- Thessaloniki Metro shuts down for one month of “testing”
- Services return December 21 — just in time for Christmas traffic
- Five new stations are coming with the Kalamaria extension in 2026
- Travelcard holders compensated with an extra month of hope
The Thessaloniki Metro, which heroically began operations in November 2024 after a decade and a half of anticipation, is once again pausing for breath. Officials call it “a temporary suspension for essential testing.” Locals might call it something else.
Starting immediately, the city’s newest transport pride will remain closed until December 10, with trains expected to start again on December 21 — a brief 11-day comeback before the holidays. Perfect timing for anyone who enjoys traffic.
Testing the Patience (and the System)
The one-month break is meant to prepare for the Kalamaria extension, due in early 2026, which will add five new stations to the network. Authorities assure the public that the tests are “necessary” to ensure safe integration between the two sections — because, apparently, the first round of testing before launch was just a warm-up.
Commuters holding personalized travelcards will receive an equivalent extension — a small consolation prize for what has become Thessaloniki’s most consistent experience: waiting.
A Familiar Rhythm
The metro’s story reads like a Greek epic: long delays, heroic announcements, and a recurring subplot about “technical adjustments.” Since opening, the system has faced a series of small but steady malfunctions — doors, escalators, signal systems — each one reminding residents that progress in Thessaloniki arrives one test at a time.
If all goes according to plan, by 2026 the network will finally reach Kalamaria, expanding eastward and completing a project that locals first heard about back when flip phones were a thing.
Until then, Thessaloniki will do what it does best — adapt, improvise, and maybe laugh a little. Because at this point, the metro is less a means of transport and more a long-running inside joke.