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==National Railway System==
==National Railway System==
All railway infrastructure in Greece is owned and maintained by [http://www.ose.gr/en/ OSE] (''Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados, or Ο.Σ.Ε., Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος'').
All railway infrastructure in Greece is owned and maintained by [https://ose.gr/en/home/ OSE] (''Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados, or Ο.Σ.Ε., Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος'').


===National Railway Operator===
===National Railway Operator===
Train services are operated by ''Trainose/ΤραινΟΣΕ''. Suburban traffic in Attika (Piraeus - Athens - SKA - Halkida and Athens Airport - SKA - Kiato) and Makedonia (Thessaloniki – Domokos) is operated under the brand name ''Proastiakos'' (Suburban Railway).
Train services are operated by ''Hellenic Train''.


''Trainose'' was transferred to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund in 2013 in preparation for privatisation. On 14 July 2016 the Fund accepted a bid of €45m from ''Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane'', which will be submitted to the judgment of the 'Court of Auditors'.
The previous operator, ''Trainose/ΤραινΟΣΕ'', was sold to ''Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane'' on 14 September 2017; in 2022 the company rebranded as ''Hellenic Train''.
 
Suburban traffic in Attika (Piraeus - Athens - SKA - Halkida and Athens Airport - SKA - Kiato) and Makedonia (Thessaloniki – Domokos) is operated under the brand name ''Proastiakos'' (Suburban Railway).


==Official Website==
==Official Website==
[http://www.trainose.gr/en/ Trainose] / [http://www.trainose.gr ΤραινΟΣΕ]
[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en Hellenic Train]


==Language==
==Language==
Greek. Greek script is quite different from Roman and there is no standard system of transcription. In many of the places served by the railway system, away from the main tourist areas, only Greek is spoken.
Greek. There is no single transcription mapping between Greek script and Roman script. In addition Greek spellings have changed over the years and some stations may bear names printed using now obsolete Greek spellings. In smaller places served by the railway system, away from the main tourist areas, older people may only speak one of the Greek dialects.
 
Placenames shown in EGTRE endeavour to use the same transliteration as the journey selection box in [https://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia/?lang=en Journey planner].  Note that in some cases a different English spelling is used on station nameboards and as mentioned above another spelling may be carved / painted on the station.  A final source of confusion is within the journey planner where yet another spelling is sometimes used in the train timings pop-up window.


==Currency==
==Currency==
Line 24: Line 28:
==Timetable==
==Timetable==
===Journey Planner===
===Journey Planner===
[http://www.trainose.gr/en/ Journey planner in English]
[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en  Journey planner in English]
 
Note that trains shown in the journey planner with train numbers prefixed "C" and suffixed "(ΛΕΩΦ)" are operated by buses.


===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
PDF files are available as links, or directly, from the following pages:-
<!--Following the serious accident on February 28 2023 at Tempi on the Athens-Thessaloniki main line, the whole country's rail services were suspended. Since then limited services have resumed with details of services running listed on their website. For example from 16 August 2023 can be found [https://www.hellenictrain.gr/sites/default/files/2023-08/TRAIN%20SERVICE%20FROM%2016-08-2023_0.pdf here].-->
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/intercity-network/ Intercity timetable and Lianokladi to Stylida]
Normally PDF files are available as links, or directly, from the following pages:-
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/suburban-railway/ Suburban railways around Athina, Thessaloniki and Patras]
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/intercity-network Intercity] neither maps nor timetable PDFs available.
<!---*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/tourism-culture/train-and-recreation/katakolo-olympia/ Olympia to Pyrgos and Katakolo]--->
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/athens-suburban-railway Suburban and Regional railways around Athens] map and timetable PDFs available in English.
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/international-services/international-railway-services International Services]
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/thessaloniki-suburban-railway Thessaloniki suburban railways] maps in English.
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/patras-suburban-railway Patras Suburban railways] map and timetable PDFs available in English.
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/katakolo-olympia Olympia to Pyrgos and Katakolo] timetable embedded within the web page.
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/international-railway-services International Services] shows all services suspended.


===Printed Timetable===
===Printed Timetable===
Line 37: Line 46:


===Engineering Information===
===Engineering Information===
The main [http://www.trainose.gr/en TrainOSE] webpage, under Latest News, often gives details of engineering work but the information is only in Greek.
The [https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/announcements Hellenic Trains announcements] webpage, gives details of engineering work or long term closures.


==Maps==
==Maps==
===Printed Maps===
===Printed Maps===
*European Railway Atlas: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece by M.G. Ball (1991) (ISBN 0-7110-2087-6)
*[[Printed Maps#SW-GR | Eisenbahnatlas Griechenland]] by Schweers + Wall.
*[https://europeanrailwayatlas.com/ European Railway Atlas] by M.G. Ball (2008 onwards)
*[[Printed Maps#ERA-E | European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition)]] by M.G. Ball.
*Quail Map Co published a railway map of Greece, with extensive supplementary information, but this is currently out of print.
*[[Printed Maps#ERA-R-3 | European Railway Atlas (Regional Series - Book 3: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kaliningrad, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine)]] by M.G. Ball.
*[[Printed Maps#QM-GR | Railway Map of Greece]] by Quail Map Company.


===Web-based Maps===
===Web-based Maps===
*Thorsten Büker's [http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/maps_greece.php Map of Greek Network / Χαρτης ελληνικου δικτυου].
*[[:File:Greece.gif | Map of Greece]] dated July 2020.


==Ticketing==
==Ticketing==
OSE and Proastiakos have entirely separate ticketing.


Trains can be very crowded so reservations are desirable and sometimes essential. Reserved seats are not marked as such.
Hellenic Train and Proastikos trains and buses can all be used by tickets purchased [https://tickets.hellenictrain.gr/dromologia/?lang=en online]. Purchase of long-distance trains, suburban trains, and the narrow gauge services from Ano Lekhonia to Milies or Diakofto to Kalavryta is possible without registering as a "Member"; use the trip finder / search train schedules function to identify and select the train / connecting trains you want to book, then click the "Seat selection and Passengers" button at the top right, to select your seats (on long distance trains or buses), add the passenger's name and click "Payment" in the top right. These services can be very crowded so reservations are desirable but Reserved seats are not marked as such.  Note there is a discount for anyone over 65 of between 20% and 50%.


==Infrastructure==
==Infrastructure==
===Infrastructure Authority===
===Infrastructure Authority===
[http://www.ose.gr/en/group/structure OSE (''Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados'') / Ο.Σ.Ε. (''Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος'')] determines the overall strategy and manages railway infrastructure.
[https://www.ose.gr/en/home OSE (''Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados'') / Ο.Σ.Ε. (''Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος'')] determines the overall strategy and manages railway infrastructure.


[http://www.ergose.gr/index.php?lang=en ERGOSE SA] manages most railway modernisation projects.
[https://www.ergose.gr/?lang=en ERGOSE SA] manages most railway modernisation projects.


===Network Statement===
===Network Statement===


[http://www.ose.gr/en/o-s-e/network Network Statements] for various years.
A 2023 English language version of the network statement is available [https://ose.gr/en/organization/pdf-en/ here]. A 2024 Greek language version is available [https://ose.gr/organismos/%ce%b4%ce%ae%ce%bb%cf%89%cf%83%ce%b7_%ce%b4%ce%b9%ce%ba%cf%84%cf%8d%ce%bf%cf%85/ here].


===Gauge===
===Gauge===
Standard. The Peloponnese lines from Piraeus to Patra, Olympia and Kalamata etc were formerly entirely metre gauge. The metre gauge route from Piraeus via Athens to Korinthos, Kiato and Patra has been closed; it has been replaced by a standard gauge route as far as Kiato, construction work on the standard gauge continuation from Kiato to Patra has started but is significantly delayed. The rack line from Diakopto to Kalavryta is 750 mm gauge.
Standard, including the new Athens - Kiato (- Patras) line. The Peloponnese lines from Piraeus to Patras, Olympia and Kalamata etc are/were metre gauge. The rack line from Diakopto to Kalavryta is 750 mm gauge. The Pelion line from Ano Lechonia to Milies is 600 mm gauge.


===Electrification===
===Electrification===
25 kV 50 Hz.
25 kV 50 Hz.
Athens metro and tramways are 750 V dc. Metro Line 3 services to the airport change from third rail DC to 25 kV AC overhead at Plakentias.
A contract was signed in July 2023 for electrification of the 71 km Kiato – Rododaphni line.


===Rule of the road===
===Rule of the road===
Line 79: Line 92:


==Tourist Lines==
==Tourist Lines==
* [http://www.trainose.gr/en/tourism-culture/train-and-recreation/the-rack-railway/ Diakopto – Kalavryta] (22 km long, part rack-fitted) (750 mm gauge)  
* [https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/rack-railway-diakopto-kalavryta-amazing-journey Diakopto – Kalavryta] (22 km long, part rack-fitted) (750 mm gauge)  
* [http://www.trainose.gr/en/tourism-culture/train-and-recreation/the-pelion-train/ Pelion Railway] Ano Lehonia to Milies (600 mm gauge)
* [https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/pelion-train-mythical-route Pelion Railway] Ano Lehonia to Milies (600 mm gauge)
* Attica Museum Railway: Keratea to Kalivia (extension to Markopoulo under construction) (metre gauge)  
* [https://attica-railway.blogspot.com/ Attica Museum Railway] Keratea and Kalivia (metre gauge)  
* Volos – Palaeofarsalos (metre gauge). A 10 km section between Velestino and Aerino was operated by the Thessaly Museum Railway but their website has been deleted, suggesting there is no longer any service. The rest of the line is already out of use. There is a [http://www.ose.gr/en/culture/rail-museums/107-railway-museum-of-volos railway museum] at Volos station.  
* [https://thessalyrailways.gr/?page_id=1240&lang=en Thessaly Museum Railways] Volos – Palaeofarsalos (metre gauge). A 10 km section between Velestino and Aerino was operated for a period by the museum railway, but the website does not show any recent services. The rest of the line is already out of use. There was a railway museum at Volos station but no recent information is available.  
* Tempi valley railway: former main line (replaced by a new double track line) along the Tempi river, operated by motor draisines, with no scheduled timetable
* Tempi valley railway: former main line (replaced by a new double track line) along the Tempi river, operated by motor draisines, with no scheduled timetable


==Metro==
==Metro==
[http://www.stasy.gr/index.php?id=1&no_cache=1&L=1 Athens]
==Trams==
[http://www.stasy.gr/index.php?id=1&no_cache=1&L=1 Athens]
==Recent and future changes==
From 30 July 2017 the Athens area suburban services were recast with the Airport to Kiato service diverted into Athens and split into two separate services. Alternate services from the Airport run to the SKA low level platforms and terminate.  As a result there are no services over a section east from SKA low level platforms to the point where the Athens to Ano Liosia line joins. 
From 25 May 2017 until further notice passengers on the service between Thessaloniki and Sofia are taken by bus between Kulata and Strimon.
With effect from 21 August 2015 trains to and from Macedonia were withdrawn south of Gevgelija, owing to issues with migrants, and no longer enter Greece.
The Patras suburban service is to be extended 30 km westwards to Kato Achaia by summer 2017. This had not happened as at December 2017.
In October 2014, the head of OSE stated that the Korinthos - Argos - Nafplio line is to be reopened. However, there is no further news as at June 2017.


===Train Service Changes in 2014===
{| class="wikitable"
The daily Beograd - Skopje - Thessaloniki summer overnight and Thessaloniki - Sofia daytime services resumed on 10 May 2014.
|-
| Athens || [https://www.stasy.gr/en/ Offical web site] || [https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/gr/athens/athens.htm System diagram at UrbanRail.Net]
|-
| Thessaloniki || [https://www.thessmetro.gr/en/ Offical web site] || [https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/gr/thessaloniki/thessaloniki.htm System diagram at UrbanRail.Net]
|}


From Monday 31 March 2014, passenger services started running between Athens and Ano Liosia via a curve bypassing SKA (Acharnes Railway Center).
A driverless metro has been under construction in Thessaloniki for at least 25 years, the 10 km of Line 1, From New Railway Station to Nea Helvetia, finally opened on 30 November 2024. In July 2013, a contract was signed for a 5 km branch from 25 Martiou to Micra, which is set to open in 2025 as Line 2.


===Train Service Changes in 2012===
== Trams/LRT-Systems ==
The Thessaloniki - Edessa - Aminteo - Florina line reopened on 14 October 2012.
[https://www.stasy.gr/en/ Athína (Athens)]. The [https://www.urbanrail.net/eu/gr/athens/athens.htm UrbanRail.Net] site has a basic diagram of the system.


A weekly summer-only service was reintroduced between Thessaloniki and Skopje (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) reportedly from 14 July 2012 to 30 September 2012.
==Recent and Future Changes==
There are various infrastructure improvements planned or in progress but completion dates for those underway have been missed by months; no doubt the Country's financial situation and protracted sale of OSE to FS has not been helping. This list is not thought to be complete and '''any updates would be appreciated by the Compilers'''.


===Train Service Changes in 2011===
===Future Changes===
====Infrastructure Changes====
* The previously-metre gauge branch from Isthmos to Loutraki is being converted to standard gauge and electrified. Opening to passengers is expected in 2025. The new station in Loutraki is expected to be some distance short of the location of the original metre gauge station.
* Work was due to start in early February 2024 on the reconstruction of 34.6&nbsp;km of the former metre gauge Ano Losia - Elefsina - Megara line (west of Athens and south of the line to Kiato) as part of the suburban system.
* Electrification of the Larisa - Volos and Palaeofarsalos - Kalambaka branches. Tenders may have been issued for this project.
* It is planned to put the 3.2&nbsp;km northern exit from Athina main station underground and quadruple the line.
* Extensions are planned to the Athens suburban system to Rafina (on the coast east of Athens) and from from Koropi (on the line to the airport) to Lavrio, in the far south of the peninsula. Contracts had been put out to tender by ERGOSE, but "streamlining" of the projects by the Ministry of Transport has postponed them - possibly indefinitely.
* Train services were withdrawn between [Florina] - Messonissia and Kremenica (North Macedonia) from an unknown date (but prior to 2004) owing to tensions between Greece and what was then FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). Messonissia - Neos Kafkasos had been rebuilt by 2014. Reconstruction onwards across the border, and by MZ southwards from Bitola, was completed in 2019 but no traffic has passed.
* A replacement route of approximately 21km is under construction between Polykastro and Idomeni which will eliminate an old river bridge and lengthy riverside section. Completion was expected in 2021 but a contract to modernise signalling, track and electrification on the entire line from Thessaloniki, scheduled to take three years, was awarded at the end of March 2022, so it will presumably not be finished until 2025 at the earliest.
* In 2017 Patras city council decided to require that the Athens - Kiato - Aegion - Patras standard gauge line should run underground for 10 km from Rio, or bypass Patras altogether, rather than using the present metre gauge alignment. The present situation is unknown but the EU may demand that their funding is returned if the line is not built.  At December 2022 there is no sign of any work on electrifying Kiato - Aegion.
<!---In October 2014, the head of OSE stated that the Korinthos - Argos - Nafplio line was to be reopened. However, there is no further news as at March 2018.--->
* There have been plans to revive parts of the Peloponnese narrow gauge network if proven viable, by means of joint ventures involving OSE, local authorities and businesses. However, a significant landslide has rendered the section between Zevgolatio and Korinthos unusable as all operable stock is to the west of Zevgolatio.


All international services from Greece were discontinued from 13 February 2011. Since resumed, see above
===Changes in 2024===
====Train Service Changes====
On 30 November 2024, Line 1 of the new Thessaloniki metro, covering 10 km from New Railway Station to Nea Helvetia opened. see [https://www.emetro.gr/?lang=en Project Website].


The very bad financial situation in Greece caught up with OSE in December 2010. The following lines were closed to all traffic on 1 January 2011, although a few had already ceased operating by then:
On 21 October 2024, services resumed between Alexandrúpoli and Orestiáda.


*Patra - Kalamata
On 1 October 2024, services resumed between Thessaloniki - Serres. Later in 2024 services resumed between Serres and Drama.
*Pyrgos - Olympia (since re-opened)
*Pyrgos - Katakolo (since re-opened)
*Isthmos - Loutraki (had already ceased)
*Diakopto - Kalavryta (was operating only irregularly but has since re-opened)
*Kalonero - Kyparissia
*Korinthos - Kalamata (was not operating between Tripoli and Zevgolatio)
*Argos - Nafplio
*Patra - Rio suburban service (since re-opened)
*Kalamata - Zevgolatio suburban service
*Thessaloniki - Edessa - Aminteo - Florina (since re-opened)
*Aminteo - Kozani
*Serres - Alexandroupolis - Pithio - Dikaia (since re-opened); trains from Ormenio to Bulgaria had already ceased.
*Thessaloniki - Idomeni (with the cross border international services ceasing on 13 February 2011)
*Strimon - Kulata (service ceased from 13 February 2011)
*Larissa - Volos (local trains) (since re-opened)
*Palaeofarsalos - Kalambaka (local trains) (since re-opened)


===Train Service Changes in 2009===
===Changes in 2023===
The one train each way between Dikaia and Svilengrad (Bulgaria) was withdrawn in August 2009.
====Train Service Changes====
As a result of damage caused by '''Storm Daniel''' on 22 September 2023, trains ceased to run between Lianokladi and Thessaloniki, Paleofarsalos and Kalambaka, and Larissa and Volos.
*Larissa - Volos: over 60 km damaged
*Larissa - Domokos: about 50 km damaged
*Paleofarsalos - Kalambaka: about 80 km damaged
It was initially reported that it would probably take '''2 years''' to repair the lines fully.  


===Other Train Service Changes===
Services were restored on 16 December 2023 as follows (though some have since been replaced by buses):
Train services were withdrawn between Messonissia and Kremenica (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) due to tensions between Greece and FYROM, and are unlikely to resume.
*Through trains between Athens and Thessaloniki.
*Thessaloniki - Drama.
*Alexandroupolos Port - Ormenio.
*Plati - Edessa.
*Lianokladi - Stylida.
*Lianokladi - Bralos - Tithorea.


===Infrastructure Changes===
Following the serious accident on 28 February 2023 at Tempi on the Athens-Thessaloniki main line, the whole country's rail services were suspended. Limited services resumed in stages across the country.
The main line from Athens to Thessaloniki is in the course of extensive reconstruction, including doubling, realignment and electrification. This work has been under way for many years. Electrification is now complete from Thessaloniki to Domokos in the north and as at March 2017, from Tithorea into Athina station and on the Chalkida branch. A new line is under construction between Tithorea and Lianokladi, including the 9 km long Kallidromo tunnel. According to "Today's Railways", this section was supposed to open in June 2017 but as at June 2017 no information is available from OSE. The mountainous section between Lianokladi and Domokos is being realigned, doubled and electrified but this appears unlikely to open in 2017. A proposed base tunnel was rejected because of geological problems. However, many of these works have been halted because of the financial crisis in Greece.
<!--with details of those running listed on their website. For example from 16 August 2023 can be found [https://www.hellenictrain.gr/sites/default/files/2023-08/TRAIN%20SERVICE%20FROM%2016-08-2023_0.pdf here].-->


A replacement route of approximately 20km is under construction between Polykastro and Idomeni which will eliminate an old river bridge and lengthy riverside section.
===Changes in 2022===
None known.


Other recent electrification includes the line to Athens Airport. An extension is planned from Koropi towards Lavrio. The airport line joins Metro Line 3 at Plakentias so Metro units change there from third rail DC to 25 kV AC overhead for the journey to the airport.
===Changes in 2021===
====Train Service Changes====
Trams commenced running between Neo Faliro and a loop in Piraeus via Agia Triada at the western end of the Athems tramway, on 15 December 2021.


Athens - Patras is supposed to be rebuilt as a standard gauge line. Contracts were signed in September 2014 for construction of the Kiáto - Rododáfni section.
Trams resumed running between Neo and Palaio Faliro at the western end of the Athems tramway, after 10 months, on 20 January 2021 so restoring the system to its full extent. Work included preparing connections for the new extension to Piraeus.
A new metre gauge curve has been built to connect the new Korinthos station to the old station and the line to Tripoli. The branch to Loutraki has closed and it is not certain if it will be converted to standard gauge.


The former metre gauge line between Palaeofarsalos and Kalambaka has been converted to standard gauge. Parts of the metre gauge line from Palaeofarsalos to Volos, closed to regular traffic on 19 June 1998, may be used by special trains.
===Older Changes===
For details of older changes see [[Greece - Older General Information]].


==Special Notes==
==Special Notes==
Line 160: Line 172:
==See also==
==See also==
{{Navbox Greece}}
{{Navbox Greece}}
[[Category:General Information]]

Latest revision as of 18:37, 8 September 2025

Country Name

Greece (Hellas)

National Railway System

All railway infrastructure in Greece is owned and maintained by OSE (Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados, or Ο.Σ.Ε., Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος).

National Railway Operator

Train services are operated by Hellenic Train.

The previous operator, Trainose/ΤραινΟΣΕ, was sold to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane on 14 September 2017; in 2022 the company rebranded as Hellenic Train.

Suburban traffic in Attika (Piraeus - Athens - SKA - Halkida and Athens Airport - SKA - Kiato) and Makedonia (Thessaloniki – Domokos) is operated under the brand name Proastiakos (Suburban Railway).

Official Website

Hellenic Train

Language

Greek. There is no single transcription mapping between Greek script and Roman script. In addition Greek spellings have changed over the years and some stations may bear names printed using now obsolete Greek spellings. In smaller places served by the railway system, away from the main tourist areas, older people may only speak one of the Greek dialects.

Placenames shown in EGTRE endeavour to use the same transliteration as the journey selection box in Journey planner. Note that in some cases a different English spelling is used on station nameboards and as mentioned above another spelling may be carved / painted on the station. A final source of confusion is within the journey planner where yet another spelling is sometimes used in the train timings pop-up window.

Currency

Euro

UIC code

numeric 73; alpha GR

Timetable

Journey Planner

Journey planner in English

Note that trains shown in the journey planner with train numbers prefixed "C" and suffixed "(ΛΕΩΦ)" are operated by buses.

Downloadable Timetable

Normally PDF files are available as links, or directly, from the following pages:-

Printed Timetable

None.

Engineering Information

The Hellenic Trains announcements webpage, gives details of engineering work or long term closures.

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

Ticketing

Hellenic Train and Proastikos trains and buses can all be used by tickets purchased online. Purchase of long-distance trains, suburban trains, and the narrow gauge services from Ano Lekhonia to Milies or Diakofto to Kalavryta is possible without registering as a "Member"; use the trip finder / search train schedules function to identify and select the train / connecting trains you want to book, then click the "Seat selection and Passengers" button at the top right, to select your seats (on long distance trains or buses), add the passenger's name and click "Payment" in the top right. These services can be very crowded so reservations are desirable but Reserved seats are not marked as such. Note there is a discount for anyone over 65 of between 20% and 50%.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

OSE (Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados) / Ο.Σ.Ε. (Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος) determines the overall strategy and manages railway infrastructure.

ERGOSE SA manages most railway modernisation projects.

Network Statement

A 2023 English language version of the network statement is available here. A 2024 Greek language version is available here.

Gauge

Standard, including the new Athens - Kiato (- Patras) line. The Peloponnese lines from Piraeus to Patras, Olympia and Kalamata etc are/were metre gauge. The rack line from Diakopto to Kalavryta is 750 mm gauge. The Pelion line from Ano Lechonia to Milies is 600 mm gauge.

Electrification

25 kV 50 Hz.

Athens metro and tramways are 750 V dc. Metro Line 3 services to the airport change from third rail DC to 25 kV AC overhead at Plakentias.

A contract was signed in July 2023 for electrification of the 71 km Kiato – Rododaphni line.

Rule of the road

Right.

Distances

The Network Statement Annexes above (file 2 of 2) give distances for each station; see ANNEX Ι-Α: Infrastructure Data.

Other Railways

None.

Tourist Lines

  • Diakopto – Kalavryta (22 km long, part rack-fitted) (750 mm gauge)
  • Pelion Railway Ano Lehonia to Milies (600 mm gauge)
  • Attica Museum Railway Keratea and Kalivia (metre gauge)
  • Thessaly Museum Railways Volos – Palaeofarsalos (metre gauge). A 10 km section between Velestino and Aerino was operated for a period by the museum railway, but the website does not show any recent services. The rest of the line is already out of use. There was a railway museum at Volos station but no recent information is available.
  • Tempi valley railway: former main line (replaced by a new double track line) along the Tempi river, operated by motor draisines, with no scheduled timetable

Metro

Athens Offical web site System diagram at UrbanRail.Net
Thessaloniki Offical web site System diagram at UrbanRail.Net

A driverless metro has been under construction in Thessaloniki for at least 25 years, the 10 km of Line 1, From New Railway Station to Nea Helvetia, finally opened on 30 November 2024. In July 2013, a contract was signed for a 5 km branch from 25 Martiou to Micra, which is set to open in 2025 as Line 2.

Trams/LRT-Systems

Athína (Athens). The UrbanRail.Net site has a basic diagram of the system.

Recent and Future Changes

There are various infrastructure improvements planned or in progress but completion dates for those underway have been missed by months; no doubt the Country's financial situation and protracted sale of OSE to FS has not been helping. This list is not thought to be complete and any updates would be appreciated by the Compilers.

Future Changes

Infrastructure Changes

  • The previously-metre gauge branch from Isthmos to Loutraki is being converted to standard gauge and electrified. Opening to passengers is expected in 2025. The new station in Loutraki is expected to be some distance short of the location of the original metre gauge station.
  • Work was due to start in early February 2024 on the reconstruction of 34.6 km of the former metre gauge Ano Losia - Elefsina - Megara line (west of Athens and south of the line to Kiato) as part of the suburban system.
  • Electrification of the Larisa - Volos and Palaeofarsalos - Kalambaka branches. Tenders may have been issued for this project.
  • It is planned to put the 3.2 km northern exit from Athina main station underground and quadruple the line.
  • Extensions are planned to the Athens suburban system to Rafina (on the coast east of Athens) and from from Koropi (on the line to the airport) to Lavrio, in the far south of the peninsula. Contracts had been put out to tender by ERGOSE, but "streamlining" of the projects by the Ministry of Transport has postponed them - possibly indefinitely.
  • Train services were withdrawn between [Florina] - Messonissia and Kremenica (North Macedonia) from an unknown date (but prior to 2004) owing to tensions between Greece and what was then FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). Messonissia - Neos Kafkasos had been rebuilt by 2014. Reconstruction onwards across the border, and by MZ southwards from Bitola, was completed in 2019 but no traffic has passed.
  • A replacement route of approximately 21km is under construction between Polykastro and Idomeni which will eliminate an old river bridge and lengthy riverside section. Completion was expected in 2021 but a contract to modernise signalling, track and electrification on the entire line from Thessaloniki, scheduled to take three years, was awarded at the end of March 2022, so it will presumably not be finished until 2025 at the earliest.
  • In 2017 Patras city council decided to require that the Athens - Kiato - Aegion - Patras standard gauge line should run underground for 10 km from Rio, or bypass Patras altogether, rather than using the present metre gauge alignment. The present situation is unknown but the EU may demand that their funding is returned if the line is not built. At December 2022 there is no sign of any work on electrifying Kiato - Aegion.
  • There have been plans to revive parts of the Peloponnese narrow gauge network if proven viable, by means of joint ventures involving OSE, local authorities and businesses. However, a significant landslide has rendered the section between Zevgolatio and Korinthos unusable as all operable stock is to the west of Zevgolatio.

Changes in 2024

Train Service Changes

On 30 November 2024, Line 1 of the new Thessaloniki metro, covering 10 km from New Railway Station to Nea Helvetia opened. see Project Website.

On 21 October 2024, services resumed between Alexandrúpoli and Orestiáda.

On 1 October 2024, services resumed between Thessaloniki - Serres. Later in 2024 services resumed between Serres and Drama.

Changes in 2023

Train Service Changes

As a result of damage caused by Storm Daniel on 22 September 2023, trains ceased to run between Lianokladi and Thessaloniki, Paleofarsalos and Kalambaka, and Larissa and Volos.

  • Larissa - Volos: over 60 km damaged
  • Larissa - Domokos: about 50 km damaged
  • Paleofarsalos - Kalambaka: about 80 km damaged

It was initially reported that it would probably take 2 years to repair the lines fully.

Services were restored on 16 December 2023 as follows (though some have since been replaced by buses):

  • Through trains between Athens and Thessaloniki.
  • Thessaloniki - Drama.
  • Alexandroupolos Port - Ormenio.
  • Plati - Edessa.
  • Lianokladi - Stylida.
  • Lianokladi - Bralos - Tithorea.

Following the serious accident on 28 February 2023 at Tempi on the Athens-Thessaloniki main line, the whole country's rail services were suspended. Limited services resumed in stages across the country.

Changes in 2022

None known.

Changes in 2021

Train Service Changes

Trams commenced running between Neo Faliro and a loop in Piraeus via Agia Triada at the western end of the Athems tramway, on 15 December 2021.

Trams resumed running between Neo and Palaio Faliro at the western end of the Athems tramway, after 10 months, on 20 January 2021 so restoring the system to its full extent. Work included preparing connections for the new extension to Piraeus.

Older Changes

For details of older changes see Greece - Older General Information.

Special Notes

Station names are usually shown in Roman script as well as in Greek, but spellings can vary considerably from what may appear in timetables, maps or guide books.

See also

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