Athens Metro

Until 28 January 2000, Line 1 was the only rapid-transit line in Athens. The Athens and Piraeus Railway Company (SAP) opened a steam single-track mixed cargo and passenger railway line on 27 February 1869 and was run between Piraeus and Thiseio. It was electrified in 1904. On the 4th of 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 was operated by SAP. From 1926 to 1976 the line was operated by Hellenic Electric Railways (EIS). In 1976 the EIS was nationalized and renamed Athens-Piraeus Electric Railway Company (ISAP), which continued to operate what became line 1 of the Athens Metro until 16 June 2011.[7]

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.[8] Construction of Lines 2 and 3 began in November 1992 to decrease traffic congestion and improve Athens' air quality by reducing its smog level.[4] 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 Elliniko in 2013.

Until 17 June 2011,[7] 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 operation company under Law 2669/1998 so the latter would be responsible for the whole network,[9] but this initiative failed. Athens Metro operations were consolidated when the Greek government enacted Law 3920/2011,[10] replacing AMEL, ISAP and Tram S.A. with Urban Rail Transport S.A. (STASY S.A.) (Greek: ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε.), a subsidiary of OASA S.A. (Athens Urban Transport Organisation S.A.).[11]

The Athens Metro consists of three lines totalling 91.7 kilometres (57.0 miles) and 66 stations: Line 1 (Green) is 25.7 kilometres (16.0 miles) long with 24 stations, Line 2 (Red) is 18.7 kilometres (11.6 miles) long with 20 stations, and Line 3 (Blue) is 47.3 kilometres (29.4 mi) long with 24 stations.[3] STASY owns and operates 62 of the 66 stations: three other stations (Pallini, Paiania–Kantza and Koropi) belong to GAIAOSE and the Athens Airport station belongs to the operator of the Athens International Airport.

The system has five interchanges, at Attiki, Monastiraki, Omonia, Piraeus and Syntagma, allowing all three to interchange with each other at least once. Each line also has at least one connection with the Athens Suburban Railway, and the Athens Tram.

Outline of Athens Metro lines[3]

Line	Map colour[lower-alpha 5]	Opened	Last extension	Type	Stations	Length	Termini	Ref.
	Green	27 February 1869	10 August 1957	Sub surface	24	25.7 km (16.0 mi)	Piraeus Kifissia	[16]
	Red	28 January 2000	26 July 2013	Deep level	20	18.7 km (11.6 mi)	Anthoupoli Elliniko	[17][18]
	Blue	28 January 2000	10 October 2022	Deep level	27	47.3 km (29.4 mi)[lower-alpha 3]	Dimotiko Theatro Doukissis Plakentias Athens Airport	[17][19]
Total:					66[lower-alpha 6]	91.7 km (57.0 mi)

Line 2 and the metro's exclusive portion of Line 3 are 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 Doukissis Plakentias, is open. In the tunnel sections up and down lines share a common tunnel, except for approaches to stations with an island platform (such as Egaleo). 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 Athens Metro's three lines carried approximately 1,353,000 passengers daily in 2010.[1]

A network map of the Athens Metro system, that includes the three current lines, the under construction line 4, the tramway, the suburban railway and all the future under design extensions.[13]

Athens Metro Map

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.

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 Doukissis Plakentias to Athens Airport.

The eighth batch (introduced in 1983) is the oldest rolling stock in passenger service, while the third generation (introduced in 2013) 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. An extensive refurbishment programme is in progress for the 8th batch (as of 2023), and to cover for trains undergoing refurbishment, up to five 1st generation Line 2/3 trains have been borrowed to operate on Line 1. Line 1 halfsets have driving cabs at both ends, unlike the Line 2/3 halfsets which have a driving cab at the outer ends, but only basic driving apparatus for shunting purposes only at the inner ends; thus, they can only operate on their own inside depots.

Line	Stock	Image	Introduced
	8th batch stock		1983
	10th batch stock		1993
	11th batch stock		2000
	1st generation stock		2000
	2nd generation stock		2003 & 2004
	3rd generation stock		2014

The west entrance to Athens Metro line 1 Victoria station.

Line 1 uses two-aspect red/green home signals, yellow/green distant signals and a passenger information system (PIS). The current system replaced 1950s-era semaphore signals. The automatic train protection (ATP) system of Line 1 was fully installed in 2023 which replaced the previous Indusi system.[23]

Lines 2 and 3 use the Alstom automatic train supervision system (ATS) and a passenger information system (PIS). Two-aspect red/white colour signals are used at points and junctions only.

A fourth line is planned for the Athens Metro and it has been incorporated in the roadmap for the development and expansion of public transport in Athens since 2005. The new line in its totality will extend over a length of 38.2 km (23.7 mi), adding thirty five (35) new stations to the Athens Metro system. The cost of the entire project is estimated at 3.3 billion EUR.[27] The recommendation is for lighter rolling stock than the type used in existing lines of Athens Metro which would operate automatically without a driver. In November 2020, Alstom was chosen to supply the line with 20 4-car automated Metropolis trains, operated under Urbalis 400 signalling system.[28]

The first phase of Line 4 will be between Alsos Veikou and Goudi stations, predicting fifteen (15) new stations and a length of 12.8 km (8.0 mi) 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.

The European Investment Bank is allocating a €730 million loan over 30 years to finance the building of the first segment of the Line 4 metro, which will connect Alsos Veikou and Goudi. The initiative will also assist Athens by reducing the number of private automobiles on the road by 53 000, resulting in 318 tonnes fewer CO2 released daily.[29][30][31][32]

On 15 November 2008, Greek newspaper Ta Nea reported that the Greek government was considering a circular line from Ano Ilisia to Faros, via Dafni and Eleonas, as part of a "100 km (62 mi)" network.[33] This proposal evolved to form part of what is now the long-term Athens Metro Future Regulatory Plan (or the Souflias plan)[34] on 13 April 2009, which called for an 220 km (140 mi) network of eight lines and 200 stations.[35][36]

The Souflias plan was last revised in January 2012,[37] and saw limited activity until October 2020, when Elliniko Metro announced that they were reconsidering some extensions from the plan, including the extension of Line 1 from Kifissia to Nea Erythraia, the extensions of Line 2 to Ano Liosia and Glyfada, Line 6 from Melissia to Perama, and Line 7 from Haidari to Kalamaki.[34] In December 2021, a part of the southern branch of Line 6 was reconsidered as a branch of Line 1 from Thiseio to the SNFCC in Kallithea, with intermediate stations at Hamosternas, Plateia Davaki, and Lofos Filaretou.[38][13]