The procedures for the project to extend Metro Line 2 to Ilion announced with the expansion of Eleonas railway station are in full progress.
Future operation of the extension and other current needs of Hellenic Metro SA. At the same time it is necessary to find and build additional depot spaces to serve the trains, while Eleonas will expand the depot to a neighboring area of about 20 acres.
With the future operation of the extension, it becomes necessary to upgrade/replace certain IT systems in a large part or all of Lines 2 & 3 of the Metro, without which their further extension is not possible.
For this reason, the digital data transmission system at all stations of Lines 2 & 3 will be upgraded or replaced.
According to Atigo Metro, certain systems changes will require new equipment and software at the control center at Syntagma and locally at stations, shafts, etc. However, their integration with existing systems is planned to be seamless. Line 2 function and 3.
This extension concerns the route after the “Antopoli” station to the area of Ilio and Agios Nikolaos, and in the future to Acharnes and is designed with the aim of:
- Serves several densely populated areas in the western suburbs.
- Future augmentation of Metro Lines network by extension of Line 4 to Petropoli to provide connection to “Ilion” station.
The extension of Line 2 will have a total length of about 4 km with three new stations and their ventilation shafts. All these stations will have side docks and one or two entrances, will be 110m long, fully accessible to the disabled and approximately -22m to -24m deep.
The new stations will be as follows:
- “Palatiani” station: It is located at the intersection of Divon and Andreas Papandreou streets and has two entrances on both sides of Divon street.
- “Ilion” Station: It is located at the intersection of Thebes and Ilion Streets, with two entrances on both sides of Thebes Street and the future extension of Line 4 to Petropoli to connect/transfer passengers to the station of the same name. .
- “Agios Nikolaos” Station: It is located under part of the street of the same name and in a part of the landscaped green area between Paramitia, Olynthos, Zitsis and Ag. Nikolaev.
In Palatiani, a three-level underground car park with 150 cars will be built in the area adjacent to the “Palatiani” station between Andreas Papandreou and Iconio streets, with a direct connection to the station. A bus interchange will be built after the completion of its construction.
This section of Line 2 up to the Agios Nikolaos area is estimated to serve at least 67,000 passengers daily, while the number of residents in the area will be served by 3 new train stations within a radius of 500 meters from their residences. Approximately 42,000 and equivalent service jobs are estimated at around 5,000.
Budget and construction time
The project budget is estimated at 550 million euros excluding VAT, but the final estimated value of the contract will be determined in the second phase of the bidding process.
The total time frame for execution of the project is 57 months from the date of signing of the agreement.
Future expansions in Attica and Thessaloniki
The extension of Line 2 south to Glyfada and the extension of the metro to Kallithea are being explored in Attica at an early stage, ensuring SNFCC’s connection to the metro network.
An extension of line 4 to the west, from the station “Alsos Veikou” to the municipality of Petroupoli, is being studied, passing through Nea Ionia and Nea Filadelfia. Likewise, the northern extension of the 4th line from “Katehaki” station to Marousi, Befki and Lykovrisi.
At the same time, from the station “Kifisia”, N. An underground extension of Line 1 north towards Eritrea and the National Highway (Warimpobi junction) is being explored.
In Thessaloniki, a wide urban complex transport study carried out in the city since 2000 was completed. As the construction costs of metro projects are very high compared to road projects (ten to twenty times), the need and priorities of all modes of public transport and their extensions were documented for the next 20 years.
Future projects may shape new traffic conditions and, under certain conditions, lead to an increase in the percentage of public transport in Thessaloniki from today’s 15% to 50%.
The metro will be developed westwards in two directions, one towards Evosmos and the other towards Papanikolaou Hospital. At the same time, it will extend towards the airport, connecting the main line with the Mediterranean Cosmos, the Trans-Balcanico, the Agricultural School and the airport.
Source: APE – MEB