Thessaloniki Metro: Kalamaria extension opens

The Thessaloniki Metro extension to Kalamaria enters operation on Thursday, August 27, 2026, according to a report from protothema.gr. The new section includes five additional stations added to the network already serving the city center. The length of the new route is 4.78 kilometers, while the capacity of the extension is estimated at over 60,000 passengers per day, as the same source reports. The operating schedule of the new section was announced along with the opening, but without further details being given to the public regarding the exact departure times. The start of operations concerns exclusively the section to Kalamaria and is not accompanied, according to available information, by changes to the already operational central section of the network.

The entire Thessaloniki Metro project has been valued at 4 billion euros, a figure that concerns the complete construction of the network and not exclusively the Kalamaria extension, according to the report. The addition of the five new stations represents the first substantial expansion of the network beyond the basic line that had been put into operation earlier. The addition of new stations in a densely populated area of Thessaloniki broadens the map of urban mobility in the city, though separate cost figures for the Kalamaria section have not been provided. The size of the overall budget, as has been recorded from time to time in public discussion about the project, reflects the time and complexity required for the construction of an underground network in the historic center and densely populated suburbs of the city.

For the residents of Kalamaria, connection to the Metro network means direct access to the center of Thessaloniki without transferring to buses. The capacity of 60,000 passengers per day, as has been announced, concerns the overall operation of the extension and not individual stations. The start of operations coincides with a period of increased traffic in the city, as Thessaloniki remains under conditions of high traffic volume during working hours, an issue that consistently concerns its residents. The five new stations are expected to change the commuting habits of thousands of people who until now relied exclusively on city buses or private vehicles for their daily trips to the city center.

The relevant authorities are expected to provide the public with more details about the operating schedule and any adjustments to bus routes serving the Kalamaria area. So far, no official information has been announced about peak hours or special arrangements during the first days of operation. The extension to Kalamaria represents the most recent stage of an infrastructure project that is closely monitored by Thessaloniki residents, with the next steps of the project expected to be clarified in the days following the opening of the line.