Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed – as part of a Joint Venture with Avax – a €41 million contract in Greece with Ergose. The modernisation project includes signalling, some electrification and track renewal along 70km of existing single line of mainline section Thessaloniki – Idomeni, in Northern Greece.
Alstom will be responsible for the development, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of the ETCS Level 1 trackside solution Atlas 100, electronic interlocking technology (Smartlock 400 + MooN), replacement of indoor and outdoor equipment (axle counters, points machines, signals) as well as the installation of the digital railway traffic control solution Iconis in Thessaloniki, the country’s largest and most important railway hub. The modernised line will allow passenger trains to circulate at a maximum speed of 160km/h. The project duration is three years for execution and another three years for guarantee.
“Providing upgraded signalling solutions to this important railway line in Greece is another important step towards the modernization and upgrading of the international railway axis connecting Greece to Central and Western Europe,” says Stavros Vlachos, Alstom Managing Director for Greece and Western Balkans.
This line is part of the Pan-European Corridor X, connecting Thessaloniki to Budapest, passing through Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary – a railway section traditionally known as one of the main freight corridors in Central and Eastern Europe.
ETCS (European Train Control System) is the signalling and control component of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), ensuring interoperability and cross-border operations, increased line capacity as well as greater safety and efficiency for passengers.
Alstom has a portfolio of over 120 ETCS mainline signalling projects worldwide. Alstom’s ETCS solution Atlas offers a proven package with 100% interoperable equipment, while Iconis control centre solution is at the core of the digitalisation process dedicated to improved efficiency on busy railway lines.
With a presence of over 40 years in Greece, Alstom has successfully participated in the largest transport infrastructure construction projects in the country, including the construction of Lines 2 & 3 of the Athens Metro, the Athens Suburban Railway and Metro Line 3 extension to Piraeus. In addition, Alstom is the provider of the 25 latest-generation Citadis X05 trams for Athens. In June 2021, Alstom signed the contract for Athens Metro Line 4, one of the largest turnkey projects in Europe.
[1] ERGOSE SA is a subsidiary of the Greek national railway company OSE, founded in 1996 in order to undertake the management of the projects of OSE’s Investment Program, particularly those co-funded by European Union programmes.
