Transport and Communications Minister Michalis Liapis yesterday inaugurated the extension of the Athens tram to the southern suburb of Voula during a test run on the new route. The 670-meter extension of the tram route, from Glyfada, is scheduled to open to the public in the first half of October, Liapis said. The new route is expected to attract some 2,500 new passengers in addition to the 60,000 commuters already using the tram. Apart from facilitating residents of the southern suburbs, the extension will provide a connection to local beaches and the Asklipeio Hospital. From the new terminus – at Asklipeio Voulas – a trip to Palaio Faliron will take 29 minutes, to Nea Smyrni 36 minutes and to Kallithea 39 minutes.

A total of 11 million euros was spent on building the Voula route, which has been lined with more than 150 trees and 450 bushes. An extension of the tram to Piraeus is scheduled to be built by 2010, the ministry has said.