In a revelation that raises new concerns about safety standards within Greece’s railway system, two trainee station employees were recently dismissed after testing positive for drugs during a surprise inspection. The announcement was made by Deputy Minister of Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis, who confirmed that the individuals were immediately removed from duty as part of a broader initiative to reassess staff in critical railway positions.
According to reports, the two dismissed employees—a trainee stationmaster and a trainee signal operator—had not yet completed their required training or final examinations and had not begun official work duties. Both were part of a recent hiring wave within OSE, Greece’s national rail operator, working under freelance contracts. Their drug use was detected through a urine test conducted unexpectedly at their training center, part of the ministry’s wider push for stricter oversight in the wake of past safety failures.
Kyranakis emphasized that the government’s goal is to implement a new operating doctrine for personnel in high-responsibility roles. He linked the current reform efforts to the national reckoning that followed last year’s tragic train collision in Tempi, which exposed serious gaps in the rail system’s infrastructure, oversight, and staffing policies. Leaked audio recordings from that period, which revealed unprofessional and careless behavior among rail staff, shocked the public and led to widespread calls for reform.
Despite ongoing investments in infrastructure and technology, Kyranakis stated that the human factor remains central to railway safety. He called for a cultural shift in how key roles such as stationmasters and train drivers are approached, coupled with modernized systems and more stringent accountability measures.
OSE has now begun a process of retraining and re-evaluating approximately 250 employees currently working in or preparing for critical roles. These efforts include not only additional technical instruction but also comprehensive medical examinations. Tests are being conducted in partnership with diagnostic centers across the country and include screenings for narcotics, alcohol, and psychotropic substances.
