Athens Airport–Patras railway

The railway from Athens Airport to Patras is a double-track, standard-gauge railway line in Greece that, when completed, will connect Athens International Airport with Patras, the country's third-largest city. One of the largest railway projects of the last 30 years in Greece, its completion is of major significance for the infrastructure of the entire region of the northern Peloponnese. As of 2020^[update], the line is completed until the city of Aigio.^[1] A 5.2 km underground section is planned for the final section from Kastellokampos to Agios Andreas in Patras, terminating at the new port of Patras.^[4][5] For most of the section between Athens Airport in East Attica and Mandra in West Attica, the line runs along the median strip of the Attiki Odos motorway.

Athens Airport–Patras railway
An OSE class 460 train in the median strip of Attiki Odos, bound for Athens Airport.
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Hellenic Railways Organisation
Locale	Attica Peloponnese Western Greece
Termini	Athens Airport 37.9369°N 23.9448°E / 37.9369; 23.9448 Aigio 38.2400°N 22.1035°E / 38.2400; 22.1035
Stations	32
Service
Type	High-speed rail/Commuter rail
Operator(s)	Hellenic Train
History
Opened	2004 (Athens Airport–SKA) 2005 (SKA–Corinth) 2007 (Corinth–Kiato) 2020 (Kiato–Aigio)
Technical
Line length	205.85 km (127.91 mi)[1] (almost 235 km (146 mi) up to Patras)
Number of tracks	Double track
Character	Primary
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC (between Athens Airport and Kiato)[1]
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph) (average) 200 km/h (124 mph) (maximum)
Route map Legend km 30.6 Athens Airport 24.7 Koropi 16.0 Paiania–Kantza 13.8 Pallini 9.4 Doukissis Plakentias Metro Line 3 to Nikaia 8.0 Pentelis 6.1 Kifisias 5.1 Nerantziotissa 2.8 Irakleio 1.4 Metamorfosi Piraeus–Platy railway to Piraeus 0.8 18.3 Acharnes SKA Piraeus–Platy railway to Larissa 21.0 Zefyri 21.7 Ano Piraeus–Patras railway to Agioi Anargyroi Piraeus–Patras railway 34.7 Aspropyrgos 40.0 Magoula 52.3 Nea Peramos 58.0 Megara Piraeus–Patras railway 73.1 Kineta Piraeus–Patras railway to Corinth 79.8 Agioi Theodoroi 98.7 Corinth Zevgolatio 123.1 Kiato 125.9 Diminio 136.7 Xylokastro 147.4 Lykoporia 151.9 Lygia 162.7 Akrata 169.3 Platanos 177.3 Diakopto 184.0 Eliki 188.4 Aigio 194.0 Rododafni to Patras (planned) km Source[2][3] This diagram: view talk edit

Course

Athens Airport - Patras railway line

Main parts of the line (2020)	line length (km)	Number of stations	Stations names[1]	Electrification (as of 2020)[1]
Athens Airport–Acharnes Railway Center	30	11	Athens Airport, Koropi, Paiania-Kantza, Pallini, Doukissis Plakentias, Pentelis, Kifisias, Nerantziotissa, Irakleio, Metamorfosi, Acharnes Railway Center	yes
Acharnes Railway Center–Kiato[6]	105	11	Zefyri, Ano Liosia, Aspropyrgos, Magoula, Nea Peramos, Megara, Kineta, Agioi Theodoroi, Corinth, Zevgolatio, Kiato	yes
Kiato–Aigio	71	10	Diminio, Xylokastro, Lykoporia, Lygia, Akrata, Platanos, Diakopto, Eliki, Aigio	at least 2025 or later
Aigio–Psathopyrgos	21.5	5	Rododafni, Selianitika, Kamares, Psathopyrgos	at least 2025 (rails, stations, signaling and electrification)
Psathopyrgos–Rio	10.5	5	Arachovitika, Agios Vasileios, Aktaion, Rio (November 2025 & 15,5% works: May 2024)	at least 2025 (rails, stations, signaling and electrification)[7]
Rio–Patras New Port	8.5[8][4] (5.2 underground)[9]	9	Kastelokampos, Bozaitika, P.Kanellopoulos str., Agia, Panachaiki, Agios Dionysios, Trion Simmachon, Agios Andreas, Patras New Port (Stations 1-8 underground)	under tendering procedure, opening at least 2025 until 2029[10]

Main stations

The main stations on the Athens Airport–Patras railway are:

• Athens Airport Station
• Acharnes Railway Center (Interchange with the Athens-Thessaloniki Railway)
• Ano Liosia railway station
• Megara railway station
• Corinth railway station
• Kiato railway station
• Aigio railway station

Services

As of June 2020^[update], the Athens Airport–Patras railway is used by the following passenger services, all part of the Athens Suburban Railway (Proastiakos) network:^[11]

• Line 1:^[12][13] Piraeus–Athens–Airport (also uses the Athens-Thessaloniki Railway)
• Line 2:^[14] Piraeus–Athens–Kiato (also uses the Athens-Thessaloniki Railway)
• Line 4:^[12][13] Ano Liosia–Koropi–Airport
• Line 5:^[15] Aigio–Kiato–Athens/Airport

Future

As part of the P.A.Th.E./P. project, the line is being extended to Patras. The remaining part from Rio to Patras will be partly underground with a terminus in the new harbour. The existing train station of Patras will get a new function in a new recreational space.^[16] The electrification of the Kiato–Aigio section will allow direct services to and from Athens, as passengers must currently change between electric and diesel trains at Kiato. On the south-eastern side, the line will be prolonged up to Lavrio and Rafina. A tender note has been published by ERGOSE SA, with Jan 14th 2022 deadline.

Gallery

• 
  Athens Airport Station (2015)
• 
  View from Pallini station (2008)
• 
  Ano Liosia railway station (2013)
• 
  Kiato railway station (2011)
• 
  Aigio railway station (2019)