The Thessaloniki metro will be without services from the evening of Sunday, November 9 and for a whole month due to tests for the extension of the network to Kalamaria.
To serve the passenger public as the Thessaloniki metro will not have routes, the OATH activates a special plan, which includes the creation of a new express bus line that will cover the route of the main line (New Switzerland – Railway Station), making stops along the stations. At the same time, the existing lines 3, 31 and 39 are being reinforced, while the Organization has suspended all staff permits.
The temporary stoppage was deemed necessary for the integration of the extension’s new systems, with the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Nicos Tahiao, stating that the process was “not something we could avoid, but a necessary process to seal security”.
As officials clarify, unlike the Athens metro, the Thessaloniki system is fully automatic, driverless and controlled via 5G, making integration tests more complex.
This phase includes checking the signaling systems and testing the 15 new wires being added to the fleet, with the aim of delivering the extension to Kalamaria in the first quarter of 2026.
A second, smaller global shutdown is expected early in the new year for final safety certification.