Work to expand and upgrade the courtroom hosting the trial over Greece’s deadliest rail disaster has been completed ahead of proceedings resuming next week.
The trial concerning the 2023 Tempi train collision is set to continue on Wednesday, May 27, at the Three-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies in the city of Larissa. The courtroom, located inside the “Gaia Polis” conference center of the University of Thessaly, has been significantly enlarged following concerns over space and accessibility during the opening session in March. The limited seating capacity during the opening phase of a trial of such size and significance had drawn criticism from several victims’ families and their lawyers.
According to the Justice Ministry, the main hearing hall was expanded from 283.75 square meters to 452 square meters, while seating capacity was increased by roughly 100 seats.
The interventions were carried out after a request by the plenary assembly of the presidents of Greece’s bar associations, which had raised concerns about whether the venue could adequately accommodate a trial of that scale and the ability of lawyers, defendants and observers to attend the hearings.
A supplementary directive issued by Maria Lianou, president of the Larissa Court of Appeals, confirmed the new courtroom arrangements.
Under the updated setup, the main lecture hall of the University of Thessaly conference center will host the judges’ bench, lawyers and defendants. An additional adjacent hall measuring 109.57 square meters will function as a secondary public viewing area equipped with screens for spectators following the proceedings.
The Tempi disaster trial opened on March 23, 2026 and is one of the most closely watched judicial proceedings in modern Greek history. The case centers on the February 2023 train collision near Tempi, in central Greece, which killed 57 people and triggered mass protests, political backlash and ongoing public anger over rail safety and the perceived lack of accountability.
