Press release
Athens, 04 May 2022
Signing of the contract for the installation of electrification and signalling systems on the Larissa – Volos railway line
Athens, 4 May – The upgrade of the Larissa-Volos rail link, a project of major importance for the entire network of the country, is entering the implementation phase. Today the Contract of the project was signed for the installation of electrification, signalling – telecommand, and ETCS LEVEL 1 on the existing single railway line as well as upgrading the railway line on the section of the Railway Station of Latomeio – Industrial area ( VIPE) – Volos Railway Station.
The contractor of the project is INTRAKAT. The cost of the project amounts to €82.89 million (including VAT), while the works are expected to last 36 months, with the aim of opening the electrified railway line in 2025.
The project has been co-financed by European Union funds from the NSRF 2014-2020 under the Operational Program “Transport Infrastructure, Environment and Sustainable Development” (OP-Transport Infrastructure, Environment and Sustainable Development).
The installation of modern electrification and signalling systems with ETCS on the Larissa – Volos line foreseen by the project, will upgrade safety, the network’s capacity and the better service and comfort of passengers. At the same time, the electrified interconnection of the section with the already electrified PATHE/P axis is achieved, serving ERGOSE’s objective of interoperability of the projects it manages, which have as their final objective the modernisation and reform of the Greek railway network as a whole.
Specifically, the project concerns :
- Τhe construction of a new deviation of a single normal gauge railway line in a section about 10 km long from [ Kilometric position 49+184 (before the entrance of the Railway Station of Latomeio) to kilometric position 59+677 (entrance of Volos Railway Station)] to replace the existing non-operational metric line in the same section.
- The complete construction of the Electrification System which includes: the trolley-type overhead contact line for 25 kV, 50 Hz, the Rizomilos traction power substation, the SCADA system and its integration into the existing Thessaloniki Remote Control Centre.
- The construction of a modern signalling system with telecommand and ETCS level 1, baseline 3.
- The construction of the structured cabling to meet the telecommunications needs during the operation of the railway line.
- The renovation – arrangement of part of the lines and changes in the Railway Stations of Halki, Melia, Kipseli, Armenio and Velestino
- The renovation of buildings in the Railway Stations Halki, Melia, Kipseli, Armeni, Velestino, Latomeio and Volos for the construction of technical rooms.
- The construction of a new stop for passengers in the Industrial area (VIPE) from kilometric position 54+480 to kilometric position 54+600 of the new deviation, to serve the employees of the VIPE.
- The planting works along sections of the new deviation of the railway line from the Railway Station of Latomeio to the Railway Station of Volos.
Today’s signing of the contract is the kick-off for the implementation of the project, as is the case in a number of major projects that go from the design and tendering process to the construction phase.
The President and CEO of ERGOSE, Mr. Christos Vinis, stressed, “Our mission at ERGOSE, in coordination and cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, is to bring the Greek railway to the next day, the day of modernization and reliability. So, it is a great pleasure for us when, from the stage of careful and thorough preparation on our part, projects of such great importance pass into the implementation phase. The installation of electrification systems on the Larissa-Volos rail link and its interconnection with the rest of the electrified network is a decisive step towards the modernisation of the Greek railway, which will also contribute to the strengthening of the real economy”.
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.
