Thessaloniki Suburban Railway

The Thessaloniki Suburban Railway,^[1] (Greek: Προαστιακός Σιδηρόδρομος Θεσσαλονίκης, Proastiakós Sidiródromos Thessaloníkis) is a three-line Proastiakos commuter rail service connecting the city of Thessaloniki with its metropolitan area and other regions beyond, including Imathia, Pella and Serres.

Thessaloniki Suburban Railway (Proastiakos)
A Stadler GTW 2/6 terminating at Thessaloniki.
Overview
Owner	OSE (Lines), Gaiose (Buildings and Trains)
Area served	Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, and Thessaly
Transit type	Commuter rail, regional rail
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	44
Website	www.hellenictrain.gr (operator)
Operation
Began operation	7 September 2007 (2007-09-07) (Line 1) 25 January 2008 (2008-01-25) (Line 2) 3 February 2020 (2020-02-03) (Line 3)
Operator(s)	Hellenic Train
Number of vehicles	EMUs OSE Class 560 DMUs
Technical
System length	248.9 km (154.7 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	25 kV AC, 50 Hz overhead lines (Thessaloniki-Larissa only)
Top speed	160 km/h (99 mph)(Thessaloniki-Larissa) 120 km/h (75 mph) (Platy–Florina)
System map Legend Thessaloniki Sindos Adendro Platy Lianovergion Aiginio Alexandreia Korinos Loytros Katerini Kefalochori Litochoro Xechasmeni Leptokarya Kouloura Neoi Poroi Mesi Rapsani Veria Larissa Naoussa Episkopi Petria Skydra Edessa Arnissa Agios Panteleimonas Amyntaio Vevi Florina This diagram: view talk edit

Unlike the Athens Suburban Railway, the three lines served are rather medium-distance regional rail connections on three major axes to Edessa and Serres, Central Macedonia, and Larissa, Thessaly. Thessaloniki metropolitan area itself will be served by the Metro Thessaloniki.

History

Proastiakos Thessaloniki started its operations on 9 September 2007 with the first line Thessaloniki-Katerini-Litochoro connecting the urban centers^[2] of Thessaloniki, Katerini, and the beaches of South Pieria and was the first suburban connection of areas outside Athens.

On 7 September 2008, with the completion of the electric drive in the Thessaloniki-Domokos section, the line was extended to Larissa.^[3] Later, the already existing line Thessaloniki-Edessa via Veria was included as a suburban one with the prospect of electrification in the near future. At the same time, in May 2008, the preliminary feasibility study of the 'SUBURBAN REGIONAL RAILWAY OF THESSALONIKI' was completed, in which the new railway connection Thessaloniki - Pella through Giannitsa was included. This study, which was updated in March 2018 at a relevant conference in Giannitsa, awaits its finalization in accordance with the commitment of the Prime Minister, at the regional development conference for Central Macedonia held in March 2018 in Thessaloniki.

On February 3, 2020, a third suburban line was inaugurated that connects Thessaloniki with Serres.^[4]

On the 4 November 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic many services across the network were suspended.^[2]

Lines and services

Thessaloniki Suburban Railway consists of three lines:

• Line 1   connects Larissa and Thessaloniki, with some trains starting at Palaiofarsalos.
• Line 2   runs between Thessaloniki and Florina, with some trains starting at Edessa.
• Line 3 Π3 connects Thessaloniki and Serres.

Trains run from approximately 6:00 am to 22:00 pm daily on a fairly irregular basis, roughly once an hour. Both lines, however somewhat complement each other between Thessaloniki and Platy.^[5][6] On 17 July 2014 services were cut back from eight to six services a day from Thessaloniki To Edessa.^[6]

Proastiakos routes

Route	Opening	Route	Length	Electric	Top Speed	Stations
	7 September 2007 (Litochoro–Thessaloniki) 7 September 2008 (Larissa–Litochoro)	Thessaloniki–Larissa	165.2 km (102.7 mi)	Yes	160 km/h (99 mph)	12
	25 January 2008 (Thessaloniki–Edessa) 10 August 2013 (Edessa–Florina)	Thessaloniki–Florina	111.7 km (69.4 mi)	No	120 km/h (75 mph)	17
Π3	3 February 2020 (Thessaloniki– Serres)	Thessaloniki–Serres	158.9 km (98.7 mi)	No		20

List of stations

†	Terminal station
*†	Terminal with Metro/OSE servises

#	Station	Lines	Services	Connections	Regional unit
1	Adendro	Athens–Thessaloniki Thessaloniki–Bitola			Thessaloniki
2	Aiginio	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
3	Alexandreia	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
4	Cherso	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
5	Doirani	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
6	Edessa *†	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Pella
7	Episkopi	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
8	Gallikos	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
9	Hersos	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
10	Kastanoussa	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
11	Katerini	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
12	Kefalochori	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
13	Kilkis	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
14	Korinos	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
15	Kouloura	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
16	Larissa *†	Athens–Thessaloniki			Larissa
17	Leptokarya	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
18	Lianovergi	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
19	Litochoro	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
20	Loutros	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
21	Mandhraki	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
22	Mesi	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
23	Metalliko	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
24	Mouries	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
25	Naousa	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
26	Nea Filadelfeia	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Thessaloniki
27	Neo Petritsi	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
28	Neoi Poroi	Athens–Thessaloniki			Pieria
29	Omalo Thrakis	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
30	Pedino	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Kilkis
31	Petrea	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Pella
32	Platy	Athens–Thessaloniki Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
33	Rapsani	Athens–Thessaloniki			Larissa
34	Rodopolis	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
35	Serres *†	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
36	Sidirokastro	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
37	Sindos	Athens–Thessaloniki Thessaloniki–Bitola			Thessaloniki
38	Skotoussa	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
39	Skydra	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Pella
40	Struma	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
41	Thessaloniki *†	Athens–Thessaloniki Thessaloniki–Bitola	Π3		Thessaloniki
42	Veria	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia
43	Vyroneia	Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli	Π3		Serres
44	Xechasmeni	Thessaloniki–Bitola			Imathia

Thessaloniki-Larissa Line

 

Thessaloniki Suburban Railway map c.2012, (before Line 3 was introduced)

The Line connects the Macedonian regional capital with the Thessalian regional capital. It has a total of 12 stations and is displayed in blue on TRAINOSE maps. It was inaugurated on 9 September 2007 and initially connected Thessaloniki with Katerini and the beaches of South Pieria and Litochoro, while on 7 September 2008 with the completion of the electrification of the Thessaloniki-Domokos section of track services were extended to Larissa.^[7] The section Thessaloniki-Katerini-Litochoro is the first suburban connection outside of Athens. Today, services commence from Thessaloniki station passes through Sindos, Adendro, and Platy, where it is separated from the line Thessaloniki - Edessa, continues southeast to Korinos, the city of Katerini, Litochoro, and then south to Neos Resources of Pieria. Finally, it passes east of Rapsani, through Tempi, and after crossing the Evangelism of Larissa, it ends in the city of Larissa. The line connects the urban centres of Thessaloniki, Katerini, and Larissa, as well as Pieria's southern coast, thus connecting Central Macedonia's areas with Thessaly. In the future, the construction of an intermediate stop in Panteleimon between Neoi Poroi and Leptokarya is foreseen for the re-service of Platamonas.^{[citation needed]}

Thessaloniki-Florina Line

The Line connects the Macedonian regional capital with Florina in Western Macedonia. It has a total of 25 stations and is displayed in red on TRAINOSE maps. It was inaugurated in 2010 and initially connected Thessaloniki with Veria and Edessa. Later, the route to and from Florina was included in the line, which was initially operated by regional trains. In May 2008, the already existing line Thessaloniki-Edessa via Veria Line was included as a suburban service with the prospect of electrification in the near future.^{[citation needed]}

Today, the service begins from Thessaloniki station, passing through Sindos, Adendro, and Plati Imathia, where it is separated from the Athens - Thessaloniki line, continues southwest to Veria, north to Naoussa and Skydra, and then west to Edessa and Lamb. Then, it continues southwest along Lake Vegoritida to Amyntaio, and after turning north to Vevi, it heads west for the last time to reach Florina. The line connected the urban centres of Thessaloniki, Veria, Florina, and Edessa as well as the waterfalls of the same name, thus uniting areas of Central and Western Macedonia.

Thessaloniki-Serres Line

The Line connects the Macedonian regional capital with its second-largest city Serres. It has a total of 20 stations and is displayed in light blue on TRAINOSE maps. Services commenced on 3 February 2020 on what is the 3rd line of the Thessaloniki suburban network, Forming the daily connection of the two cities with existing intermediate stations.^[8][9]

Future expansion

In May 2008, the Greek government's National Transport Plan outlined the aspiration for a second link to Edessa, via Giannitsa serving Chalkidona and Pella along the way, of 50 km (31 mi) in length allowing a 30-minute reduction in journey time.^[10] This study, which was updated in March 2018 at a relevant conference in Giannitsa, awaits its finalization in accordance with the commitment of the then Prime Minister, at the regional development conference for Central Macedonia held in March 2018. Other projects include:

• Thessaloniki - Amfipoli - Nea Zichni/Kavala.
• Thessaloniki - Nea Michaniona - Epanomi - Moudania.
• Thessaloniki - Giannitsa - Skydra - Aridea.^[11]
• Aeginio-Sindos variant bypassing Plateos and Adendros to reduce time and add stations in Makrygialos, Methoni, and Skotina.^[12]
• Diavata - Kordelio - Ionian Islands - Menemeni - Engine Room - Thessaloniki.
• Sindos - Kalochori - Kordelio - Ionian Islands - KTEL^[13] - Koletti - PSST - Port of Thessaloniki.^[14]

See also

• Hellenic Railways Organisation
• Hellenic Train
• Proastiakos
• Thessaloniki Metro
• Piraeus–Platy railway
• Thessaloniki–Bitola railway
• Thessaloniki–Bitola railway
• Thessaloniki–Alexandroupoli railway
• Athens Suburban Railway
• Proastiakos Patras
• Rail transport in Greece

References

1. . Hellenic Train. Athens. 26 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
2. Προαστιακός Σιδηρόδρομος 4 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine
3. Θεσσαλονίκη – Λάρισα σε 1:09 με Προαστιακό 2018-03-25 at the Wayback Machine euro2day.gr
4. "Τι άφησε στη Θεσσαλονίκη το περιφερειακό αναπτυξιακό συνέδριο" (in Greek). Retrieved 29 January 2023.
5. "Schedule Kalambaka–Larisa–Thessaloniki" (PDF). TrainOSE. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
6. "Schedule Thessaloniki–Edessa–Florina" (PDF). TrainOSE. Retrieved 1 March 2015. ^{[dead link]}
7. "Θεσσαλονίκη – Λάρισα σε 1:09 με Προαστιακό".
8. "Η Προαστιακή Σιδηροδρομική γραμμή Θεσσαλονίκη Σέρρες έγινε πραγματικότητα- Δείτε το πρόγραμμα του δρομολογίου και τις τιμές". 29 January 2020.
9. "Η Προαστιακή Σιδηροδρομική γραμμή Θεσσαλονίκη Σέρρες έγινε πραγματικότητα- Δείτε το πρόγραμμα του δρομολογίου και τις τιμές - Epiloges". 29 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
10. "National Transport Plan for Greece - Final Report - June 2019" (PDF). National Transport Plan. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
11. 26/11/2007 at 23:58 (26 November 2007). "ΠΡΟΑΣΤΙΑΚΟΣ ΣΙΔΗΡΟΔΡΟΜΟΣ Ν.ΠΕΛΛΑΣ – www.ecology-salonika.org". Ecology-salonika.org. Retrieved 29 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
12. "ΟΣΕ Μελέτες για νέους σταθμούς". www.makthes.gr. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
13. "Thessalonikipress.gr".
14. "Αυτή είναι η μελέτη για το City Train της Θεσσαλονίκης (χάρτης)". Retrieved 29 January 2023.

External links

• Official website (in English and Greek)