Line 3 of the Athens Metro is a rapid transit line that runs between in the west and or in the east, via . Most Line 3 trains start or terminate at Doukissis Plakentias: a through service to the Airport leaves once every 36 minutes, and shares most of the extended route with the Athens Suburban Railway. It runs for , making it the system's longest line.

Line 3 provides a direct service every 36 minutes between the Port of Piraeus with the Athens International Airport, a journey that takes up to 59 minutes. The line between Dimotiko Theatro and Doukissis Plakentias is underground, and the shared section with the Athens Suburban Railway towards the Airport is a surface-level median of the A6 and A64 motorways.

It first opened, between and , on 28 January 2000, with Line 2. In 2012, construction works commenced for the latest underground extension of Line 3 to via which was completed on 10 October 2022.

Rolling stock

Dual voltage ROTEM-supplied stock with greater luggage space is used for services to Athens International Airport. Line 3 rail vehicles utilize 750 V DC third rail current collection between Dimotiko Theatro and Doukissis Plakentias, changing to 25 kV AC overhead catenary while operating on the Athens Suburban Railway for access to/from the airport.

Extensions

Extension to Piraeus

On 1 March 2012 a contract was signed between Attiko Metro S.A. and a joint venture for the construction of the extension of Line 3 from Haidari (Agia Marina) to Piraeus, long with six stations. The extension to Nikaia in 2020 brought the Korydallos and Nikaia municipalities into the network's catchment area, serve approximately 132,000 passengers on a daily basis and upon completion in 2022, connects to the port of Piraeus, the largest passenger port of Europe with the Athens International Airport in just 1 hour. The completion dates of the final three stations are as follows: Maniatika (10 October 2022) Piraeus (10 October 2022) Dimotiko Theatro ("Municipal Theatre", 10 October 2022)

Notes The original plans included one more station after Dimotiko Theatro, named Evaggelistria. Attiko Metro cancelled plans for the station on 10 November 2008, due to local objections (mainly by the Metropolitan Bishop of Piraeus District). There were plans to build a station between Korydallos and Nikaia named Perivolaki.

Cancelled proposals There was a plan for Line 3 to have a branch line from to : that proposal was absorbed by the U-shaped Line 4 on 1 December 2005, with Georgios Souflias (then Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works) stating that the branch line proposal would have limited the frequency of trains on either branch. The branch line was similar to what is now Phase 2 of Line 4, but it did not include OTE, and Faros was at a different location.

During the construction of the first section of Line 3, Elliniko Metro considered building stations at Geoponiki () on the extension towards Egaleo between and , and Girokomeio () on the planned Marousi branch between Panormou and Faros.

2018 timetable controversy On 1 November 2018, STASY introduced a new timetable that scrapped direct metro services to the airport from the city center, due to the lack of spare parts for the fleet. At the time, travelers from the city center to the Airport had to change at . Reception towards the timetable changes was overwhelmingly negative: the negative reception included a complaint by the Transport Ministry General Secretary, Thanos Vourdas, claiming that STASY required ministerial approval to scrap the airport trains. On 9 November 2018, STASY decided to reinstate the original service pattern, from 10 November 2018.

Map

Stations

The spelling of the station names on this table, in English and Greek, are according to the signage. Most Line 3 stations have two tracks and two side platforms: , , , , and have two tracks and one island platform. has three tracks and two island platforms, but Metro trains can only use the middle track.

¤ Limited service of one train every 36 minutes† Terminal station# Interchange station

StationStationImage MunicipalityOpenedInterchanges and notesPosition†# Piraeus 10 October 2022 Interchange with the Athens Tram at Dimarcheio. # Piraeus 10 October 2022 Interchange with Line 1 and the Athens Suburban Railway. Piraeus 10 October 2022 Nikaia-Agios Ioannis Rentis 7 July 2020 Korydallos 7 July 2020 Agia Varvara 7 July 2020 Agia Varvara 14 December 2013 Aigaleo 26 May 2007 Aigaleo 26 May 2007 Athens 26 May 2007 Construction of Kerameikos was suspended in 1998 and later relocated, due to an archaeological dispute. # Athens 22 April 2003 Interchange with Line 1.

Some platform signs on Line 1 use the station's Katharevousa name, "Monastirion" (). # Athens 28 January 2000 Interchange with Line 2 and the Athens Tram. Athens 28 January 2000 Athens 28 January 2000 Athens 28 January 2000 Athens 28 January 2000 Athens 28 January 2000 28 January 2000 23 July 2010 This station opened after the extension to Chalandri. 2 September 2009 This station opened after the extension to Chalandri. Chalandri 30 December 2010 This station opened after the extension to Chalandri. Chalandri 24 July 2004 †# Chalandri 28 July 2004 Interchange with the Athens Suburban Railway at Plakentias. ¤# PalliniSeptember 2006 Interchange with the Athens Suburban Railway.

This station is operated by GAIAOSE. ¤# Paiania 10 July 2006 Interchange with the Athens Suburban Railway.

This station is operated by GAIAOSE. ¤# Kropia 10 July 2006 Interchange with the Athens Suburban Railway.

This station is operated by GAIAOSE. Athens International Airport¤†# Spata-Artemida 30 July 2004 Interchange with the Athens Suburban Railway.

This station is operated by Athens International Airport S.A.

Notes

References

External links Athens Metro official website