Thessaloniki’s long-awaited metro system officially opened on Saturday, November 30, introducing driverless trains to Greece’s second-largest metropolitan area. Despite heavy rain, tens of thousands queued at stations to experience the new 13-station subway line.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, joined by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras, inaugurated the system by pressing a ceremonial blue button. Mitsotakis noted the first appropriations for exploratory digging were part of the 1976 budget, highlighting the decades-long journey to completion.
Years of delays plagued the project, including legal battles, real estate disputes and controversies over archaeological discoveries near station sites. Transport Minister Staikouras revealed that the prolonged timeline pushed the metro’s cost to over €3 billion.
The Eleftherios Venizelos station, located in the city centre, showcases over 300,000 artefacts uncovered during construction, including remnants of a bustling 6th-century street. While many protested the temporary removal of key findings for construction, antiquities are now displayed both underground and outside nearby stations under protective glass.
The metro is expected to reduce Thessaloniki’s heavy traffic by eliminating 57,000 cars daily, with 254,000 passengers projected to use the system in the city and suburbs, home to over a million residents.
Future expansions include an eastward extension with five stations set for 2025 and a westward line planned. However, reaching Macedonia Airport will require several more years of development.
Source: AP.
