Thessaloniki student transport crisis threatens school year start

The transportation of 16,500 students in Thessaloniki is currently uncertain just days before the start of the new school year on September 11. This includes 1,300 students with disabilities.

During a meeting of the Central Macedonia Regional Council, Thessaloniki Vice Regional Governor Kostas Youtikas described the situation as a “deeply social” issue. He noted that the deadlock is unique to the Thessaloniki Regional Unit, as three previous tenders failed to secure sufficient providers. Private bus operators, who typically cover nearly 80% of the transport work, did not participate in the first two tenders. In an August tender, the KTEL cooperatives claimed only 41 out of 470 total routes, representing approximately 8% to 9% of the required services.

The Regional Authority has formally requested two legislative amendments from the Ministry of Interior, which officials believe could provide a last-minute solution. The issue has also been raised with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Youtikas has called on bus operators to reach a compromise, emphasizing that student transportation is a fundamental right rather than a subject for negotiation.