Efforts to restore the railway network in the Tempe tunnel in central Greece were continuing at a fast pace on Tuesday, with plans to open a single track for commercial trains by midnight.
The restoration, following severe weather conditions brought by Storm Bora, aims to resume Athens-Thessaloniki services by Wednesday. OSE, the Greek railway operator, is currently working on clearing 50 drainage culverts on a 2 km stretch where debris and sediment have accumulated.
“Most of the water has been cleared from the tunnel,” said OSE CEO Panagiotis Terezakis, who confirmed that cleanup teams were removing mud and debris from the tracks.
The tracks will then be washed with high-pressure water jets to ensure a safe reopening. The priority is to clear one track for commercial trains, which have been delayed due to a backlog of cargo between Athens and Thessaloniki.
OSE aims to have both tracks fully operational by morning, allowing for the resumption of normal passenger service.