Athens Tram

Athens Tram
Background
Owner	Tram S.A. (merging with Athens Metro and ISAP)
Locale	Athens
Transit type	Tram
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	48[1]
Daily ridership	65,000[1]
Operation
Began operation	July 2004[2]
Operator(s)	Tram S.A.
Number of vehicles	35[1]
Technical
System length	27 km (16.78 mi) [1]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (standard gauge)

[ v d e ]       Athens Tram
SEF terminal station of Athens Tram system. Line length: 27 km (17 mi) Track gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Legend
0,000 SEF 0,540 Neo Faliro 1,360 Mosxato 1,925 Kallithea 2,350 Tzitzifies 2,900 Delta Falirou 3,425 Aghia Skepi 4,100 Trokantero 4,585 Parko Flisvou 5,195 Flisvos 5,595 Batis 14,200 Syntagma 13,435 Zappio 12,560 Leoforos Vouliagmenis 12,035 Fix 11,410 Kasomouli 10,850 Neos Kosmos 10,425 Baknana 9,765 Aigaiou 9,250 Aghias Fotinis-Plateia 8,785 Megalou Alexandrou 8,500 Agia Paraskevi 8,120 Medeas-Mykalis 7,710 Evangeliki Scholi 7,360 Achilleos 6,825 Amfitheas 6,385 Panagitsa 5,955 Mouson 6,090 Edem 6,640 Pikrodafni 7,080 Marina Alimou 7,600 Kalamaki 8,125 Zefiros 8,660 Loutra Alimou 9,175 Elliniko 9,555 1st Aghiou Kosma 9,985 2nd Aghiou Kosma 10,705 Aghios Alexandros 11,180 Ellinon Olimpionikon 11,805 Kentro Istioploias 12,400 Platia Vergoti 12,920 Paralia Glifadas 13,460 Paleo Dimarhio 13,895 Platia Katraki 14,245 Aggelou Metaxa 14,740 Platia Esperidon 15,195 Kolymvitirio Asklipiio Voulas

The Athens Tram is public tram network system serving Athens. It is constructed, owned and operated by Tram S.A. (Greek: Τραμ Α.Ε.), subsidiary company of Attiko Metro S.A. (Greek: Αττικό Μετρό Α.Ε.).

Athens Tram S.A. operates a fleet of 35 Sirio vehicles,^[1][3] which serve 48 tram stops,^[1] employ 345 people with an average daily occupancy of 65,000 passengers.^[1] The tram network spans a total length of 27 km (17 mi) and covers ten Athenian suburbs.^[1] This network runs from Syntagma Square to the southwestern suburb of Palaio Faliro, where the line splits in two branches; the first runs along the Athens coastline toward the southern suburb of Voula, while the other heads toward the Piraeus district of Neo Faliro. The network covers the majority of the city's Saronic Gulf coastline.^[4] Further extensions are planned towards the major commercial port of Piraeus.^[1]

History

Old tram networks (1908-1960)

Trams in the early 1950s at Omonia square.

Athens Tram began its operations in 1882 with horse tramways. After 1908, the metre gauge tram network became electrified and was extended by 21 lines. That tram system ceased operations in 1960 and was replaced by trolleybuses and thermal buses.^[5] In addition, a standard gauge tram system was constructed along the perimeter of Piraeus Harbour by the Hellenic Electric Railways.

Modern tram system

In March 2001, Tram S.A. was established as a public utility company under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, as a subsidiary company of Attiko Metro S.A. the state company which developed the Athens Metro network.^[2][6] The company started the construction of the tram lines in the beginning of 2002, while the commercial launch of the system took place in July 2004, a few weeks prior to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The construction of the tram network was financed by the Third European Regional Development Fund and Greek state funds.^[2]

In March 2011, the Greek Government passed Law 3920^[7] to allow ISAP and Athens Tram to be absorbed by Athens Metro Operations Company (AMEL). The resulting company shall be renamed "STASY S.A." (Greek: ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε.) and shall be a subsidiary of OASA S.A. The merger was officially announced on June 10, 2011.^[8]

Ticketing policy

Typical Athens Tram station.

Ticket counters operate in some of the stations. Also automatic ticket machines with touch screens are located at each tram station.^[9]

Purchased tickets are valid for 90 minutes (1.5 hours) after validation and can be used for several rides in most other means of public transport in Athens including the metro, buses, trolleybuses, 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 station where they board at the start of their ride.^[10]

There are daily and weekly tickets, as well as monthly cards which also apply for all means of public transport in Athens.^[10][11] Fares are checked frequently; passengers who fail to show a validated ticket or a monthly card are penalized by a fine of 60 times the price of a standard ticket.^[12]

Children under 6, the handicapped, and persons currently enlisted in the military are eligible for free transportation.^[13]

Routes

Athens Tram map

Athens Tram has three routes named after ancient Greeks: Thucydides, Aristotle and Plato.^[14] The routes are the following:

• Thoukididis 3: SEF-Asklipio Voula
• Aristotelis 4: Syntagma-SEF
• Platonas 5: Syntagma-Asklipio Voula

Plans for extensions

Further extensions are planned towards the major commercial port of Piraeus.^[1] The expansion would include 12 new stations and increase the overall length of the tram system by 5.4 km (3 mi).^[15]

See also

• Athens Mass Transit System
• Piraeus-Perama light railway
• Railway Museum of Athens
• List of rapid transit systems
• Media related to Trams in Athens at Wikimedia Commons

References

External links

• Athens Tram S.A. (English)
• UrbanRail.Net - Athens Tram
• Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA) (English)
• Network map (real distance)