Greece - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

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Introduction

This list is based on the 2017-2018 timetable, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.

Obscure services

Services on the Peloponnese peninsula

Most, if not all, of the metre gauge services on the Peloponnese peninsula were withdrawn during the financial crisis in 2010. However the following routes do currently carry a service:-

In 2017 TrainOSE were refusing to run enthusiast specials on the metre gauge system due to condition of the infrastructure. Any changes to this policy may appear in the Tourism & Culture section of the TrainOSE website].

Kalamata - Asprochoma - Messini

(65B1; ERA1 106B1) GR18/1

Every September, since official closure of the line in 2009 through to 2015, special trains ran from Kalamata to Messini in connection with the Messinian Feast and litany of the miraculous image of Virgin Mary of the Monastery of Voulkano. The icon is taken from the monastery at 02:00 on 20 September and officially received in Messini at 09:30. The festival lasts 9 days until 28 September and trains ran throughout this period. In September 2015 trains ran from Kalamata hourly from 14:30 to 22:30 and from Messini hourly from 15:00 to 23:00. However there were no such trains in September 2016 or September 2017 due to the condition of the infrastructure.

Thessaloniki avoiding line: Axios - Gefira

(62B3; ERA1 105A3) GR18/2

Owing to damage following heavy rainfall in winter 2014/15, the Gallikos river bridge on the Thessaloniki - Idomeni line was declared unsuitable for traffic. As a result all trains to and from Idomeni were being diverted via the line from Axios to Gefira. It is not known whether the Gallikos river bridge has been repaired. As well as significant freight traffic, this line is in passenger use by international trains 334 and 335 to/from Skopje and Beograd, but this service was suspended from 21 August 2015.

Tithorea - Lianokladi via old main line

(66A3; ERA1 105A4-B4) GR18/3

Since the new main line between Tithorea and Lianokladi was opened in about April 2018, a local service was introduced from 17 July 2018 via the old line, calling at intermediate stations.

1511 06:44 Lianokladi - Athens
SuO 3521 16:37 Lianokladi - Athens
SuO 3520 Athens - 13:08 Tithorea - Lianokladi
1510 Athens - 21:07 Tithorea - Lianokladi

Other sparse services

The following lines have few trains (relative to service levels generally) - fewer than five trains each way on at least three days a week - or do not run each weekday.

Thessaloniki – Idomeni – Gevgelija (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) Suspended since 21 August 2015. A service was reinstated from 1 June to 1 October 2018 but with the cross-border section by bus.
Strymon – Kulata (Bulgaria) The cross-border section is by bus.
Thessaloniki – Alexandroupolis – Dikaia
Edessa – Florina
Olympia - Pyrgos - Katakolo
Diakopto – Kalavryta

Deletions since the previous edition

See also