The extension of the Thessaloniki metro to the southern suburb of Kalamaria was officially opened to commuters on Thursday in an inauguration ceremony attended by the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Besides easing traffic congestion, the new line is expected to improve the quality of life of the residents of Kalamaria and boost the suburb’s local economy. “Thessaloniki can take pride in having a metro that is one of the most modern and beautiful in Europe,” the Greek Premier said, having arrived for the ceremony aboard the new metro line.
Thessaloniki metro’s Kalamaria extension opens to the public
The extension comprises five new stations: Nomarchia, Kalamaria, Aretsou, Nea Krini, and Mikra, extending over 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) of underground line. It is expected to serve more than sixty thousand daily passengers and reduce the number of vehicles circulating in the center of the northern Greek city each day by around ten thousand commuters, according to Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Dimas.
The branch was scheduled to open for the public at 3:00 PM local time on Thursday, following the successful conclusion of a demanding month of trial runs ahead of commercial operations. Trains will run from 5:15 AM to half past midnight Mondays to Thursdays as well as on Sundays, and service will be extended to 2:00 AM the following day on Fridays and Saturdays. During the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) starting next week, the Thessaloniki metro will operate around the clock on September 4-5, as well as on September 11-12.
Plans to further extend Thessaloniki metro
More than one billion euros in EU funding has supported the construction of the Thessaloniki metro, according to European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who was also present at the inauguration ceremony. Data from the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) suggests that the operation of the main metro line in Thessaloniki, opened in November 2024, has already helped ease traffic in the city center by 15 percent, and the new extension is forecast to further improve traffic conditions in the city.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Dimas announced that the ministry’s new planning includes extending the metro network to western Thessaloniki, with the aim of creating a network that serves all residents and visitors of the city. The future extension is currently in the project study phase, he added.
Transport and traffic infrastructure in Thessaloniki is also supported by investments in new buses with improved and more frequent schedules, as well as the Thessaloniki flyover highway, expected to be delivered in May 2027.
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