ATHENS  – Vows to make Greek railways safe in the aftermath of a February 2023 head-on train collision that killed 57 haven’t been fulfilled, according to the system’s workers, with a parliamentary committee also being informed of the shortcomings.

The panel revealed that the railways are still dangerous, with unguarded crossings, understaffing, and insufficient rolling stock. This comes after another near-collision was barely averted, with no explanation as to why little has been done in 18 months.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Christos Staikouras told lawmakers there have been 18 measures to fix the railways at a cost of €1.2 billion ($1.34 billion), including €520 million ($581.6 million) from the European Union.

“I am not here to beautify the situation, nor can I claim that all the problems have been solved. The Greek railway — whether we are talking about OSE, ERGOSE, GAIAOSE, or Hellenic Train — has well-known ailments, accumulated over decades. Persistence is needed; it cannot be fixed in a day,” he said, as reported by *Kathimerini*, with no explanation provided for why the safety measures haven’t been fully implemented.

In June, the Union of Train Drivers (PEPE) warned that the railways were still dangerous due to the failure to install systems to reduce risks.

The group sent another warning letter — similar to previous warnings that were ignored, including one sent shortly before the head-on collision that was blamed on a stationmaster who had been on duty for only a few days and was reportedly inadequately trained.

The letter stated that electronic and other safety measures were not in place. Former Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis — who resigned after the crash — admitted that not all the contracts, including those funded by the European Union, had been completed.

The drivers’ letter was sent to the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) and Hellenic Train, with no reports of a response. A largely secret investigation has revealed little, and a survey found most Greeks believe there is a cover-up.

The union’s letter stated, “Despite our constant appeals to you to address the intensifying problems with the rolling stock and railway infrastructure, we witness daily incidents of damage that endanger the physical safety of both passengers and our fellow train drivers.”

This followed a recommendation from the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), which urged the urgent implementation of safety measures, noting that the trains still aren’t safe to ride. The Athens-Thessaloniki route, where the tragedy occurred, remains less than half full.

The ERA’s recommendation was also sent to the Railway Regulatory Authority (RAS), OSE, the Ministry, and others, including the Italian company operating the railways, which has so far escaped scrutiny.

The ERA urged the immediate installation of the GSM-R radio communication system across the national railway network, as the government had promised, to ensure the railways are safe, particularly during the high tourist season.

These recommendations were supported by Greece’s National Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Organization (EODASAAM), which also investigated the crash — although not until a year later.

Poor communication was believed to be a major cause of the crash, and other safety measures that could have prevented it had not been implemented for years and still haven’t been, prompting the ERA’s concern.

The two agencies stated that communication between stationmasters and drivers in Greece remains primitive in the digital age, with Greece’s railways lagging far behind those of other European Union countries, to which they are not connected.