Probe into train disruptions as weather wreaks havoc in northern Greece
Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis has ordered an administrative investigation into why hundreds of passengers remained trapped in trains in northern Greece on Wednesday in the freezing weather.
Two trains carrying around 600 passengers came to a halt at Thermes and Larissa in central Greece while traveling from Thessaloniki to Athens because of icy conditions, while another Intercity train stopped in Tithorea and Larissa’s suburban railway ran into mechanical problems in Platy Imathias.
Rail management company Trainose said on Wednesday that the problems were due to heavy snowfall in northern and central Greece and announced that it will be cancelling several services between Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as local services in the area, on Thursday.
Heavy snowfall has also caused problems with public transport in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, where bus company OASTH said that 11 neighborhoods are too snowed in to allow service. It also said that around 50 buses have been fitted with snow chains so they can navigate icy streets along their routes.
Meanwhile on Thursday morning, fog and low-lying clouds led to flight cancellations and delays at Thessaloniki’s Makedonia airport, while freezing temperatures caused problems in the city’s natural gas and electricity network, leaving thousands of residents without heat or power as temperatures dropped to as low as -14 Celsius.
