Greece - General Information: Difference between revisions

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===Downloadable Timetable===
===Downloadable Timetable===
PDF files are available as links, or directly, from the following pages:-
PDF files are available as links, or directly, from the following pages:-
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/intercity-network/ Intercity timetable] Timetable pdfs should be here, but were not in early January 2022.
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/intercity-network Intercity timetable] Timetable PDF files should be here, but were not in July 2022.
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/suburban-railway/ Suburban railways around Athina, Thessaloniki and Patras]
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/suburban-railway Suburban railways around Athína, Thessaloniki and Patras]
<!---*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/tourism-culture/train-and-recreation/katakolo-olympia/ Olympia to Pyrgos and Katakolo]--->
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/katakolo-olympia Olympia to Pyrgos and Katakolo]
*[http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/international-services/international-railway-services International Services]
*[https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/international-railway-services International Services]


===Printed Timetable===
===Printed Timetable===

Revision as of 09:41, 24 July 2022

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 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).

Trainose was transferred to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund in 2013 in preparation for privatisation and a sale to Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane which completed on 14 September 2017. The company rebranded as Hellenic Train in 2022.

Official Website

Hellenic Train

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.

Currency

Euro

UIC code

numeric 73; alpha GR

Timetable

Journey Planner

Journey planner in English

Downloadable Timetable

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

Printed Timetable

None.

Engineering Information

The main TrainOSE webpage, under Press Releases - Announcements , often gives details of engineering work but the information is only in Greek.

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

Ticketing

OSE and Proastiakos have entirely separate ticketing.

On line purchase of most long-distance trains is possible but you need to sign up as a "Member" first. These services can be very crowded so reservations are desirable but Reserved seats are not marked as such.

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

The 2022 network statement can be found here [1]

Gauge

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

Electrification

25 kV 50 Hz.

Athens metro and tramways are 750 V dc.

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 to Kalivia (extension to Markopoulo under construction) (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 railway museum at Volos station.
  • 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

The UrabnRailNet site has a basic diagram of the system.

Trams/LRT-Systems

Athens

The UrbanRailNet site has a basic diagram of the system.

Recent and future changes

Future Changes

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 Pátras city council decided to require that the Athens - Kiáto - Aegion - Pátras standard gauge line should run underground for 10 km from Rio, or bypass Pátras 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.

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 Zevgolatia and Korinthos unusable as all operable stock is to the west of Zevgolatia.

Train Service Changes in 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.

Train Service Changes in 2020

Trams start running back to Syntagma Square in Athens on 20 November 2020, after some 2 years of closure between Kasomouli Street and Syntagma Square, due to issues with the dry River Ilissos bed the route was built over.

The Kiáto - Aegion section of the Athens - Kiáto - Aegion - Patras standard gauge line opened on 22 June 2020. As electrification work was still in progress this was with diesel traction.

The Patras suburban service was extended 30 km westwards to Kato Achaia from 29 February.

Train Service Changes in 2019

The old mountainous route between Ligaria (5 km north of Leianokladi) and Domokos closed on 25 January. The new line between Ligaria and Domokos, including the 6380 m twin-bore Othris tunnel, opened on 29 January albeit still with diesel haulage. The full service with electric haulage throughout started on 20 May.

Train Service Changes in 2018

The first short section of the Leianokladi - Domokos line, the 5 km between Leianokladi and Ligaria, opened on 21 April, replacing the old line entirely on this section.

The new Tithorea – Lianokladi line opened, much delayed, to freight on 2 February, with diesel traction. Following completion of electrification, passenger services started using the line from an unknown date in April. It is not known when all services over the old line ceased. However, after pressure from local authorities, a limited two pair service was reinstated over the old line from 17 July.

The Patras suburban service section between Rio and Agios Vasileios was bustituted from 15 May for conversion to standard gauge.

From 7 March the line between Dikaia and Ormenio, on the Greek side of the Bulgarian border, was reopened to passengers.

A new Ano Liosia - SKA - Koropi service commenced on 24 February 2018 which reinstated use of the section from the junction West of SKA to the platforms.

Train Service Changes in 2017

From 30 July 2017 the Athens area suburban services were recast: the Airport to Kiato service was diverted into Athina (thus opening the SKA south to east curve to traffic) and split into two separate services. Alternate services from the Airport now run to the SKA low level platforms and terminate there. This resulted in the withdrawal of services between the SKA low level platforms and the junction with the south to west curve until an east west local service was reinstated on 24 February 2018.

A through Athina - Kiato service providing the first passenger service over the SKA south to west curve was introduced from an unknown date. This may have coincided with the changes above. Any information would be appreciated by the Compilers.

Since 25 May 2017 passengers on the service between Thessaloniki and Sofia have been taken by bus between Kulata and Strimon.

Train Service Changes in 2016

The Annual and only passenger services between Kalamata - Asprochoma - Messini each year between 20 - 28 September for the Messinian Feast and litany of the miraculous image of Virgin Mary of the Monastery of Voulkano Festival did not run due to a track washout. They have not run since.

Train Service Changes in 2015

With effect from 21 August 2015 trains to and from North Macedonia were withdrawn south of Gevgelija, owing to issues with migrants, and no longer entered Greece.

Train Service Changes in 2014

The daily Beograd - Skopje - Thessaloniki summer overnight and Thessaloniki - Sofia daytime services resumed on 10 May 2014.

From 31 March 2014, passenger services started running between Athens and Ano Liosia via a curve bypassing SKA (Acharnes Railway Center).

Train Service Changes in 2012

The Thessaloniki - Edessa - Aminteo - Florina line reopened on 14 October 2012.

A weekly summer-only service was reintroduced between Thessaloniki and Skopje (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, now North Macedonia) reportedly from 14 July 2012 to 30 September 2012.

Train Service Changes in 2011

All international services from Greece were discontinued from 13 February 2011. Since resumed, see above

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:

  • Patra - Kalamata
  • 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

The one train each way between Dikaia and Svilengrad (Bulgaria) was withdrawn in August 2009.

Infrastructure Changes

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

  • Electrification of the Larisa - Volos and Palaiofarsalos - 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.

On 28 February 2018 ERGOSE issued an invitation to tender for upgrading and electrification of the previous metre gauge Isthmos - Loutraki line.

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.

Now disused, but a metre gauge connection was built allowing direct connections from the Argos direction into a platform at the new Korinthos Standard gauge edge of town station.

The former metre gauge line between Palaeofarsalos and Kalambaka was converted to standard gauge in 2001. The metre gauge Palaeofarsalos - Volos line was closed to regular traffic on 19 June 1998. There were expectations of use by special trains, but there were very few and the line is now probably unusable.

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