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Greece: Railway Signaling Restoration in Thessaly Extended to Late October
🇬🇷 Greece /Energy & Infrastructure

Greece: Railway Signaling Restoration in Thessaly Extended to Late October

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The completion of signaling and ETCS system restoration on the Paleofarsalos-Krannona railway in Thessaly, Greece, is delayed until late October 2026.
  • This extension, granted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, pushes the deadline back by three months from the original July 28 date.
  • The delay impacts the full restoration of safety systems on the Athens-Thessaloniki main line, as ETCS certification requires overall system functionality.

The restoration of signaling, remote control, electrification, and ETCS systems on the Paleofarsalos-Krannona railway section in Thessaly, Greece, has been postponed until October 29, 2026. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport approved a three-month extension for the ongoing project, moving the deadline from the initial July 28 date.

The new deadline is set for October 29, 2026, compared to the initial contractual date of July 28, creating another time shift in the restoration works of the railway network affected by the destructive floods of 'Daniel'.

— Ministry of Infrastructure and TransportAnnouncing the extension for the railway restoration project.

This latest delay affects the crucial work on the railway network damaged by the devastating "Daniel" floods. While this specific contract doesn't cover the entire main Athens-Thessaloniki axis, its progress is vital for the complete re-establishment of safety systems. The ETCS certification process, managed by the Railway Regulatory Authority, cannot proceed piecemeal and depends on the overall system's operational status.

The contract extension was granted to Alstom Transport, which is responsible for restoring the signaling, ETCS Level 1, remote control, and electrification systems on the double-track line. The section suffered extensive damage from the "Daniel" storm, necessitating significant interventions in electromechanical installations and traffic control systems.

The extension was granted to Alstom Transport, which has undertaken the full restoration of signaling, ETCS Level 1, remote control, and electrification systems on the double-track railway section from Paleofarsalos Railway Station to Krannona Railway Station.

— Ministry of Infrastructure and TransportDetailing the scope of Alstom's contract.

Alstom had requested the extension on July 24, citing reasons beyond its control, including adverse weather conditions, the impact of storm "Byron," agricultural protests, and dependencies on other ongoing works in the area. The ministry acknowledged these delays were not Alstom's fault and approved the extension, noting that the installation and testing of certain equipment are contingent on the completion of related track work.

The contractor had requested a three-month extension on July 24, arguing that the delays recorded in the progress of the works were not due to its fault.

— Alstom TransportJustifying the need for an extension.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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