Metro in Thessaloniki - all we know so far

All of us who love Thessaloniki know how difficult it is to move around the city during the season: crowds, traffic jams, and the eternal search for parking often disrupt the otherwise wonderful impression that this city leaves. That is precisely why the metro in Thessaloniki has been eagerly awaited for years as a project that should completely change the way of moving through the city and make life easier for both the local population and tourists.

How it all began

The first plans for the metro in Thessaloniki appeared in the twenties of the last century, when urban planner Ernest Hebrard proposed the construction of an underground railway as part of a major city redesign. The idea was to enable a quick connection between the center and the future suburbs, today’s Kalamaria. During the eighties, the project was revived, but after several unsuccessful contracts and complaints, construction truly began only in June 2006.

Delays due to archaeology and construction

One of the main reasons for the delay were numerous archaeological sites discovered during excavations, which slowed down the work for about three years. There were also four-year pauses due to legal and financial issues, so the construction was restarted only in April 2016. In the meantime, in 2009, the initial plan was expanded to the sector towards Kalamaria, which further extended the work and increased the overall value of the project.

The current state of the metro in Thessaloniki

The metro in Thessaloniki is designed following the model of the metro in Copenhagen:
- driverless trains
- separate tunnels in each direction
- glass walls and automatic doors at the stations
- a total of 18 modern compositions
- 13 stations are currently operational
- another 5 stations connecting Kalamaria and the center are in the final stages of construction
- it transports over 200,000 passengers daily
And what is especially interesting for tourists: the metro has museum exhibits at two stations, where you can see a valuable archaeological collection found during excavations. The project is carried out by a Greek-Italian consortium and supervised by the company that manages the Athens metro.

Parking and additional infrastructure

The plans include the construction of large garages that would significantly relieve traffic in Thessaloniki. The largest ones would be located at the railway station, with four underground levels and a capacity of 450 to 600 vehicles. Around 1,000 parking spaces are planned at the University station, while the Nea Elvetia station is expected to receive approximately 650 new spaces.

Lines, length, and future expansion

The plan is for the metro network to cover about 33 kilometers. After the completion of the main lines, the construction of the route to the airport is expected, which could be underground or surface. A detailed plan for the extension to the airport has not yet been officially presented.

Archaeological discoveries

During the construction of the metro, more than 300,000 archaeological artifacts were found, making this project one of the most significant archaeological sites in modern Greece. Among the discoveries is one of the most valuable - a headless statue of the goddess Aphrodite. You can read more about this unique museum and what to expect here:
Archaeological treasure discovered during the construction of the Thessaloniki metro: from ancient past to present

If you are planning to visit Thessaloniki, you can find all practical and tourist information about Thessaloniki - from the metro and transportation to museums, restaurants, pastry shops, and gyros - here.

Thessaloniki Metro - ticket prices, stations, and which parts of the city it connects.
City transport in Thessaloniki - the best option for city sightseeing - city lines in Thessaloniki.
Shops and shopping centers in Thessaloniki
Working hours of shops and shopping centers in Thessaloniki and Greece
What to visit in Thessaloniki
Monuments of Thessaloniki on the World Heritage List

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