The Thessaloniki Metro reached Kalamaria on August 27, 2026, adding five new stations and extending the city’s fully automated underground network almost five kilometres farther east.
For passengers, the biggest changes are
practical ones: faster access between Kalamaria and the city centre, a new
Metro connection toward Thessaloniki Airport via Mikra, revised bus routes, new
train information screens and a more complex two-branch operating pattern east
of 25is Martiou.
This is not a completely separate new Metro line. It is an extension of the existing Thessaloniki Metro network, with trains sharing the central section before continuing either toward Mikra or Nea Elvetia.
Thessaloniki Metro Kalamaria Expansion:
The 5 New Stations
FREE THESSALONIKI METRO MAP
Download the 1-page guide here:
The Kalamaria extension adds five
underground stations:
Nomarchia – Kalamaria – Aretsou – Nea
Krini – Mikra
The new section is approximately 4.78
kilometres long, bringing the complete Metro network to 18 underground
stations when combined with the original 13-station line.
Mikra becomes the new eastern terminus of
the Kalamaria branch and an increasingly important transport interchange for
eastern Thessaloniki.
Travel from Mikra toward central
Thessaloniki is expected to take around 15 minutes, while the journey
toward the New Railway Station remains well below half an hour.
How the Two Thessaloniki Metro Branches
Work
The most important thing for passengers to
understand is what happens around 25is Martiou.
Trains travelling through the central part
of Thessaloniki share the same route. East of 25is Martiou, the network divides
into two branches:
Mikra / Kalamaria branch
and
Nea Elvetia branch
Passengers travelling from the city centre
will not normally need to get off and change trains at 25is Martiou. Instead,
the key is to check the destination shown before boarding.
The operating plan distributes trains
between the two eastern branches, with more services directed toward Kalamaria
and Mikra.
Newer trains also introduce improved
passenger information displays showing the current station, upcoming stop and
route information more clearly.
Frequent and Fully Driverless Metro
Trains
The entire Thessaloniki Metro network is
fully automated.
Both the original line and the Kalamaria
extension use GoA4 automation, meaning trains operate without a driver
controlling acceleration, braking, station stops or door operation.
One of the system’s biggest strengths is
frequency.
Current daytime intervals on the main
section are typically around 3 to 3.5 minutes, depending on the day.
Even later in the evening, trains commonly remain around 4.5 minutes apart,
rather than dropping quickly to the much longer off-peak waits found on many
European transport systems.
During very late Friday and Saturday
operation, intervals become longer, but the network still maintains frequent
service through most of the day.
FREE THESSALONIKI METRO MAP
Download the 1-page guide here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sXdzluPJFVtw9TG4nS2XgEchhJDoPDlN/view?usp=drive_link
Thessaloniki Metro Tickets
The standard Thessaloniki Metro fare
currently remains €0.60.
A reduced ticket costs €0.30, while
a 10+1 package costs €5.80. There is also a €2.50 day ticket for
unlimited travel within the same mode of transport.
Tickets and travel products can be loaded
or reloaded through Metro ticket machines.
At present, Metro and bus tickets are still
separate. If your journey includes both Metro and urban bus travel, you
currently need a ticket for each mode.
A unified transport system covering Metro,
buses and eventually broader public transport connections is being developed,
while direct contactless bank-card access is also expected to simplify travel
further.
Because fares and ticket rules may change,
always check the latest information before travelling.
Thessaloniki Metro Operating Hours
Current operating hours are:
Monday–Thursday: 05:15–23:00
Friday–Saturday: 05:15–02:00
Sunday: 05:15–00:30
These are the first and last departures
from the terminal stations.
The Metro has previously operated later on
weekdays, and operating hours have also been adjusted during the final testing
and integration work for the Kalamaria extension. In August 2026, shortened
operating periods were introduced specifically to allow final work connecting
the new branch permanently with the existing line.
For late-night journeys, it is therefore
worth checking the current timetable rather than assuming the schedule will
remain unchanged indefinitely.
Start here: free audio walking guide
https://www.patreon.com/posts/lighthouse-in-to-156256896
🎧 Begin with this full route:
Walk from the Tiber through Trastevere and climb step by step to a lighthouse above Rome, with the city opening beneath you.
This is a complete audio walking guide you can follow on location or listen to anywhere.
🔓 This guide is free.
🎧 Members get:
• extended routes and additional areas
• full-length audio walking guides
• downloadable versions
Mikra Metro Station and Thessaloniki
Airport
Mikra is important not only because it is
the new terminus.
From August 27, the new X3 bus
connects Mikra Metro Station with Thessaloniki Macedonia Airport.
This creates a new way to reach the
airport: travel through Thessaloniki by Metro to Mikra, then transfer to the
airport bus.
From September 1, the new M2
route will also connect Mikra Metro Station with IKEA, reinforcing
Mikra’s role as an eastern public transport hub.
Kalamaria Bus Routes Change from
September 1
The Metro expansion is accompanied by a
major redesign of local bus services.
Several routes are being reorganised so
buses increasingly connect neighbourhoods with Metro stations rather than
duplicating longer journeys toward central Thessaloniki.
Among the new or revised routes are:
M2 – Mikra Metro Station to IKEA
6A – Nea Elvetia Metro Station to Kalamaria and Mikra
6B – Nea Elvetia Metro Station to Kifisia and Mikra
7T – Local Kalamaria service
The 33 and 39 route families are also being
reorganised as part of the same transport plan.
These arrangements may still be adjusted
after launch as passenger demand becomes clearer, so travellers depending on a
specific connection should check the latest OSETH timetable.
Unlock the power of lifelike AI voices with ElevenLabs! Perfect for creators, narrators, and businesses. Try it now! Start your voice journey here: https://try.elevenlabs.io/s0jpinoze8xo
Where Thessaloniki Metro Could Expand
Next
The Kalamaria branch is not expected to be
the end of Metro development in Thessaloniki.
Future planning increasingly focuses on the
western and northwestern districts, where large residential areas still
rely heavily on buses.
Potential future expansion has included
areas such as Stavroupoli, Ampelokipi, Menemeni, Kordelio and Evosmos.
These projects remain future developments
rather than operating lines, so routes, station locations and construction
timetables should not yet be treated as final.
More Thessaloniki Metro Guides
For a complete look at the original Metro section from 25is Martiou through central Thessaloniki to the New Railway Station, including stations, tickets and practical information, watch:
You can also see our full tour inside the
new Metropolis of Thessalonians museum in western Thessaloniki:
This is a separate museum from the archaeological exhibition inside Venizelou Metro Station.