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Proastiakos

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Proastiakós (Greek: Προαστιακός, meaning "Suburban") is the name used by the suburban railway network of Athens, Greece. It currently connects Larissa station (Athens Central Railway Station) with Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and Kiato (via Corinth). There are plans to extend the Proastiakos to Loutraki and Patra westwards, Thiva and Chalkida northwards, Rafina and Lavrio eastwards and Piraeus southwards. This new rail system is operated by OSE (Organismós Sidirodrómon Elládos – Hellenic Railways Organisation), the state railway organization.

The suburban railway connects with the rest (urban) railway network of Athens in the following stations:

History

The route of the line was first marked out in 1994. In 1997, bridges were constructed. During the construction of the route 6 of the Attiki Odos in the late 1990s, space was left between the main carriageways for the Proastiakos line. After two years of construction, the Proastiakos stretch to Eleftherios Venizelos opened in 2004.

On 27 September 2005, the Proastiakos reached Corinth (the station is near southern Corinthian suburb of Examilia). Apart from the new Proastiakos station in Corinth, four new stations became fully operational on the same day, namely: Nea Peramos, Megara, Kinetta and Agioi Theodoroi. From December 2005 almost all the passenger trains of OSE to Peloponnese (Patras, Kalamata etc.) depart from the new Peloponesian terminus (where passengers change to or from the suburban railway).

On 18 July 2006, 3 new stations were inaugurated: Ano Liosia, Aspropyrgos and Magoula. On 4 June 2007 the line was extended from Athens to the port of Piraeus with 3 intermediate stations at Lefka, Rentis and Rouf. This gives a direct rail link between the airport and the port of Athens, where most ferry services to the Greek Islands depart from. On 9 July 2007, the Proastiakos is now accessible from Kiato, Corinthia.

The new double track railway line between Athens and Patras is expected to be ready by 2010.

Current routes

  • Route map and diagram:

Piraeus – Athens International Airport

Piraeus – Kiato

Kiato – Athens International Airport

Planned lines and stations (Future projects)

Section: Piraeus – S.K.A. (planned improvement of the existing line)

Section: SKA – Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" / Rafina / Lavrio (new lines)

Section: SKA – Corinth / Kiato / Xylokastro / Loutraki (new line)

Section: SKA – Halkida / Thiva (planned improvement of the existing lines)

External links



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Last updated on Wednesday September 12, 2007 at 13:54:00 PDT (GMT -0700)
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