic safety and allow double -line traffic. The capacity of the Athens – Thessaloniki line will also increase.
Present at the signature ceremony were also the Minister of Rural Development and Food and Karditsa MP Costas Tsiaras, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and MP of Larissa Christos Kellas, the Deputy Minister of Digital Governance and MP Magnesia Magnesia MPs Christos Triantopoulos and Zeta Makri, Karditsa MP Asimina Skondra, the Secretary General of Public Investment Program and National Development Program (PDP & EPA) Catherine Economou, the Secretary General of Transport and the Secretary General of Transport.
Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Dimas said: “Today we sign the contracts relating to the rehabilitation projects on the rail network of the Regions of Thessaly and Central Greece, from the extensive damage caused by the” Daniel “and” Elias “natural disasters in September 2023. These are of particular importance, as they will be of particular importance, as they will be completed, Today they are damaged, taking a significant step in moving citizens in terms of increased security, as well as the smooth transfer of goods. Tomorrow, in Larissa, we will sign the contracts relating to road restoration projects. The total interventions, both on the railway and on the road network, amounts to € 1.35 billion. It is an extremely high amount, which proves the magnitude of the disasters caused by the natural disaster and the urgent need created in the national economy in order to secure resources to repair public infrastructure damage. To enable these projects to be implemented, funding of EUR 600 million was secured by the recovery and resilience fund, while the remaining EUR 735 million will be raised from national resources. ”
Deputy Minister of Finance Nikos Papathanassis said: “For the first time, this government increased the annual available for natural disasters from 300 to 600m euros. In 2024 we exhausted this amount and even overwhelmed it by € 90 million. Of course, the state’s fiscal course is of great value, so that it is ready to cover such natural disasters. I say this, because while the coverage from Europe may be small, but it gave us the right – with the prime minister’s negotiation – to redirect resources from the € 600m recovery fund. The amount you see now participating in the € 1.3 billion of contracts signed today and tomorrow, but at the same time we have a € 700m supplement from the national side. We have just recently had an increase in the Public Investment Program. In 2025 it will reach the record of 14.6 billion euros to reach 2026 to € 16.9 billion. I would like to say that even today, but also tomorrow, we show that the state ensures that natural disasters are covered and, above all, we can have the potential in the future whatever happens, to be prepared to cover such phenomena, which come from a climate crisis that has asymmetric results, without asymmetric results.
Deputy Minister of Transport Konstantinos Kiranakis stressed: “As we were committed, contracts for the restoration of the railway line in Thessaly are signed in April. In September 2023, the contracts for telecommunications and ETCS were handed over, which, after the unprecedented severity of the bad weather, were destroyed along with the entire line. It was followed by a temporary rehabilitation of the line, which operates to this day, so that the itineraries were not stopped on the main axis. The temporary rehabilitation projects were completed by the end of 2023. So today, the companies we sign immediately begin the infrastructure and benefit projects in the Domokos – Krannon Department, the installation of new signaling, telecommunications, ETCS and electric projects and electricity and electricity Postgraduate on the Larissa – Volos and Paleophasalos – Kalambaka axes. Their implementation begins without any delay, with a tight timetable, for public data, with a 15 -month implementation horizon. With the completion of these contracts and the rest of the projects we are launching, the network will be ready to welcome new modern trains that will move to a fully telephone central axis, Athens – Thessaloniki. ”
METKA Vice President & CEO Dinos Benroubis said: “The assignment of the Athens -Thessaloniki double rail line, in a crucial part of the Daniel and Elias natural disasters, is a great honor and huge responsibility for us. I would like to thank the political leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructure for the confidence they show in our technical competence and consistency. Railway safety is a matter of national importance, and METKA is committed to responding – as always – with a dedication, and high level of know -how. We will work for complete rehabilitation, as well as to shield rail infrastructure and benefit based on the rules of art and science, with a commitment to quality and conventional terms. And of course, in constant and close cooperation with the Contracting Authority-key element for the success of any important infrastructure project. On the part of us in METKA, we assure you that we will do – as timelessly – everything that goes through our power to deliver a work of excellent, durable and functional, a work worthy of its high importance. “
ABAX Group Managing Director Konstantinos Mitzalis said: “Given the quality and time of the execution of high railways in the country over time, our group with its experience and know -how, is proud of the great effort for a new rail network in Thessaly. Both with the upgrades of the Paleofarsalos – Kalambaka line we are already implementing, and with the rehabilitation projects we are now undertaking, we aim to create modern infrastructures that will meet the needs of society. ”
The President & CEO of the Aktor Group Alexandros Exarchos stated: “The communities of Thessaly suffered a huge hassle from the extreme weather events of 2023, which tested the strengths of the wider region’s infrastructure and caused significant disasters, which had a serious impact not only locally but also at the national level, as Thessaly is one of the most important areas. The restoration of Thessaly’s infrastructure will contribute not only to the rebuilding of local communities, but will also work beneficial to the whole of the Greek economy, supporting growth and social cohesion. ”
The director of the Alstom branch in Greece Panayiotas Katis said: “Alstom, with its specialized executive and technical staff in Greece, undertakes the restoration project of signaling, telecommunications and electric systems as well as the European Train Audit System (ETCS) in the Double Railway section from the SS. Paleofarsalou to SS Cranny, destroyed by Daniel bad weather. The project is part of the overall planning of the rehabilitation of extensive damage caused to Thessaly by this bad weather. The work includes the dismantling of the previous affected equipment of the above systems and the installation and maintenance of modern technical and technological equipment to restore their operation, by integrating them into the existing and operating equipment of the rest of the Athens Railway.