A mechanical malfunction brought an Athens-to-Thessaloniki train to a halt on Friday evening, leaving around 400 passengers stranded for more than two hours at the Oinofyta station, due north of the greater Athens area.

The Hellenic Train-operated route had departed central Athens behind schedule before encountering additional problems shortly before 8 p.m. local time. The malfunction caused the train to come to a full stop at the station, causing significant disruption and frustration amongst the passengers.

After repairs the train subsequently resumed its journey towards the northern Greece city.

The incident again cast light on the state of Greece’s rail system, which has come under intense scrutiny after the February 2023 Tempi rail disaster.