Airport-Piraeus metro line awaits approval
Plans for the extension of Line 3 of the Athens metro to Piraeus, which would allow passengers to travel directly between Athens International Airport and the port, are to go before a parliamentary committee in the coming days.
The 515-million-euro project was first put out to tender in 2007 but has been dogged by legal wrangles as some of the consortia bidding for the contract had complained about the involvement of the scandal-tainted German company Siemens.
Assuming that the contract is signed within the month, the process is expected to begin with the launch of a series of feasibility studies which are expected to be completed by early 2013.
Meanwhile, authorities are to import a tunnel borer which is to carve out most of the 7.6-kilometer route between Haidari, western Athens, and Piraeus.
The creation of the metro extension to Piraeus cannot begin before the completion of works aimed at extending the Metro?s Line 3 to Haidari, expected to be completed by the end of the year.
