Athens Metro


The Athens Metro is a rapid-transit system in Greece which serves the Athens urban area and parts of East Attica. Line 1 opened as a conventional steam railway in 1869 and electrified in 1904. In 1991, Attiko Metro S.A. constructed and extended Lines 2 and 3.
It has significantly changed Athens by providing a much-needed solution to the city's traffic and air pollution problem, as well as revitalising many of the areas it serves.
An extension of Line 3 is under construction towards Piraeus and also other extensions of existing lines, as well as a new Line 4, are under consideration.
The Athens Metro is actively connected with the other means of public transport, such as buses, trolleys, the Athens Tram and the Proastiakos Athens suburban railway. The Athens Metro is hailed for its modernity and many of its stations feature works of art, exhibitions and displays of the archeological remains found during its construction. Photography and video-taking is permitted across the whole network and street photographers often work in Athens Metro. This is the only metro system in Greece, until the Thessaloniki Metro begins operations in 2023.

History

Piraeus-Kifissia Railway

Until 28 January 2000, Line 1 was the only rapid-transit line in Athens. The Athens and Piraeus Railway Company opened a steam single-track mixed cargo and passenger railway line on 27 February 1869 and was run between and. It was electrified in 1904. On 4 February 1885 Lavrion Square-Strofyli steam narrow gauge single-track mixed cargo and passenger railway line opened and was run at the time from Attiki Square to Kifissia through Iraklio. These originally mixed cargo and passenger railway lines gradually merged and converted to a rapid-transit system. The section between Kifissia and Strofyli was abandoned.
From 1869 to 1926 the line operated by SAP.
From 1926 to 1976 the line operated by Hellenic Electric Railways. In 1976 the Hellenic Electric Railways was nationalized and renamed Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways S.A.
From 1976 to 16 June 2011, the Athens-Piraeus Electric Railway Company operated Line 1.

1990s projects

Since the current Line 1 opened, the government has proposed many expansions to the subway network, including a 1963 plan for a fourteen-line subway network. Construction of Lines 2 and 3 began in November 1992 to decrease traffic congestion and improve Athens' air quality by reducing its smog level. Both lines were constructed underground. Lines 2 and 3, built by Attiko Metro S.A. and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Operations Company, are known respectively as the red and blue lines and were inaugurated in January 2000. Line 3 was extended to the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in summer 2004, and Line 2 was extended to Anthoupoli and Helliniko in 2013.

Consolidation

Until 17 June 2011, the operational management of the Athens Metro network was similar to that of the London Underground network before the creation of the London Passenger Transport Board and the absorption of the Metropolitan Railway on 1 July 1933. The Greek government attempted to absorb ISAP into Attiko Metro under Law 2669/1998 so the latter would be responsible for the whole network, but this initiative failed. Athens Metro operations were consolidated when the Greek government enacted Law 3920/2011, replacing AMEL, ISAP and Tram S.A. with Urban Rail Transport S.A. , a subsidiary of OASA S.A..

Infrastructure

Lines and stations

The Line 1 is long, and serves 24 stations. Lines 2 is a and serves 20 stations and line 3 is long, and serve 24 stations.
The three-line Athens Metro network serves 64 stations. It owns and operates 57 of them, and OSE owns the remainder on the airport section. The network has four metro interchanges, enabling the lines to interchange with each other at least once. Each line also has at least one station connecting with the Proastiakos Suburban Railway and Athens Tram.
Line 2 and the Attiko Metro portion of Line 3 is entirely underground. Line 1 is primarily overground, with a tunnel section in central Athens. The airport section of Line 3, east of the tunnel portal near, is open. In the tunnel sections up and down lines share a common tunnel, except for approaches to stations with an island platform.
The network uses standard gauge electric trains which in most places run on 750 V DC third rail, but the section of Line 3 running to the airport requires trains which can use overhead lines of 25 kV AC, 50 Hz. There are rail connections between Lines 1 and 2 near Attiki and between Lines 2 and 3 near Syntagma. Train maintenance facilities are located at Attiki, Faliro, Irini, Piraeus, Kifissia and Thissio for Line 1, and Doukissis Plakentias, Eleonas and Sepolia for Lines 2 and 3.
The overall length of the green, red and blue lines to approximately 74 km. The Athens Metro's three lines carried approximately 1,353,000 passengers daily in 2010.

Rolling stock

The Athens Metro classifies rolling stock by "batch" for Line 1 and "generation" for Lines 2 and 3 because ISAP and AMEL used different classification systems for rolling stock before consolidation. Six types of rolling stock operate on the network, all equipped with third rail current collection systems; however, only seven second-generation trains have the necessary overhead line equipment to serve Line 3 from to. Differing signalling systems prevent batch stock from running on Lines 2 and 3 and generation stock from running on Line 1.
The eighth batch is the oldest rolling stock in passenger service, while the third generation is the latest rolling stock in passenger service. The eighth- and tenth-batch stock is externally similar, but the former has split-flap headsigns in Johnston typeface and a cream-and-green interior colour scheme.
LineStockImageIntroduced
8th-batch stock1983
10th-batch stock1993
11th-batch stock2000
1st-generation stock2000
2nd-generation stock2003 & 2004
3rd-generation stock2014

BatchYearConfigurationTypeNumberingDescription
1st2000DT-M-MD+MD-M-DTDTA01-A5656 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 28 EMU-6 trains. Made by Alsthom-Siemens-ADtranz. MD railcars have an auxiliary driving facility used only for shunting.
1st2000DT-M-MD+MD-M-DTMB01-B5656 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 28 EMU-6 trains. Made by Alsthom-Siemens-ADtranz. MD railcars have an auxiliary driving facility used only for shunting.
1st2000DT-M-MD+MD-M-DTMDC01-C5656 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 28 EMU-6 trains. Made by Alsthom-Siemens-ADtranz. MD railcars have an auxiliary driving facility used only for shunting.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DDD201-D22828 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 14 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DTT201-T22828 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 14 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DMM201-M22828 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 14 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DDD251-D26414 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 7 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi, can also operate on 25 kV AC, 50 Hz lines.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DTT251-T26414 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 7 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi, can also operate on 25 kV AC, 50 Hz lines.
2nd
2003–2004D-T-M+M-T-DMM251-M26414 EMU-3 "half-trains" operating as 7 EMU-6 trains. Made by Hanwha-Rotem-Mitsubishi, can also operate on 25 kV AC, 50 Hz lines.
3rd2012–2013D-T-M+M-T-DDD301-D334A contract for 17 air conditioned EMU-6 trains was signed on 2009-09-16 with Hanwha-Rotem. 34 EMU-3 "half-trains" entered service as 17 EMU-6 trains in June 2014.
3rd2012–2013D-T-M+M-T-DTT301-T334A contract for 17 air conditioned EMU-6 trains was signed on 2009-09-16 with Hanwha-Rotem. 34 EMU-3 "half-trains" entered service as 17 EMU-6 trains in June 2014.
3rd2012–2013D-T-M+M-T-DMM301-M334A contract for 17 air conditioned EMU-6 trains was signed on 2009-09-16 with Hanwha-Rotem. 34 EMU-3 "half-trains" entered service as 17 EMU-6 trains in June 2014.

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

Signalling

Line 1 uses two-aspect red/green home signals, yellow/green distant signals and a passenger information system. The current system replaced 1950s-era semaphore signals.
Lines 2 and 3 use the Alstom automatic train supervision system and a passenger information system. Two-aspect red/white colour signals are used at points and junctions only.

Network map

Fares

Fares are prepaid, either as short term tickets valid for 90 minutes, 24 hours, 5 days, or as long term tickets. As of February 2017, there are two types of fare products, the ATH.ENA Ticket and ATH.ENA Card, both of which are validated using a contactless system. The tickets is valid on all modes of public transport in Athens except on trains and buses to the airport, and airport tickets. Long term tickets are available in 30, 90, 180, and 365 day periods and are available only with a personalized ATH.ENA Card. Reduced fares are available for university students, seniors, disabled and persons under 18. On buses, trolleys and trams the ticket or card must be validated only when entering the vehicle/car by scanning the ticket at the electronic validating machines. At metro or suburban railway stations, the ticket or card must be validated at the electronic gates when entering and exiting the station.

Archaeological excavations and exhibits

During construction of the metro tunnels, artifacts of archaeological interest were discovered and rescue archaeology was employed. Teams of archaeologists worked ahead of, then with, engineers for six years, protecting and recording archaeological finds. This afforded new insight into the city's ancient topography, through unprecedented infrastructure development combined with the study and preservation of archaeological data. Exhibitions of ancient artifacts or replicas are found at a number of metro stations, including Monastiraki and Syntagma.

Future Plans

Line 4

A fourth line is planned for the Athens Metro and it has been incorporated in the roadmap of Athens's mass transit system since 2005. The new line in its totality will extend over a length of 38.2 km, adding thirty five new stations to the Athens Metro system. The cost of the entire project is estimated at 3.3 billion EUR. The recommendation is for lighter rolling stock than the type used in existing lines of Athens Metro which would operate automatically without a driver.
The first phase of Line 4 will be between Alsos Veikou and Goudi stations, predicting fifteen new stations and a length of 12.8 km of new track. An invitation to tender for the construction of the first phase of Line 4 was issued in September 2018. The construction is expected to start by mid-2020 and the opening of the line by circa 2028. The estimated cost for constructing the first phase of the new line is 1.51 billion EUR. Currently, the project of the first phase is considered to follow a PPP scheme which might be extended for constructing the whole new line. An alternative solution is a mixed funding between the EIB and the Greek State. It is also a high-profile candidate project to be included in the Juncker Plan of EU that will include also the second phase of Line 4 of Athens Metro.
As of March 2020, the planned stations for the first phase of Line 4 are: