Greece - Older General Information

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Introduction

This document acts as an archive for Recent and Future Changes prior to December 2020.

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 Kiato - Aegion section of the Athens - Kiato - Aegion - Patras standard gauge line opened on 22 June 2020. As electrification work has not commenced this was with diesel traction.

The Patras suburban service was extended 30 km westwards to Kato Achaia from 29 February 2020.

Changes in 2019

The old mountainous route between Ligaria (5 km north of Leianokladi) and Domokos closed on 25 January 2019. The new line between Ligaria and Domokos, including the 6380 m twin-bore Othris tunnel, opened on 29 January 2019 albeit still with diesel haulage. The full service with electric haulage throughout started on 20 May 2019.

Changes in 2018

The first short section of the Leianokladi - Domokos line, the 5 km between Leianokladi and Ligaria, opened on 21 April 2018, replacing the old line entirely on this section.

The new Tithorea – Lianokladi line opened, much delayed, to freight on 2 February 2018, with diesel traction. Following completion of electrification, passenger services started using the line from an unknown date in April 2018. 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 2018.

The Patras suburban service section between Rio and Agios Vasileios was bustituted from 15 May 2018 for conversion to standard gauge.

From 7 March 2018 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 there.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

Changes in 2011

All international services from Greece were discontinued from 13 February 2011. Most have 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:

  • Patras - Kalamata
  • Pyrgos - Olympia (since re-opened)
  • Pyrgos - Katakolo (since re-opened)
  • Isthmos - Loutraki (had already ceased. Due to reopen in 2025)
  • Diakopto - Kalavryta (was operating only irregularly but has since re-opened)
  • Kalonero - Kyparissia
  • Korinthos - Kalamata (was not operating between Tripoli and Zevgolateio)
  • Korinthos - Korinthos standard gauge (narrow gauge shuttle assumed to close here - any evidence of a subsequent service would be appreciated)
  • Argos - Nafplio
  • Patras - Rio suburban service (since re-opened)
  • Kalamata - Zevgolateio 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)

Changes in 2009

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

Changes in 2007

A metre gauge connection was built, and services ran in at least 2007, from the original Korinthos metre gauge station via a reversal in the Argos direction into a platform at the new Korinthos standard gauge located at the edge of the town.

Changes in 2001

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 has now been lifted in several places.

See also