A dispute over the reopening of Greece’s historic Diakofto-Kalavryta rack railway in the northwest Peloponnese has escalated into a public clash between the government and local authorities, highlighting the challenges of balancing safety concerns with the economic importance of one of the country’s best-known tourist rail routes.
Alternate Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis on Thursday called on Kalavryta Mayor Athanasios Papadopoulos to formally certify that summer conditions along the Vouraikos Gorge route are safe enough for rail operations to resume.
The narrow-gauge railway, which climbs through the dramatic Vouraikos canyon in the northwest Peloponnese – southern Greece – has remained largely suspended following repeated concerns over rockfalls and landslides along sections of the line. The route, first opened in 1896, is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most scenic rail journeys and is a major attraction for domestic and foreign visitors.
Kyranakis accused the municipality of sending mixed signals, noting that local officials had publicly argued that no train accidents caused by falling rocks had occurred during the railway’s 130-year history and had indicated that landslide risks are significantly lower during the summer months. However, he said the municipality had stopped short of providing the formal written assurance requested by railway authorities.
“The rack railway will not reopen through public statements or demonstrations,” Kyranakis said, calling on municipal technical services to provide the certification sought by the railway operator.
The dispute centers on a document requested by Hellenic Railways infrastructure managers concerning current conditions in the gorge and the likelihood of landslides during the summer season. According to railway officials, maintenance, vegetation clearance and cleaning operations along critical sections of the line have been completed, while additional works are continuing ahead of any decision on reopening.
A special maintenance train was scheduled to inspect remaining sections of the route on Friday as authorities continue evaluating operational and safety conditions.
The issue has become increasingly contentious in Kalavryta, where local businesses argue that the prolonged suspension is weighing on tourism and the regional economy. Over the past year, debates over the future of the railway have intensified as local officials, engineers and residents weighed the risks posed by recurring geological instability against pressure to restore one of the area’s most important tourism assets.
The controversy also unfolds against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny of rail safety in Greece following the 2023 Tempi disaster and the broader political focus on railway infrastructure, maintenance standards and operational accountability. In recent months, government officials have repeatedly stressed that any decision involving rail services must be guided by documented safety assessments rather than political or economic considerations.
