The tragic Tempe Valley train crash in Greece occurred on February 28, 2023, just before midnight. It’s one of the deadliest rail disasters in the country’s history and has left a lasting impact on Greece, sparking widespread grief, anger, and calls for accountability.
The incident took place on the main rail line connecting Athens and Thessaloniki, near the Tempe Valley in the Thessaly region, roughly halfway between the villages of Tempi and Evangelismos. Two trains collided head-on: a passenger train, InterCity 62 (IC62), operated by Hellenic Train, carrying 342 passengers and 10 crew members, and an intermodal freight train with two staff onboard. The passenger train was heading north from Athens to Thessaloniki, packed with many university students returning from a carnival holiday weekend, while the freight train was moving south.
The crash happened because both trains ended up on the same track, a catastrophic failure of coordination. The passenger train had been allowed to proceed on the wrong line, passing signals that should have stopped it, despite the freight train’s presence. Survivors described a nightmarish scene: a deafening bang, carriages overturning, windows shattering, and an immediate fire breaking out. The front cars of the passenger train bore the brunt, reaching temperatures as high as 1,300°C (2,370°F), making survival nearly impossible for those trapped inside. At least 57 people died, many burned beyond recognition, and over 80 were injured, some critically.
Rescue efforts were grueling. Emergency workers, including firefighters and special disaster units, worked through the night, using cranes to lift twisted wreckage and searching for survivors amidst smoking debris. Many bodies required DNA identification due to the extent of the damage. Survivors recounted chaos—passengers smashing windows with luggage or their bodies to escape the flames, others thrown violently as carriages derailed into a nearby field.
The aftermath revealed deep systemic issues. Initial blame fell on a 59-year-old stationmaster in Larissa, who was arrested and charged with manslaughter by negligence. He admitted partial responsibility but pointed to technical failures, claiming the signaling system was faulty. However, the disaster wasn’t just one person’s mistake. Greece’s rail network, despite recent high-speed upgrades, was outdated and underfunded. Electronic safety systems like the European Train Control System (ETCS), which could have remotely stopped the train, and GSM-R communication networks were not fully operational—despite being mandatory under EU law. Rail workers had warned of these dangers for years, citing chronic understaffing and neglected infrastructure, exacerbated by a decade-long financial crisis that slashed public investment.
Public fury erupted. The crash was seen as a preventable tragedy, a result of long-term neglect. Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis resigned within hours, accepting responsibility for failing to modernize the railways, though he was re-elected months later, fueling further outrage. Protests swept the nation, with over 2.5 million people joining vigils and demonstrations in Athens and beyond. In January 2025, tens of thousands rallied again, chanting “Murderers” and holding banners like “I Have No Oxygen”—words from a haunting audio released of a victim’s final call. Families of the deceased, like Maria Karistianou, who lost her daughter, accused the government of a cover-up, pointing to an alleged illegal chemical cargo on the freight train that may have intensified the fire, a claim still under investigation.
The government promised reforms, but progress has been slow, as noted by the European Commission. A judicial probe continues, implicating 43 officials, yet no one has faced trial nearly two years later. The disaster remains a raw wound, a symbol of systemic failure, and a rallying cry for justice in Greece.
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