Railways around Thessaloniki

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Travelling to Thessaloniki later this month and hope to have some time to explore the local railway scene.

Are there any decent spots to photograph trains in an around the city?
The city seems to have a relatively limited passenger service. Is there much freight?
Is any of the metro above ground?
Thessaloniki has a railway museum, but am finding differing sources about opening hours. Does anyone know for sure when it opens?

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[The pumpkin]

Hi Andrew I’m in Thessaloniki at the moment and here are the answers to your questions curtesy of my father, a retired railway employee of Thessaloniki station.
Firstly the entire network of Thessaloniki metro at the moment is wholly underground. Extensions are under construction but nothing will open imminently.
Regarding the railway museum, we visited today to ask on your behalf about opening hours and they said Monday to Friday 10:00-13:30 throughout the entire summer. If you cannot make it these times then by previous appointment they could open up on Saturday as well. Just call 0030 2310 559590. However as it is manned by volunteers maybe try to make it during the week so they don’t have to make special arrangements. The museum is for free but they kindly ask for a donation of €2 if you can afford it.
That’s the website of the museum:
https://sfsth.gr/. It’s in Greek but try to translate it.
Regarding photography, firstly you can visit the main passenger railway station. You can walk around the platforms and station to take photos, you don’t need a ticket. Apparently my father told me you can walk along the track number 8 on a dirt road all the way up to the signal box where the junction is and observe the trains it’s all open access. Past the signal box there is security and you cannot go.
There is also a freight station. Address is Paleou Stathmou 4 postcode 54627. For google maps put: Parodos Stathmou 4, Thessaloniki, Greece. It is about 4 kilometres from the museum and about 1 kilometre from the passenger station.
I have attached photos I took this morning of the freight station. As you can see it is open so I could walk in and take the pictures with my father. The notice on the door does say (in Greek) no entry because of overhead voltage danger of electrocution but my father says he can wander around at will as I proved by taking the pictures. So you could take a stroll and take some pictures unless challenged. The track is not electrified only the overheads. After all the prohibition note is in Greek only. There is not really another spot inside the city to take pictures. If you have the time you could try a beautiful picturesque heritage line in the village of Pelion near Volos. It is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays during July. The train is called “karvouniaris” (smudger). However it is about 230-250 kilometres from Thessaloniki. Here is the link for information and tickets it’s in Greek and English
http://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/mythical-route.
I hope all this helps, let me know if you need any more info.

 

[jamesontheroad]

@The pumpkin has the most up to date info you could hope for. Here are some pics from February 2023 when I used a 10-day Interrail pass to travel from northern Sweden to Athens.

The modernist station is grander than the current levels of service, but don’t miss the charming Orthodox chapel on the right hand side of the ticket hall.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Hi Andrew I’m in Thessaloniki at the moment and here are the answers to your questions curtesy of my father, a retired railway employee of Thessaloniki station.
Firstly the entire network of Thessaloniki metro at the moment is wholly underground. Extensions are under construction but nothing will open imminently.
Regarding the railway museum, we visited today to ask on your behalf about opening hours and they said Monday to Friday 10:00-13:30 throughout the entire summer. If you cannot make it these times then by previous appointment they could open up on Saturday as well. Just call 0030 2310 559590. However as it is manned by volunteers maybe try to make it during the week so they don’t have to make special arrangements. The museum is for free but they kindly ask for a donation of €2 if you can afford it.
That’s the website of the museum:
https://sfsth.gr/. It’s in Greek but try to translate it.
Regarding photography, firstly you can visit the main passenger railway station. You can walk around the platforms and station to take photos, you don’t need a ticket. Apparently my father told me you can walk along the track number 8 on a dirt road all the way up to the signal box where the junction is and observe the trains it’s all open access. Past the signal box there is security and you cannot go.
There is also a freight station. Address is Paleou Stathmou 4 postcode 54627. For google maps put: Parodos Stathmou 4, Thessaloniki, Greece. It is about 4 kilometres from the museum and about 1 kilometre from the passenger station.
I have attached photos I took this morning of the freight station. As you can see it is open so I could walk in and take the pictures with my father. The notice on the door does say (in Greek) no entry because of overhead voltage danger of electrocution but my father says he can wander around at will as I proved by taking the pictures. So you could take a stroll and take some pictures unless challenged. The track is not electrified only the overheads. After all the prohibition note is in Greek only. There is not really another spot inside the city to take pictures. If you have the time you could try a beautiful picturesque heritage line in the village of Pelion near Volos. It is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays during July. The train is called “karvouniaris” (smudger). However it is about 230-250 kilometres from Thessaloniki. Here is the link for information and tickets it’s in Greek and English
http://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/mythical-route.
I hope all this helps, let me know if you need any more info.

Thanks for the comprehensive information.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Update on my visit to Thessaloniki. Visited the museum on a Monday morning, on arrival found it deserted although the gate was open so walked in which set off a siren which roused a security guard from her spot in the shade. Entry fee was 10 Euro (cash only, or I could transfer money to a bank account), so after a trip to a cash machine I was in, complete with a hand written receipt for my entry. Just one volunteer on site who spoke no English, but both he and the security guard were happy for me to wander freely and opened up the station building and Orient Express carriages for me to explore. As with many museums overseas, this is not to the British standard of museum, with no boards explaining the exhibits. Many of the exhibits were in a poor state with little or no work going on to restore items to running order. Understandable if volunteers and money are limited. The security guard mentioned that one of the main people associated with the museum has recently died. I was the only visitor on site for the hour I spent there, although a family arrived as I left which suggests it is quite quiet. The security guard did say they receive many visits from school groups in term time and the museum does fetaure on the city map handed out at the local tourist office.

Also took a day trip to Larissa and was pleasantly surprised to find a 'Rail Park' next to the station with a selection of Wickham trollies and a steam loco on display. All were in good condition and had boards in Greek explaining what each exhibit was. Free to enter and wander around. Probably not worth making a specific trip to see, but the city is quite pleasant so worth 10 minutes if visiting the area. There is also a steam loco outside the station which has receievd the attention from the local grafitti 'artists'

Thessaloniki station was easy enough to photograph at - staff were not concerned with what I was doing and left me to it. Sadly not a huge level of services and the network generally has a run down feel with large amounts of derelict stock around. Staff are friendly, ticket costs resonable and the trains clean, but infrequent servives meant we used the express coach alternatives on several occasions as they were just as quick but offered better frequencies.

One sign of progress was a black Alstom Coradia Stream parked in Thessaloniki station on 23 July. Internet suggests it is a manufacturer test train and it was not fitted out with seats. Had gone when we returned later that day and did not see it again.

Thanks for the information provided in advance of the visit.