The Athens-Thessaloniki railway line will be out of service for 20 days, and thus in high summer 2026 in order to accelerate restoration works of damages caused by the storm Daniel three years ago, in autumn 2023.
Damages by storm Daniel
Although there has been no official announcement from the Ministry of Infrastructure or the Hellenic Railways so far, the “handbrake” is now considered highly likely, all media report on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The scenarios for the interruption of rail traffic on the main Athens-Thessaloniki railway axis, in order to accelerate the restoration works of the extensive damage caused by the bad weather Daniel in the autumn of 2023, seem to be confirmed although not yet officially.
According to railway sources, the most likely scenario foresees a suspension of services from June 28 to July 18, for a total period of approximately 20 days, with the authorities having cut the period of the suspension in half, from 45 as daily ethnos.gr had revealed on April 29, to 20. Although there has been no official announcement from the Ministry of Infrastructure or the Hellenic Railways so far, the possibility is now considered highly likely.
The suspension is linked to the restoration works on the Domokos – Krannonas section, where large-scale interventions are being carried out with the aim of fully restoring the line and upgrading the safety infrastructure. Government officials have repeatedly stated that the goal is to restart faster and safer routes within 2026.
As for passenger service, after the suspension of both of the only routes on the main line, the operation of routes to Lianokladi is being examined, with the continuation of travel likely to be carried out by buses or combined transport. However, final decisions are expected in the near future.
At the same time, the issue of managing freight transport during the suspension remains open. Information indicates that negotiations are underway with large cargo managers and port operators in order to limit the impact on the supply chain, but also to avoid the payment of clauses that have been signed and concern freight routes.
Strong reactions to the possible suspension of the line
The possible suspension of the line has already caused strong reactions, as the railway remains with limited activity after the Tempi tragedy in February 2023 and the successive interruptions of routes in recent years.
Today, on the Athens – Thessaloniki axis, very few passenger routes are operated compared to the past, while in several areas of Northern Greece and the Peloponnese, railway activity remains essentially inactive.
Workers and passengers express concern that a new multi-day interruption may further burden the image and operation of the network.
At the same time, Hellenic Train announced a new temporary suspension of routes on the Alexandroupoli – Ormenio – Orestiada line in northern Greece. From May 23, 2026, rail traffic on this section will be temporarily suspended, due to installation work on the HEPOS geolocation system on the company’s rolling stock.
According to the company, the routes will be replaced by buses that will serve most of the stops on the route, until the technical work is completed and the normal operation of the line is restored.
PS Railway interruption during the tourism high season. Certainly, a great idea 🙄
