The government expects to have completed the extension of the new Thessaloniki metro to the southern suburb of Kalamaria by the end of 2025, Deputy Infrastructure & Transport Minister Nikos Tachiaos told the 4th innovation conference 'Greece Talks'.

He was speaking at the session on "Quality of Life in a Human-Centered City". The event is jointly organized in the northern capital by Travel.gr and 'Proto Thema' newspaper.

Tachiaos told the audience that extending the metro to Kalamaria is no mean feat but is made tougher by the number of agreements related to it that need to be combined in a single line. This process will necessitate either the suspension of operation of the main line for a few days, or that of a section for shorter times.

The minister also noted that although 40% of city residents showed in a poll they wanted the metro network to extend to the Thessaloniki International Airport 'Makedonia' in the south, the priority was Thessaloniki's northwest. The extension, along with the future 'Terpsithea' stop, will serve visitors to the museum that will be set up at the Pavlos Melas military camp premises. Alternatively, Tachiaos said, the government is reviewing ways of linking the airport with the city through something like a monorail.
    

(Correction: Completion date for Kalamaria extension is corrected, to end of 2025)

(File photo)