The highly anticipated Thessaloniki Metro is set to be inaugurated this Saturday, marking a significant milestone in the city’s public transportation history.
The inauguration will be attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Pylaia station. As the city gears up for this new era in urban transport, key details about its operation have been unveiled by Nikos Denes, Deputy Director of “HELLENIC METRO S.A.”
In a recent interview with ERT3, Mr. Denes highlighted essential aspects of maintaining cleanliness and safety within the metro system. He announced that the consumption of food and coffee will be strictly prohibited on metro premises. “Many may wonder why we don’t provide trash bins for disposal, but this is a matter of safety,” Mr. Denes explained. “We want to ensure there are no hidden items that could pose a threat. Let’s all contribute to preserving the cleanliness of this precious asset by using it responsibly.”
To support the metro’s operation, Mr. Denes mentioned that thorough cleaning and readiness checks are currently underway at stations and on trains. He assured the public that there are no blind spots in surveillance throughout the metro system, and safety drills have been conducted for every conceivable scenario. Consequently, trash bins will not be available due to security considerations.
The Thessaloniki Metro boasts impressive specifications, with the capacity to transport 18,000 passengers per direction each hour. Mr. Denes also expressed optimism about achieving a 90-second transit time between trains in the near future. This advancement is expected to significantly alleviate traffic congestion, potentially removing 60,000-70,000 cars from the city center. “Our goal is to increase public transportation usage in Thessaloniki from the current 12% to 50%,” he emphasized.
As the city prepares for the launch of the metro, all eyes are on the transformative impact it promises for Thessaloniki’s transport landscape.