Deputy Minister of Infrastructure & Transport Nikos Tachiaos dismissed the prospect of establishing railway infrastructure in Crete in parliament, underscoring the absence of planning for rail transport in Crete within European networks.
Regulation 1679/2024 for the Trans-European Transport Network, which evolves in stages until 2050, does not account for railway projects on the island. According to Tachiaos, this omission means no European Union (EU) financial support exists for such an endeavour. “If the EU truly wanted to support such infrastructure projects, the relevant resources would have to increase accordingly,” he told Greek mass media.
Tachiaos specified essential prerequisites for initiating a large-scale project like a railway:
- A comprehensive cost-benefit study;
- An adequately structured development strategy;
- Appropriate timing.
Addressing the matter of timing, he explained, “What is the timing? That we’re building the airport? Does building the airport mean money trees suddenly sprout where expropriations took place?”
Competing Priorities on Crete
The focus of current infrastructure efforts in Crete includes several large-scale projects:
- The Northern Road Axis of Crete (Vóreios Odikós Áxonas Krítis VOAK).
- The new Kasteli Airport.
- Temporary interventions on the existing VOAK with €10 million allocated to the region.
The deputy minister emphasized that such projects are guided by necessity and meticulous studies, not merely by political will or demands from local authorities. “Projects don’t happen based on regional council decisions or agreements among mayors and communities. They happen because studies show they are necessary,” Tachiaos remarked.
Limited Resources and Seasonal Challenges
Addressing available funding, Tachiaos revealed that the total resources under the 2021-2027 EU National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) for infrastructure amount to €1.9 billion for all of Greece—a figure insufficient for additional grand projects like a train system in Crete.
He noted that passenger flow at Heraklion’s existing airport is highly seasonal. He explained that a significant portion of visitors are part of organized tourist groups, primarily transported by buses to resorts. He added, “During winter, regular air traffic is quite limited.”
In closing, Tachiaos reiterated the government’s commitment to completing major initiatives already on the agenda, such as BOAK and Kasteli’s new airport. However, he firmly dismissed any promises of further large-scale projects like rail systems, acknowledging the constraints of available resources and priorities. “To be honest with the people of Crete, we must admit we took on specific projects, and we will complete them—but we won’t make empty promises based on any political opportunism,” he declared.