Press release
Athens, 22 February 2023

Technical presentation of the new line “Thessaloniki – Nea Karvali – Toxotes” by ERGOSE

Athens, 22 February 2023 – The planning of the new generation of railway projects being implemented by ERGOSE is proceeding rapidly, aiming at the substantial upgrade of the national railway network and the transformation of the country into a logistics hub. Northern Greece is at the heart of this planning, with projects that will interconnect the so-called critical infrastructure – ports, airports, freight terminals and industrial areas – with the rail network.

In this context, technical meetings were held today at the offices of the Region of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace in Kavala, with the participation of ERGOSE executives and local stakeholders of Northern Greece, following the preparatory work that began last summer. The subject of the meetings was the presentation of the studies for the construction of the new railway line connecting Thessaloniki with Toxotes. The tender budget of the project amounts to € 1.68 billion and its completion will give the required development impetus to the capital city and the entire Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

The technical studies include a description of the infrastructure and superstructure works, as well as the additional works that will be required for their effective implementation.

The construction of the new railway line Thessaloniki – Toxotes, part of the Eastern Railway Egnatia, will connect Thessaloniki with the port of Kavala and Xanthi and further north with Alexandroupolis and Ormenio. At the same time, it will serve the implementation of the connection of the ports of Northern Greece with the ports of Bulgaria in the Black Sea region (Burgas – Varna – Rousset), in the framework of the transnational project between Greece and Bulgaria “Sea2Sea”.

With the construction of the project, 206 km of new railway line, with signalling and electrification, will be put into operation, thus completing the railway corridor connecting Thessaloniki and Kavala.

At the same time, it will connect the port of Nea Karvali, which is under development, crossing the eastern part of the prefecture of Kavala and will end up in the wider area of Toxotes Xanthi, where it will be connected to the rest of the OSE network. The new line is estimated to reduce the Thessaloniki-Alexandroupolis route by at least 3 hours.

After the meetings, the President and CEO of ERGOSE, Mr. Christos Vinis, said, “Kavala, but also the whole of Northern Greece, is at the heart of ERGOSE’s planning for a series of new generation railway projects, which will interconnect the so-called critical infrastructure with the main railway network. Each of these projects, and all of them together in synergy, introduce the country into a new era of modern passenger and freight transport and growth potential. Our main concern at ERGOSE is to provide Northern Greece with a modern, reliable and safe rail network, not only to boost local development, but to transform the region and the entire country into an international logistics hub.”

For more information you can contact the following contact details:

Tel: 210 5283 492

Email: info@ergose.gr

About ERGOSE:

ERGOSE S.A. was established in 1996 as a subsidiary of OSE and belongs to the public utilities. The company’s mission is to complete a modern railway network that will constitute an important development pillar for the Greek economy and society, contributing to the safety and speed of transport of people, goods and freight. In this context, ERGOSE S.A. currently manages the modernization projects of the railway lines and facilities of OSE co-financed by the Operational Programmes of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-2020 from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 as well as projects with purely national funding that are necessary to complete the investments of the co-financed programmes. The company currently employs more than 200 experienced and highly qualified staff, while it has been providing its services for more than two decades, responding effectively and reliably to the implementation of projects through its excellent organization, structure and systems.

Preparations for the Competitive Dialogue projects implemented by ERGOSE, focusing on Northern Greece, are proceeding at an intensive pace.   In this context, technical meetings were held today, at the offices of the Region of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace in Alexandroupolis, with the participation of ERGOSE executives and local bodies of Northern Greece, with the presentation of the studies for the upgrading with doubling of the railway line “Alexandroupolis-Ormenio”. These meetings follow on from the preparatory work started last summer for the ERGOSE projects in Northern Greece and concern the progress of the planning and studies.

The upgrading of this line is part of the flagship project of the Eastern Railway Egnatia, which will connect Thessaloniki with the port of Kavala and Xanthi and further north with Alexandroupolis and Ormenio. At the same time, it will serve the implementation of the connection of the ports of Northern Greece with the ports of Bulgaria in the Black Sea region (Burgas – Varna – Rousset) in the framework of the transnational project Sea2Sea.

The €1.08 billion upgrade of the existing cross-border line from Alexandroupoli to Ormenio is a strategically important project that improves cross-border connections with Bulgaria at Ormenio and Turkey at Pythios.

ERGOSE chose the method of Competitive Dialogue for the tendering of the project, in order to ensure to the maximum extent possible the adherence to the implementation schedule, as well as transparency and control in every phase, from tendering to construction.

The Competitive Dialogue process and the submission of binding offers are expected to be completed within the current half of 2023.

The selected Contractor will undertake the design and construction of the upgrading of the existing single railway line Alexandroupolis – Ormenio – Greek-Bulgarian border 176 km long into a double line, with installation of signalling and ETCS Level1 signalling systems and electrification, as well as upgrading of the existing railway stations.

After the meetings, the President and CEO of ERGOSE, Mr. Christos Vinis, said: “The upgrade of the Alexandroupoli-Ormenio line, a project that is being tendered through Competitive Dialogue, together with the Thessaloniki-Toxotes section, puts on the rails the largest public project of all times, the Eastern Egnatia Railway. This section of the line is of strategic importance for the upgrading of our country’s cross-border connections, while it enhances both freight and passenger traffic, as it will also be able to operate as a suburban service to the areas along the Evros River.”

About ERGOSE:

ERGOSE S.A. was established in 1996 as a subsidiary of OSE and belongs to the public utilities. The company’s mission is to complete a modern railway network that will constitute an important development pillar for the Greek economy and society, contributing to the safety and speed of transport of people, goods and freight. In this context, ERGOSE S.A. currently manages the modernization projects of the railway lines and facilities of OSE co-financed by the Operational Programmes of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-2020 from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 as well as projects with purely national funding that are necessary to complete the investments of the co-financed programmes. The company currently employs more than 200 experienced and highly qualified staff, while it has been providing its services for more than two decades, responding effectively and reliably to the implementation of projects through its excellent organization, structure and systems.

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Press release
Athens, 22 December 2022

Further upgrading of the new high-speed line Tithorea – Lianokladi – Domokos

Athens, 22 December 2022-

Another upgrade project of the new high-speed double railway line Tithorea – Lianokladi – Domokos is entering the construction phase, as part of the modernization of the country’s railway network.

The contract was signed today which includes the construction of the technical upper crossing on the railway line Tithorea – Lianokladi – Domokos, as well as the marking of seven stations and stops on the Tithorea – Domokos section of the line.

The contractor of the project is INTERKAT S.A. The cost of the project, funded by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020, amounts to 3.117.732,22€ and the works are expected to last 24 months.

In summary, the scope of the project concerns:

• in the construction of the technical Upper Panida crossing of the Lianokladi – Domokos line in the framework of the wider project of the New Double High Speed Railway Line Tithorea – Lianokladi – Domokos, in accordance with the guidelines of the environmental conditions of the project.
• Signage at the seven railway stations and stops of the Tithorea-Domokos section of the line, namely at the stations of Tithorea, Molos, Lianokladiou, Agios Stefanos, Domokos, and at the stops of Aghion and Thaumakos.

The Chairman of the Board and CEO of ERGOSE, Christos Vinis, said, “2022 was a productive year for ERGOSE, with the contracting of many important projects that upgrade and modernize the country’s rail transport.

With consistency and determination, we will continue to work in the new year to achieve our strategic goal of providing Greece with a modern and safe railway network”.

For more information you can contact the following contact details:

Tel: 210 5283 492

Email: info@ergose.gr

About ERGOSE:

ERGOSE S.A. was established in 1996 as a subsidiary of OSE and belongs to the public utilities. The company’s mission is to complete a modern railway network that will constitute an important development pillar for the Greek economy and society, contributing to the safety and speed of transport of people, goods and freight. In this context, ERGOSE S.A. currently manages the modernization projects of the railway lines and facilities of OSE co-financed by the Operational Programmes of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-2020 from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 as well as projects with purely national funding that are necessary to complete the investments of the co-financed programmes. The company currently employs more than 200 experienced and highly qualified staff, while it has been providing its services for more than two decades, responding effectively and reliably to the implementation of projects through its excellent organization, structure and systems.

Press release
Athens, 12 December 2022

Three olive trees “adopted” by the Gymnasium of Schinoussa
with the assistance of ERGOSE

Athens, 12 December 2022-

Three old olive trees from Achaia were “adopted”, with the assistance of ERGOSE, by the Gymnasium of Schinoussa. Responding to a request from the high school of Schinoussa, ERGOSE granted and transplanted today three olive trees in the school yard.

The replanting took place in the framework of the innovative environmental programme designed and implemented by ERGOSE for the rescue and replanting of old olive trees, which come from expropriated land for the construction of railway projects.

To date, more than 850 olive trees have been transplanted – in more than 60 municipalities and public bodies. The cost of the project is financed by the Green Fund.

With this action, ERGOSE participates in the environmental school program of the Schinoussa High School “I adopt olive trees in my school yard“, which is part of the educational network of action “plant and adopt a tree, give breath to the earth”.

The olive trees, which come from an area of the prefecture of Achaia, where ERGOSE railway projects are being constructed, were transported free of charge by the Blue Star Ferries company, as well as the equipment and the necessary personnel.

Referring to ERGOSE’s environmental action, the President and CEO of ERGOSE Mr. Christos Vinis noted:  “Environmental protection and sustainable development are at the core of the design of the projects that ERGOSE implements. With a high sense of responsibility towards society, we put into practice our commitment to undertake actions with a positive environmental impact.”

For more information you can contact the following contact details:

Tel: 210 5283 492

Email: info@ergose.gr

About ERGOSE:

ERGOSE S.A. was established in 1996 as a subsidiary of OSE and belongs to the public utilities. The company’s mission is to complete a modern railway network that will constitute an important development pillar for the Greek economy and society, contributing to the safety and speed of transport of people, goods and freight. In this context, ERGOSE S.A. currently manages the modernization projects of the railway lines and facilities of OSE co-financed by the Operational Programmes of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-2020 from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2014-2020 as well as projects with purely national funding that are necessary to complete the investments of the co-financed programmes. The company currently employs more than 200 experienced and highly qualified staff, while it has been providing its services for more than two decades, responding effectively and reliably to the implementation of projects through its excellent organization, structure and systems.