Greece - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
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Most, if not all, of the metre gauge services on the Peloponnese peninsula were withdrawn during the financial crisis in 2010.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:-
- Patra Suburban Railway Agios Andreas - Patra - Rio - Agios Vasileios [Rio - Agios Vasileios suspended from 15 May 2018 for infrastructure works]
- Katakolo - Pyrgos - Olympia Katakolo - Pyrgos - Alfios - Olympia, limited service is greatly enhanced when Cruise Ships are docked at Katakolo
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].
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
GR18/1 Kalamata - Asprochoma - Messini: The Annual services between 20 - 28 September to the Messinian Feast and litany of the miraculous image of Virgin Mary of the Monastery of Voulkano Festival have not run since 2015 due to a track washout.
