In a decisive move to enhance railway safety, the Greek government has announced plans to install advanced train control systems by September 2025. This initiative comes in response to the tragic Tempi train crash of February 28, 2023, which claimed 57 lives, predominantly students, marking it as the deadliest rail accident in Greece’s history.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during a recent cabinet meeting, detailed the government’s commitment to equipping the main rail corridor with the European Train Control System (ETCS) and automatic remote braking mechanisms.Additionally, real-time train tracking will be implemented to serve as an extra layer of safety, aiming to prevent future collisions.
The 2023 collision, involving a passenger train and a freight train on the Athens-Thessaloniki line, highlighted significant shortcomings in Greece’s railway infrastructure. Investigations revealed that the absence of modern safety systems, such as ETCS, contributed to the disaster. A modernization project initiated in 2014, co-funded by the European Union, had faced repeated delays, leaving critical sections of the network without automated safety controls.
Public outcry following the accident led to widespread protests, with citizens demanding accountability and comprehensive reforms. The government’s response includes a pledge to modernize the entire 2,400 km railway network by 2027. This encompasses restructuring the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) through improved salaries, increased hiring, and staff performance evaluations. The national operator, Hellenic Train, owned by Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato, is also expected to invest in safety enhancements.
These reforms align with recommendations from Greece’s Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority (HARSIA), which called for systemic changes across the railway sector to bolster accountability and prevent future tragedies. The government’s commitment to these measures signifies a critical step towards restoring public trust and ensuring the safety of Greece’s rail transport system.
The forthcoming safety upgrades mark a crucial phase in Greece’s broader effort to overhaul its outdated railway infrastructure, a sector long plagued by neglect, underfunding, and bureaucratic hurdles. Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized that the reforms are not only a response to public anger but a moral obligation to those who lost their lives in the Tempi crash and to their grieving families.
The centerpiece of the reforms is the installation of the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 across the country’s busiest rail line — the Athens-Thessaloniki corridor — which sees high volumes of passenger and freight traffic. The ETCS system allows trains to be monitored and controlled in real time, with automatic braking functions in case of human error or system failure. This system is already widely used in other EU countries and is considered a gold standard for railway safety.
