Trains in Greece will resume operation from March 22

Greek trains will resume service gradually from March 22, 2023, the Greek government announced on Tuesday.

Train services will start with suburban rail lines (Proastiakos) between Piraeus, Athens and the international airport, freight trains between Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as specific local lines in Greece such as the Athens-Chalkis line. Passenger line Athens-Thessaloniki Intercity, where February 28 happened train collisionwhich claimed the lives of 57 people, will resume work on April 1.

Measures announced include speed limits of 80 km/h for freight trains and 100 km/h for passenger trains. “The restart of the railway is necessary to restore public confidence,” said the Minister of State in charge of the railways, Georgios Gerapetritis. “In addition, delaying a restart, even on a limited schedule, carries a serious risk of theft and/or sabotage. Finally, there is a major problem with commercial shipments to neighboring countries.”

He announced a law providing severe punishment for those who steal non-ferrous metals from the railway system (mainly cables with copper conductors), as well as for those who buy them in bulk. The minister said restarting the system after a long hiatus requires checking the infrastructure for rust, obstructions, breaks and ground subsidence, among other things.

He added that it will take about 4 days to test the lines, while the gradual resumption of work throughout Greece will be carried out. in five stageseach of which will run every five days from March 22:

03/22/2023. Restart:

• Piraeus Suburb – Athens – Acharnon Railway Center – Airport
• Suburban Kanza–Liosia
• Local train Athens – Oinoi – Chalkis
• Thessaloniki – Florina
• Thessaloniki – Drama
• Alexandroupolis – Xanthi
• Alexandroupolis – Ormenio
• Kato Achaia – Patras
• Patras – Rio
• Diakofto – Kalavryta
• Olympia – Pyrgos – Katakolo
• Volos – Milies
• Transportation from Thessaloniki to Idomeni and Promakhona (1 or 2 couples)
• Charter Triasio – Thessaloniki (1 or 2 couples per day)

03/27/2023:

• Suburb of Athens – Acharnon Railway Center – Corinth – Kiato – Aigio

04/01/2023:

• InterCity Athens – Thessaloniki (1 morning couple)
• Thessaloniki – Larisa train
• Paleofarsalos – Kalambaka
• Larisa – Volos
• Lamia – Stylida

04/06/2023 (after assessment of conditions):

• InterCity Athens – Thessaloniki (1 or 2 couples per day)
• Charter Triasio – Thessaloniki (1 or 2 couples per day)

04/11/2023 (after assessment of conditions):

• Other routes

At least until the final delivery of projects for the modernization of the technological network, the following will additionally be applied:

A. Immediate Security Improvement

• 5 stations are closed (they will work only for landing and disembarking).
• Acquisition of open stations by 2 station chiefs.
• Reduced speed on non-signaled sections to 80 km and 100 km for commuter/freight and passenger trains, respectively.
• Staff of 2 drivers of all commuter trains
• Completion of commuter trains with 1 conductor.
• The staff of InterCity Athens – Thessaloniki consists of 3 people compared to the two that exist today.
• Internal Audit Service ose and Hellenic Train.

b. Problem solving mechanisms

• Phased installation by Hellenic Train of recorders in trains with the ability to record conversations in the cab between drivers and OSE traffic controllers (station masters, traffic controllers and remote dispatchers).
• Creation of a technical support service for the exchange of technical information between train drivers and the technical base for the prompt solution of technical problems in the movement of the train.
• Passenger service at important stations of the railway network (especially Athens, Larisa, Thessaloniki, Lianoklady).

V. Human resources management

• Rapid completion of OSE recruitment based on the 2022 program under review.
• For reasons of speed, the existing 2022 announcement will also cover 2023 recruitment planning for critical service areas, signaling, remote control and electric motors, and technical staff.
• Stay of employees with a service card.
• Exploring the possibility of renewing contracts with railway crossing guards.
• Reassessment of training and retraining of responsible personnel.
• Activation of psychological support for critical OSE and Hellenic Train personnel by specialized medical personnel.

d. Infrastructure Modernization and Surveillance

• Strict adherence to the deadlines for the implementation of signaling and telecontrol projects of the main axis.
• Immediate announcement of a tender for the demolition and maintenance of the tunnels.
• Enable the GSM-R system on the rolling stock as soon as possible to communicate with all employees on the OSE railway network, making the VHF system secondary.
• Police protection of infrastructure at critical points in the network.

e. Regulatory intervention

• Route update traffic rules.
• Criminal classification of crimes of theft of railway material.
• Inclusion in support measures for the families of victims of railway accidents over a decade.

The announcements came following a meeting earlier in the day by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with leaders from the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE), railway infrastructure management company ErgOSE and rail service providers Hellenic Train about restarting the rail system, which has been suspended since tragic accident in Tempi.

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