Athens Metro

Attiko Metro Αττικό Μετρό
Background
Owner	Attiko Metro S.A.
Locale	Athens
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	2 (not including ISAP line 1)
Number of stations	33 (lines 2 & 3) incl. 4 OSE stations
Daily ridership	1,150,000[1]
Operation
Began operation	January 2000 (lines 2 & 3)
Operator(s)	Statheres Sygkoinonies S.A.
Number of vehicles	294 Railcars
Technical
System length	35 km (21.75 mi) (blue)[1] 11.6 km (7.21 mi) (red)[1]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)

The Athens Metro is an underground rapid transit system serving the greater area of Athens, the capital city of Greece. It was constructed and owned by Attiko Metro S.A. (Greek: Αττικό Μετρό Α.Ε., literally 'Attic metro') and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Etaireia Leitourgias S.A. (Greek: Αττικό Μετρό Εταιρεία Λειτουργίας Α.Ε., English: Attic Metro Operating Company).^[2] Currently it is being integrated with ISAP and Athens Tram in the new company STASY S.A.

History

For a long time the only rapid transit system in Athens and Piraeus was the old Athens-Piraeus Railway, which was electrified in 1904 and extended to Kifissia in 1957. That system remained in use and was operated until 2011 by ISAP, a separate company under separate ownership. It was occasionally referred to by third parties as Metro Line 1 (Green line). Its main distinctive feature from lines 2 and 3 is that it runs almost exlusively overground.

Construction of Lines 2 and 3 began in November 1991 to decrease traffic congestion and clean up the environment by reducing Athens' smog level. Both lines were constructed underground. Lines 2 and 3, constructed by Attiko Metro S.A. and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Operations Company S.A. known as red and blue lines respectively, were inaugurated in January 2000. Line 3 reached the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in summer 2004 and Egaleo in May 2007. New stations are regularly being added to the network, the latest being Agia Paraskevi station (2010-12-30).

In March 2011, the Greek Government passed Law 3920^[3] to allow Athens Metro Operations Company (AMEL) to absorb Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways and Athens Tram. The resulting company was renamed "STASY S.A." (Greek: ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε.) and is a subsidiary of OASA S.A. The merger was officially announced on June 10, 2011.^[4] However no actual integration of infrastructure and operations of the constituent companies has taken place yet.

Description

As of December 2010, the system served 33 stations, not counting the four OSE stations on the Airport line. Both Metro lines have passenger connections with ISAP (Line 1), Proastiakos, the Athens Suburban Railway and the Athens Tram system. There is a physical connection with ISAP railway at Attiki station.

The system consists of standard gauge lines in intermediate depth tunnels, with both up and down lines in a common tunnel. The system is electrified with the third-rail system, using a nominal voltage of 750 V DC.

The length of the blue line (line 3) as of April 2008 was 16.4 km^[5] not including the suburban railway part to the airport, or, as of February 2008, 37.6 km including the 21.2 km of the line that it shares with the suburban railway system of Athens. The length of the red line (line 2) as of July 2008 was 10.9 km.^[5] This brings the overall length of the green, red and blue lines to approximately 74 km.

An automatic train supervision system (ATS) and a passenger information system (PIS) made by Alstom cover the whole network. Traditional color light signalling is limited to points and junctions.

The Athens Metro is being heavily used, earning a daily ridership of approximately 700,000 passengers ^[6].

Ticketing policy

Purchased tickets are valid for 90 minutes after validation and can be used for several journeys on the network (lines 1, 2 and 3), as well as in most other means of public transport in Athens including buses, trolleybuses, trams, and the urban part of the suburban railway (between Piraeus, Magoula and Koropi stations, excluding the airport). Passengers must validate their tickets at the machines at the entrance to the station from which the journey starts.^[7]

There are daily and weekly tickets, as well as monthly cards which also apply for all means of public transport in Athens. Fares are checked frequently. Passengers who fail to show a validated ticket or a monthly card are required to pay 60 times the price of a standard ticket.

Local fares

See Wikitravel for this info.

Airport fares

Travel to and from the Athens International Airport requires a special 8 euros ticket. Return tickets are also available - in February 2011, the return fare for use within 48 hours was 14 euros. There are also two- and three-person one-way tickets available.

Line 1 (Green line)

Although often depicted on maps and route diagrams as part of Athens Metro, Line 1 (Green Line), until mid-2011 it was actually owned and operated by a separate company - Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways. A merger of the two systems, while dictated by Law 2668,^[8] was postponed indefinitely and the required Presidential Decree was never issued. In March–June 2011 the Greek Government merged ISAP with Attiko Metro Etaireia Leitourgias S.A. and with Athens Tram in a single new company, STA.SY S.A.

Line 2 (Red line)

[ v t e ] Athens Metro L2
Acropolis station of Athens Metro system (Line 2). Line length: 11.8 km (7.3 mi) Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Legend
Anthoupolis under construction Peristeri under construction Agios Antonios Sepolia Sepolia Depot Attiki Connection with ISAP Larissa Station Connection with OSE Metaxourgio Omonoia Connection with ISAP Panepistimio Syntagma Connection with Line 3 Akropoli Syngrou-Fix Neos Kosmos Agios Ioannis Dafni Ag. Dimitrios Ilioupoli under construction Alimos under construction Argyroupoli under construction Elliniko under construction
The red line between Omonoia and Attiki is ISAP (Line 1). The connection near Attiki is rarely used by departmental trains. The connection with L3 is used for empty stock movements.

Stations on Line 2

• Agios Antonios in Peristeri
• Sepolia
• Attiki
• Larissa Station – Athens central railway station (OSE, Proastiakos)
• Metaxourgio – west of Omonia Square
• Omonoia – underneath Omonoia Square, connection to Line 1
• Panepistimio – near the University of Athens
• Syntagma – Syntagma Square; connection to Line 3
• Akropoli – stop for the Acropolis
• Syngrou-Fix – near Andrea Syngrou Avenue
• Neos Kosmos
• Agios Ioannis – next to Vouliagmenis Avenue
• Dafni – in the heart of Dafni
• Agios Dimitrios/Alexandros Panagoulis - near Agios Dimitrios, Ilioupoli, Vouliagmenis Avenue and Athens Metro Mall.

Future extensions

Extensions of Line 2 to the northwest (Peristeri) and southeast (along Vouliagmenis Avenue) are under construction. When all of them are operational (2013), the line shall run from Anthoupoli to Elliniko. According to Attiko Metro S.A., upon completion, the distance from Elliniko Station in south suburbs to the city centre (Syntagma Station) will be covered in only 14 minutes, while by car in rush hour it takes more than 45 minutes^[9]. There were substantial delays to completion of the works because of legal and political issues rising from political allegations over bribing involving Siemens, the company that would provide the signalling equipment required for the extensions; construction in all other aspects has been completed. Thanks to an out-of-court deal reached between the Greek Government and Siemens in March 2012, ^[10] a contract was signed between Attiko Metro S.A. and the german company. The works will be competed in 2013 and the west and south suburbs of Athens will be enriched with 7 new stations serving more than 160000 passengers on a daily basis^[11], the following.

• Anthoupolis (west suburbs, Peristeri municipality, 2013)
• Peristeri (2013)
• Ilioupoli (south suburbs, 2013)
• Alimos (south suburbs, 2013)
• Argyroupoli (south suburbs, 2013)
• Elliniko, near the old Hellinikon International Airport (south suburbs,2013)

Line 3 (Blue line)

[ v t e ] Athens Metro L3
Doukisis Plakentias metro station Line length: 18.6 km (11.6 mi) Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Legend
(0') Agia Marina under construction Egaleo (1') Eleonas OSE mainline (3') Kerameikos (4') Monastiraki Connection with ISAP (1') Syntagma Connection with line 2 (3') Evangelismos (1') Megaro Moussikis (2') Ambelokipi (1') Panormou (2') Katehaki (2') Ethniki Amyna Holargos Nomismatokopio Agia Paraskevi (6') Halandri (3') Doukissis Plakentias Plakentias Depot (7') Pallini (2') Paiania-Kantza (6') Koropi (6') Athens International Airport
Between Doukisis Plakentias and Airport stations Metro trains run on OSE lines.

Stations on Line 3

• Egaleo
• Eleonas
• Kerameikos
• Monastiraki – passenger connection to Line 1.
• Syntagma – next to Syntagma Square, passenger connection to Line 2.
• Evangelismos, close to Hilton Athens and the National Gallery (Athens)
• Megaro Moussikis, next to the Athens Concert Hall (music hall)
• Ambelokipi – near Ambelokipi
• Panormou
• Katehaki
• Ethniki Amyna
• Holargos
• Nomismatokopio
• Aghia Paraskevi
• Halandri
• Doukissis Plakentias, passenger connection with the suburban railway; most trains terminate here, with two trains per hour continuing to Athens International Airport using OSE line.
• Pallini, station shared with the suburban railway.
• Paiania–Kantza, station shared with the suburban railway.
• Koropi, station shared with the suburban railway.
• Athens International Airport, station shared with the suburban railway.

Extension to Piraeus

On March 1st 2012, a contract was signed between Attiko Metro S.A. and a joint venture for the construction of the extension of Line 3 from Aghia Marina to Piraeus, 7.6km long with six modern stations. Upon completion in 2017, the extension will serve approximately 132,000 passengers on a daily basis and will connect the port of Pireaus, the largest passenger port of Europe ^[12] with the Athens International Airport in just 45 minutes in total ^[13].

• Agia Varvara (2017)
• Korydallos (2017)
• Nikaia (2017)
• Maniatika (2017)
• Piraeus (Port, 2017)
• Dimotiko Theatro ( or "Municipal Theatre", 2017)

Rolling stock

• First series (delivery): 28 six-car electric multiple units made by Alstom-Siemens-ADtranz (2000). Maximum speed 80 km/h.^[14]
• Second series (delivery): 21 six-car EMU made by Hanwa-Rotem-Mitsubishi (2004). Seven of these trains can also operate on OSE lines with 25 kV AC -50 Hz overhead electrification system and are used for airport services. All second series trains are air-conditioned. Maximum speed 80 km/h.
• Third series: Athens Metro ordered 17 additional trains.
• Four service hybrid locomotives made by Kaelble-Gmeinder-Siemens. They can operate from a third rail 750 V DC system or using their own diesel generators. They are of a B-B configuration with a maximum power of 550 kW under diesel traction and 600 kW under electric traction.^[15]
• One rail-road Unimog

Railcar codes: DM: driving motor car, DT: driving trailer, M: motor car, T: trailer, MD: motor car with auxiliary driving facility.

Archaeological excavations and exhibits

Syntagma Metro Station Archaeological Collection

The concourse level of Syntagma Metro station.

During the construction of the metro tunnels, numerous artefacts of archaeological interest were discovered. Their discovery was brought about as a result of what is known as salvage archaeology, this is archaeology that comes into play not because of natural decay but due to the artefacts' imminent destruction by the systematic excavation process. Teams of archaeologists worked ahead of, then alongside, engineers for a total of 6 years. They protected and recorded the archaeological evidence that was uncovered which included ancient streets, houses, cemeteries, sanctuaries, public workshops, foundry pits, kilns, aqueducts, wells, cisterns, drains and sewage tunnels. Together this allowed a new insight into the topography of the city in ancient times. Never before has such a rapid development of infrastructure been accompanied hand-in-hand with the attentive study and preservation of archaeological data.

Exhibitions of ancient artefacts and/or their replicas can be found at various metro stations, such as those of Monastiraki and Syntagma.

Proposed Line 4 (Orange line)

Alsos Veikou - Maroussi A new line, planned, but no funding is secured as of May 2009.^[17] On November 4, 2010, it was announced that a call for tenders for the construction of the western branch shall be published in late 2011. Currently geotechnical investigations are taking place at various locations on the proposed route.

According to the Metro Development Study, two new lines would be constructed, as branches of the existing lines: a line 2 branch from Panepistimio to Alsos Veikou and a line 3 branch from Panormou to Maroussi. Further studies showed that the construction of an new separate line combining these two branches is preferable.^[18] The proposal also recommends lighter rolling stock than the type used in lines 2 and 3, which shall operate fully automatically without a driver. The proposed route for line 4 is:

Agios Dimitrios station

• Alsos Veikou
• Galatsi
• Kypseli
• Dikastiria
• Alexandras
• Exarhia
• Panepistimio (new station with underpass connection to existing line 2 station)
• Kolonaki
• Evangelismos (existing line 3 station)
• Kaissariani
• Ano Ilissia
• Zografou
• Goudi
• Katehaki (existing line 3 station)
• Faros
• Filothei
• Sidera
• O.A.K.A.
• Paradissos
• O.T.E
• Maroussi (existing line 1 station)

Proposed Future Expansion

In April 2009, The Hellenic Ministry of Public Works released a preliminary proposal for a future expansion of the Attiko Metro, as part of the new Regulatory Plan for Athens and Attica.^[19]. The proposal was intended to serve as a basis for future expansion of the rapid transit system in the Attiki basin, specifically stating that the project would not be completed in less than 20 years. Upon completion, however, it will cover 85% of the wider area of Attica basin, thus discouraging citizes from using their private vehicles for transfer to the city centre and the centres of large urban municipalities.

The proposed expansion will bring the system to a total of eight lines (including ISAP Line 1) with a total length of 220 km and serving 200 stations. In addition to small extensions to lines 1, 3 and 4, the proposed expansion will consist of lines 5 (Ano Liosia - Vyronas), 6 (Melissia - Perama/Pireaus), 7 (Chaidari - Alimos) which would cross the Attiki basin, passing through downtown Athens and line 8 as an incomplete circle around Athens (Katechaki - Sepolia - Kallithea - Dafni - Pangrati)^[20]. As of March 2012 ^[21] those extensions of the system constitute the Athens Metro Regualatory Plan and will be gradually implemented by Attiko Metro in the future.

See also

• ISAP (Line 1)
• Athens Mass Transit System
• Thessaloniki Metro
• List of metro systems
• Media related to Athens Metro at Wikimedia Commons

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Athens Metro

• Attiko Metro Operation Company S.A. (English)
• Attiko Metro S.A. (English)
• UrbanRail.Net - Athens Metro
• Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA) (English)
• Hellenic Ministry of Public Works page on the Attiko Metro
• Network map (real distance)