They are:

  • Terna, Vinci, and Siemens
  • J+P Avax, Ghella, and Alstom, and
  • Aktor, Ansaldo STS, and Hitachi Rail Italy.

A consortium of FCC, Archirodon and Mytilineos, which also expressed interest in the contract, was not selected for the shortlist.

The selected contractors will have until December 10 to submit their technical and financial offers for the project, which has a budget of €1.5bn.

Line 4 Section A will connect Alsos Veikou with Goudi serving 14 new stations, including interchanges with existing metro lines at Panepistimio/Akademia and Evangelismos.

A 12km-long tunnel will be drilled using tunnel boring machines (TBM), and the contract also includes a new Operations Control Centre for Line 4, with the prospect of integrating and controlling the operation of lines 1, 2, 3, as well as future automated new lines and the tram network.

Services will be operated by a new fleet of 20 750V dc trains and the line will be equipped with CBTC. The award criteria for the eight-year contract is the most economically advantageous tender, based on an optimal value-for-money relationship.