The northern Greek city of Thessaloniki inaugurated its new metro system on Saturday. Despite the inclement weather, thousands of residents turned out to experience the city’s first driverless trains, marking a new era in local transit.
- Public Enthusiasm: The 13-station metro line saw an immediate rush of eager passengers, keen to explore this long-awaited addition to the city’s infrastructure.
- Official Launch: Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, along with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras, officiated the opening by activating the system with a symbolic press of a blue button.
- A Long Journey to Completion:
- Initial Funding: The project’s roots trace back to budget allocations for exploratory work in 1976.
- Promises and Delays: Expectations were high when a 1999 banner at the city’s international trade fair announced the metro’s imminent arrival, but the project faced numerous setbacks.
- Legal and Archaeological Challenges: The metro’s development was hampered by court battles, real estate disputes, and archaeological considerations, particularly around station placements.
- Previous Celebrations: The arrival of the metro carriages in 2019 led to a premature “inauguration” by the previous government, where the trains were displayed on cement stands, underscoring the project’s long gestation period.
- Cost Overruns: Transport Minister Christos Staikouras disclosed that the metro’s total cost has escalated beyond 3 billion euros due to these extensive delays.
The opening of Thessaloniki’s metro not only promises to ease the city’s traffic congestion but also stands as a testament to perseverance in the face of prolonged development challenges.
