The Thessaloniki Transport Authority (OSETH) has launched a redesigned bus network to link public bus routes directly with the new Kalamaria Metro extension.
The service updates begin at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday with the rollout of express line X3 connecting Mikra metro station directly to Macedonia Airport. The remaining primary changes across the urban network will take effect on September 1.
Thessaloniki is Greece's second-largest city and the administrative capital of Central Macedonia. The opening of the rapid transit line into Kalamaria, a major coastal municipality in eastern Thessaloniki, expands the subway network and turns peripheral terminal stops into intermodal transit hubs.
New airport express and regional routes
Line X3 will provide a direct link between Mikra station and Macedonia Airport, the primary international gateway for northern Greece. The dedicated airport route will operate 365 days a year with a special fare set at 2 euros.
Starting September 1, OSETH will launch line M2 to connect Mikra metro station with the IKEA transfer station at an urban zone fare of 0.60 euros. Existing line 6 will be split into two new routes: line 6A running from Nea Elvetia through Kalamaria to Mikra, and line 6B running from Nea Elvetia through Kifisia to Mikra.
A dedicated feeder service, line 7T, will operate as the Kalamaria Local to serve residents across Kalamaria while providing direct access to Mikra station. Routing updates will also apply to lines 33 and 39, alongside the creation of temporary stops and the reopening of the Thessaloniki Regional Unit bus stop.
Key transfer hubs and service integration
According to OSETH, Mikra and Nea Elvetia are being converted into major transfer hubs to streamline passenger transfers between surface buses and metro trains. Mikra station will handle lines X3, M2, 6A, 6B, and 7T, while lines 6A and 6B will also connect through the Nea Elvetia transfer point.
The transit authority stated in an official announcement that the new layout aims to build a more functional public transport grid. Officials noted that the reorganization will simplify transfers, strengthen connections between eastern neighborhoods and the wider transit system, and significantly improve public transit access to the airport.
Continuous monitoring and future adjustments
OSETH added that transport planners will evaluate the new network continuously following its rollout. The authority indicated that necessary adjustments and route refinements will be introduced progressively, based on recorded passenger traffic and operational feedback from the metro.
