Thessaloniki Metro

Thessaloniki Metro is a planned underground public transport system for Thessaloniki, Greece. The initial phase is currently under construction.

The project

The construction of the much awaited Thessaloniki metro started in June 2006 and should be completed by late 2012. Although first conceived and planned in the 1980s, it took almost 20 years before grounbreaking work started. This was due to a series of failed contract competitions and several appeals to awarded contracts. The first phase of the project consists of 9.6 km of underground line (with twin tunnels) with 13 stations, and a depot at the east end of the line. The budget of the project is about 1.1 billion euro.

Thessaloniki's metro will be similar to the Copenhagen Metro or London's Docklands Light Railway. It will feature 18 driver-less trains that will run in separate tunnels in each direction. There will also be glass walls with automatic doors on the edge of platforms, in every station, for added safety. The project is being constructed by a Greek-Italian consortium and overseen by Attiko Metro, the company that manages the Athens Metro.

tations planned

* Main line
** New Railway Station (of OSE)
** Dimokratias
** Venizelou
** Agia Sofia
** Syntrivani
** Panepistimio (University)
** Papafi
** Efklidi
** Fleming
** Analipsis
** Patrikiou
** Voulgari
** Nea Elvetia
** (Pylaia depot)
* Kalamaria branch (breaks from the main branch after Patrikiou station)
** Nomarhia (Prefecture)
** Metamorphoseos
** Pontou
** Moustakli
** Finikas
** Mediterranean Cosmos (under consideration)
** Aerodromio (Makedonia International Airport) (under consideration)
* Stavroupoli branch (breaks from the main branch after Dimokratias station)
** Neapoli
** Pavlou Mela
** Stavroupoli
** Omonoia
** Nikopoli
* West branch (will extend from the New Railway Station to the west) (under consideration)
** Kaistri
** Ambelokipoi
** Menemeni
** Makedonias
** Karaoli
** Kordelio
* East branch (breaks from the main branch after Patrikiou station to Toumba and then meets Panepistimio station on the main line) (under consideration)
** Martiou
** Kanari
** Kato Toumba
** Ano Toumba
** Triandria
** Kaftantzogleio

Extensions

The initial first extension to Kalamaria (to the southeast) as well as the extension to Stavroupoli (to the north) are now part of the initial construction phase. Their projected completion dates are 2014 and 2015 respectively. Further extensions to Kordelio (to the northwest), to the airport (to the southeast) and to Toumba (to the east) are under consideration.

Park and ride

Several park and ride facilities are planned to facilitate the large number of vehicular commuters in the city. These include two facilities at the New Railway Station with four basement levels of 450 and 600 parking spaces, 650 spaces in a three story garage at the Nea Elvetia station, and two 1,000 space garages consisting of four basement levels each for a total of 3,700 park and ride spaces in total. [ [http://www.ametro.gr/page/default.asp?id=132&la=2 Attiko Metro] ]

Sources

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070705112935/http://www.ametro.gr/cgi-bin/showplan.cgi Archived information]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070312035928/http://www.ametro.gr/cgi-bin/showpress.cgi?id=75 Thessaloniki Metro and the Athens Metro Extensions] (Greek Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works press release 2006-02-20)
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20070312035937/www.ametro.gr/cgi-bin/showpress.cgi?id=77 Conclusion of contract for the Thessaloniki metro] (Greek Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works press release 2006-04-07)

ee also

* Athens Metro
* List of rapid transit systems
* OASTH

References

External links

* [http://www.ametro.gr/page/default.asp?la=2&id=8 Attiko Metro S.A. - Thessaloniki Metro]
** [http://www.ametro.gr/page/default.asp?id=49&la=2 Maps]
** el icon Maps: [http://www.ametro.gr/files/images/AM-Thessaloniki-Map_LG_gr.jpg] [http://web.archive.org/web/20061206070736/www.ametro.gr/main/communication/gallery/images/various/metro_thess_4310.jpg]
* [http://urbanrail.net/eu/the/thessal.htm UrbanRail.Net - Thessaloniki Metro]
* [http://metrothessalonikis.blogspot.com/ Thessaloniki metro's blog] - News