Today (15/01) Parliament votes to ratify the revised agreement between the Greek State and Hellenic Train, marking a clean slate for Greek railways: from general commitments to signed obligations with timelines, controls and penalties. The new contract, signed by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis, “locks in” total investments worth €420 million, of which €308 million for the procurement of 23 brand-new electric trains – the first purchase of new rolling stock in the country since 2004 – and €112 million for maintenance infrastructure, depots and digital systems.
What the explicit termination clause provides
For the first time, the contract includes an explicit termination clause: If the new trains have not been delivered and put into service by 2027, the State can terminate the contract. At the same time, penalties for delays, immobilizations and poor maintenance are being tightened, while passenger compensation in cases of serious service disruptions is doubled.
A pivotal change is the digital monitoring of services through a GPS tracking system, replacing the current paper-based and non-transparent regime, enhancing accountability in real time for the first time. Today’s parliamentary ratification follows the agreement signed in May 2025 between the Greek Government and Hellenic Train’s parent company, Ferrovie dello Stato, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Greece and Italy.
All investments are financed by the Italian side. With the arrival of new rolling stock and completion of works on the Athens-Thessaloniki axis, the goal is to reduce travel time to under 3.5 hours, boosting train competitiveness and gradually restoring public confidence. Today’s vote is not simply about a contract. It’s about whether Greek railways finally move from words to rules – and from tolerance to accountability.
