Thessaloniki port gateway to SE Europe via rail

This need will be filled by a commercial agreement between port authorities and Greek rail, announced today. According to it, the port will be linked with four capitals of Southeastern Europe. Skopje, Sofia, Belgrade and Bucharest will be receiving shipments and merchandise by the port on a regular basis. A few loose ends that were delaying the agreement between port and rail authorities have been settled and freight trains will be moving to the Balkan capitals very soon.

According to the plan trains will be moving from Thessaloniki to Skopje and Sofia by late March with two weekly routes for the first four months. If all goes well and business interest rises, routes will multiply after that. Routes to Belgrade and Bucharest will be announced soon.

Within the next 20 days, discussions between the rail authorities and naval travel agents will be concluded and rail prices will be announced. They are expected to be quite competitive compared to other transportation.

Meanwhile, plans for more freight train routes connecting Athens and Thessaloniki are under way and are expected to be linked with the Balkan schedule.