A new railroad line was inaugurated on Wednesday with the trial operation of an electrical train running from Piraeus to Lianokladi, close to Lamia.
Riding on the train were MEP Mathieu Grosch, coordinator of the Orient/East-Med Corridor project, Infrastructure Secretary General Thanos Vourdas, Hellenic Railways (OSE) president Giorgos Kakoulakis and CEO Panagiotis Theocharis, and other staff.
“We found individuals who really care about their work, contributing to the completion of the project within the deadlines,” Grosch said in brief statements at Lianokladi train station.
Vourdas called the project “a decade-long dream” that started accelerating in 2015, but warned that “there’s a lot more work still to the end of 2018 before all projects are complete.”
He said that electric trains would be operating for the public shortly. The new line will service the Athens-Thessaloniki schedules.
The project is part of a greater EU initiative to connect European ports and railroad lines, promoting commerce in Europe and linking North and South economic centers better. Greece has received 2 bln euros for the corridor project corresponding to its section.
