New 12 billion euro projects on a 20-year horizon for railway development in Greece

On the axes of Greek restructuring , including projects of 12 billion euros over a 20-year period, Constantine Magoulas, secretary general , was mentioned at the 7th Conference of Infrastructure and Transport – ITC 2024, which is happening today (17.9.2024) and tomorrow at the Music Hall. At his location Mr Magoulas revealed the name of the new body to take over the operation of the Greek rail network: “The aim of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is to create a new single body, named the Greek Railways. It will bring together OSE, TRAINOSE and GAIAOSE which is responsible for the management of railway equipment, so that an entity has all the responsibilities for managing rolling stock.’ He added that “this will allow us all to know who is responsible and who we are addressing for everything relating to the railway. Thus, the pathogenies of the past that were largely due to the breakdown will be eliminated.” According to Mr. Magoulas, the project has joined for funding at the Recovery Fund, with a final milestone at the end of 2025. “At the end of 2024 we have an obligation to deposit the implementation plan, which has been discussed. It is also foreseen that at the end of 2024 the legislation on transformation will have been passed, while the declaration on the recruitment of a technical management consultant is expected,” he said at the same time he stressed that the new body would be strengthened in matters of staff and know-how. In mid-2025 the Ministry will submit the new strategic plan of the new company, and then the new contract with the State and the new organization should be signed regarding the obligations it undertakes. Mr Magoulas also referred to the 20-year programme for restructuring the railway, which has a budget of EUR 12 billion and includes, inter alia, the restoration of the railway network in Thessaly. In the next two years, projects will go ahead that are integrated into the Recovery Fund and the national budget, with a view to joining the NSRF 2021-2027 and have a budget of EUR 450 million. The short-term plan of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has a budget of EUR 700 million and includes projects already funded. The five-year plan includes 2 billion-euro budget projects, for most of which funding has been secured. “The Ministry’s plan was drawn up on the basis of four pillars, the completion of the double rail line, linking us to the whole of Europe, the connection to the cross-border points – the Idomeni, the Promachonas and Ormene-, the connection to ports, freight centres and industrial areas, as well as the development of suburban passenger transport and the development of railway networks in areas not included in the main axes, such as the Peloponnese and Western Macedonia Regions,” concluded the Secretary-General for Infrastructure. Nicholas Kouretas, CEO of the Greek Metro, Christos Palios, CEO of ERGOSE, Dimitris Katsochis, Senior Manager, Head of Transport & Urban Planning of Planet, and Giannis Valavanis, Director, Metro & Rail Projects of Hill International, also participated in the session on fixed track and metro development in Greece. Source: RES – ICM