Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the official delivery ceremony for the Thessaloniki Metro expansion to Kalamaria on Thursday morning at Mikra station.
The ceremony began with a traditional blessing service ahead of the start of public commercial operations at 15:00 on the new rail branch.
Before attending the official handover ceremony, Mitsotakis boarded a train to complete his first ride along the new route, touring the line and speaking with metro executives and staff.
Speaking at the event, Mitsotakis said he had boarded the maiden journey of the Thessaloniki Metro in 2024 and noted that five additional stations have now been added, bringing the entire network to 18 stations spanning nearly 15 kilometres. He stated that the city itself had not yet understood how much it would change and upgrade through the major project, adding that construction, extensions, and electrical trains create a transformed transport map.
Mitsotakis noted that it had taken 40 years to reach the delivery of the extension, during which time he said the Thessaloniki Metro was synonymous with government indifference. He described the system as fully automated, among the most beautiful in Europe, accessible to people with disabilities, and offering some of the lowest ticket prices on the continent, adding that the difficult goal set from the beginning had been justified.
The prime minister said officials could now state with confidence that they had delivered on their promises. He added that major infrastructure projects and reforms previously considered impossible in Greece can succeed when backed by planning, perseverance, problem solving, and a willingness to prioritize long-term public benefit over short-term political costs.
Mitsotakis said hard battles had been fought against forces of denial and inertia, demonstrating that Greece can move forward. He emphasized that Macedonia and Thessaloniki are at the forefront of major infrastructure initiatives.
Expansion plans and street completion
Looking ahead, Mitsotakis announced that the government's political decision to expand the metro network into the northwestern suburbs of Thessaloniki is clear and non-negotiable, with planning and implementation moving forward at a rapid pace following the completion of the main line.
He noted that completed projects serve as stamps on a passport of credibility, building public trust through delivered results rather than empty promises. During his address, Mitsotakis made a direct public reference to Alexandros Exarchou, chairman and chief executive officer of AKTOR Group, asking if he thought his work was finished and requesting a public commitment to complete the Pontou Street project by the end of April 2027. He also offered an apology to residents of Kalamaria for the inconvenience caused by operational interruptions during construction.
Background on Thessaloniki transit infrastructure
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and the administrative capital of the Central Macedonia region. The coastal municipality of Kalamaria forms a densely populated urban center in the south-eastern part of the metropolitan area. The Thessaloniki Metro project was designed as a modern automated underground transit system to ease congestion across the urban area and modernise regional transport links.
Route details and operational frequency
The new Kalamaria extension operates as a unified network alongside the main line running between New Railway Station, Nea Elvetia, and the Pylaia Depot. The branch adds five new stations at Nomarchia, Kalamaria, Aretsou, Nea Krini, and Mikra, extending the network by approximately 4.5 kilometres from its junction after 25th Martiou station.
Trains on the line will run towards either Mikra or Nea Elvetia at a two-to-one ratio under a single control system. Train intervals on the shared section between New Railway Station and 25th Martiou station will start at approximately three minutes, while headways on the Kalamaria branch will average around 4.5 minutes.
Travel time from Mikra to New Railway Station will range between 24 and 26 minutes depending on train alternation, while the trip from Kalamaria to central Thessaloniki will take under 20 minutes.
Operating hours and fair service
Regular system operating hours run from 05:15 to 00:30 from Monday to Thursday and on Sunday, with extended service until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday. These times mark the first and last train departures from the terminal stations at New Railway Station, Nea Elvetia, and Mikra. Continuous 24-hour service will operate on Friday 4 September, Saturday 5 September, Friday 11 September, and Saturday 12 September to support visitors during the Thessaloniki International Fair.
Statements from transport and government officials
European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport Apostolos Tzitzikostas said the extension transforms the metro into an expanding network reaching new neighborhoods. He stated that the nearly five kilometres of new line will serve 63,000 daily passengers, cut travel time from Mikra to the city center to about 15 minutes, and remove 12,000 vehicles from local roads every day.
Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia-Thrace Kostas Gioulekas said Thessaloniki is entering a new era alongside other major developments, including the Flyover elevated highway, the new pediatric hospital which will be the largest in the Balkans, port expansion projects, and the redevelopment of the Thessaloniki International Fair grounds.
AKTOR Group Chairman and CEO Alexandros Exarchou called the system the most modern metro in Europe and said the Kalamaria branch would transform daily life for many residents. Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Nikos Tachiaos added that the network will continue evolving to meet demographic needs, pointing to the upcoming northwestern expansion, while Alternate Minister of Transport Giorgos Kotsiras highlighted improved safety, reduced environmental impact, and direct connections between eastern Thessaloniki and the city center.
