Athens Suburban Railway

The Athens Suburban Railway (), officially the Athens Suburban and Regional Railway, is a commuter rail service that connects the city of Athens and its metropolitan area with nearby settlements in Attica, Boeotia, Corinthia and the city of Chalcis in Euboea.

The first section of the Suburban Railway, linking the main Athens railway station with the Athens International Airport, opened on 30 July 2004, two weeks before the start of the 2004 Summer Olympics in the Greek capital. From 2005 to 2018, the network was gradually electrified and expanded to serve to the south, and to the west, and to the north. The Athens Suburban Railway is currently operated by Hellenic Train (formerly TrainOSE).

History Proastiakos SA was founded in 2003 as a subsidiary of OSE to serve the operation of the suburban network in the urban complex of Athens during the 2004 Olympic Games. The first line, linking central Athens with Athens International Airport, was inaugurated on 30 July 2004, two weeks before the 2004 Olympic Games. This first section was not electrified and operated by Class 560 (Stadler GTW) DMUs every half hour. In January 2005 the test runs to Corinth started and the line was delivered to the public on 27 September that same year. Also in 2005 Proastiakos was absorbed by the company TrainOSE (now Hellenic Train), which was now responsible for providing all rail passenger and commercial transport.

In 2007, with the completion of the works of the Airport–Patras railway until Kiato, Proastiakos expanded services on what is now Line A4, while in 2009 services were expanded to Chalkida forming Line A3. In 2008, TrainOSE was spun off and became independent of OSE, still using the Proastiakos emblem for those services. In 2009, with the Greek debt crisis unfolding OSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network. Timetables were cut back, and routes closed as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads. Services from Athens Airport & Athens were cut back, with some ticket offices closing, reducing the reliability of services and passenger numbers.

However, from 2010, the electrification works of the lines with 25 kV AC, 50 Hz began to be completed, allowing the use of Class 460 (Siemens Desiro) EMUs. The electrification projects were completed as follows:

SKA–Kiato section in 2010 Oinoi–Chalcis branch line in 2013 Oinoi–SKA and SKA–Treis Gefyres in 2015 Treis Gefyres–Athens section in 2017 Athens–Piraeus section in 2018

In fact, the extension of electrification to Athens Central station on 30 July 2017 led to the reorganisation of Suburban Railway services, moving the primary hub and starting point to the central station of the capital. In 2017 TrainOSE was privatised and became wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane while infrastructure, including stations, remained under the control of OSE. On 1 February 2018, the electrification of the Piraeus-Athens Central station section of the network was completed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, TrainOSE provided free antiseptic gel to the passenger public onboard its commuter trains.

Timeline DateRoutesNotes30 Jul 2004The Athens–Athens Airport service is introduced for the 2004 Summer Olympics.27 Sep 2005Electrification completed until Neratziotissa. Athens–Corinth, Neratziotissa–Athens Airport & Corinth–Athens Airport services introduced.

Until the completion of the westbound curve at SKA, the first available turnaround siding for trains to Corinth was located at Neratziotissa station.4 Jun 2007The Athens–Athens Airport service is extended south to Piraeus.9 Jul 2007The Piraeus–Corinth service is extended west to Kiato. 6 Jul 2008Completion of westbound curve at S.K.A. Athens Airport–Kiato and Piraeus–Athens Airport services suspended. 14 Feb 2009Electrification extended to Ano Liosia. Ano Liosia–Athens Airport route merged into a single service. 12 Dec 2010Athens Airport–Kiato services reinstated, Piraeus–Kiato services shortened to Ano Liosia. 18 Jan 2012The Piraeus–Ano Liosia service is suspended, partially replaced by the extended Piraeus–Chalcis service.14 Mar 2012TrainOSE starts promoting the Piraeus–Chalcis service as part of the Subruban Railway, with the service appearing on maps by the summer of that year.10 Feb 2014Suburban Railway services along the westbound curve of SKA resumes.30 Jul 2017A new network is introduced due to the extension of electrification from to Athens: Athens becomes a hub for most services, while the SKA–Athens Airport service increases the frequency of trains along the Attiki Odos median. 1 Feb 2018With the extension of electrification to Piraeus, the Athens–Athens Airport and Athens–Kiato services are extended south to Piraeus. 24 Feb 2018The SKA–Athens Airport service is extended west to Ano Liosia.1 Aug 2023Hellenic Train introduces route numbers for the Suburban Railway.

Lines and services , the Athens Suburban Railway consists of four lines. Line A1 runs between and , while Line A2 reinforces the preceding service along the median of the A6 motorway between the Airport and . Line A3 runs between and , and Line A4 runs between Piraeus and . In 2020, train services between Kiato and were introduced as a regional Peloponnese service. The Athens Suburban Railway operates from 4:30 am to midnight daily, and there are 45 stations in the network.

From 18 January 2012 to 9 February 2014, services along the western curve of Acharnes Railway Center (SKA) were suspended: TrainOSE claimed that the suspension was due to "technical problems", but the Athens Transport blog noted the "prevailing belief" that the financial situation of the company contributed to the prolonged suspension.

Main services

The following table lists the routes and the stations for the Athens Suburban Railway since 15 May 2022. Line numbers were introduced on 1 August 2023.

+Outline of Athens Suburban Railway routesLineMapcolourRouteStationsLengthYellow, ––19Purple, –12Lime green, , –17Sky blue, ––20

List of stations

The spelling of the station names on this table, in English and Greek, are according to the signage.

† Terminal station# Interchange station

The suburban railway connects with other rail services at the following stations:

# Station Lines Services Connections Regional unit 1 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 2 SKA# Ano Liosia–AirportAthens–Chalcis East Attica 3 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 4 Athens–Thessaloniki West Athens 5 Athens–Chalcis Boeotia 6 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 7 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–Airport Corinthia 8 Athens–Chalcis Boeotia 9 Piraeus–KiatoAno Liosia–AirportAigio–Airport West Attica 10 Piraeus–Kiato West Attica 11#† Athens–Thessaloniki Central Athens 12 † Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–AirportAigio–Airport East Attica 13 Athens–Chalcis Euboea 14 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 15 † Athens–Chalcis Euboea 16 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–AirportAigio–Athens Corinthia 17 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 18 Athens–Chalcis Boeotia 19 # Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–AirportAigio–Airport North Athens 20 Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport North Athens 21 Athens–Chalcis Boeotia 22 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato West Athens 23 †# Piraeus–KiatoAigio–AirportAigio–AthensAigio–Kiato Bus Corinthia 24 Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–AirportAigio–Airport North Athens 25 Piraeus–Kiato West Attica 26 # Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport East Attica 27 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato Piraeus 28 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–AirportAigio–Athens West Attica 29 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–AirportAigio–Athens West Attica 30 Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport North Athens 31 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–AirportAigio–Athens West Attica 32 # Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–AirportAigio–Airport North Athens 33 Athens–Chalcis Boeotia 34 # Ano Liosia–Airport Boeotia 35 # Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport East Attica 36 # Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport East Attica 37 Piraeus–AirportAno Liosia–Airport North Athens 38† Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato Piraeus 39 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato West Athens 40 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato Piraeus 41 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato Central Athens 42 Athens–Chalcis East Attica 43 Piraeus–AirportPiraeus–Kiato South Athens 44 Piraeus–Kiato West Athens 45 Piraeus–KiatoAigio–Athens Corinthia

Rolling stock Proastiakos uses rolling stock owned by GAIAOSE and maintained by Hellenic Train. Since the entire network is electrified, multiple units are used almost exclusively, with Siemens Desiro 5-car electric multiple units (EMU) consisting of the principal rolling stock of the network, while Stadler GTW-2/6 and MAN-2000 diesel two-car multiple units (DMU-2) can be seen to either add extra capacity in cases of rolling stock unavailability or electrification problems.

In December 2025, Hellenic Train ordered 23 Alstom Coradia Stream EMUs, 11 of which are to be implemented on services in the Athens and Thessaloniki Proastiakos networks, to boost efficacy and frequency. The first units are expected to enter service within the second trimester of 2027.

Tickets and Scheduling

The suburban train, in the sections Magoula-Koropi and Piraeus-SKA are part of the urban zone of OASA, therefore the single ticket that is used and combined with all means of transport in Athens is valid. Outside the urban area, a different ticket is valid, which is priced in stages and issued by Hellenic Train.

Photography on the network The photography in the publicly accessible areas of both OSE and the Athens Suburban Railway (defined as passenger space on trains and at stations) is permitted, as the right of photographers to photograph within the Suburban Railway is covered by the Constitution. The issue was mediated by the Ombudsman between 2004 and 2008 on the occasion of the attempt to temporarily ban photography during the Olympic Games. The court ruled that "the requirement of a 'photography permit' is tantamount to a ban" and that "there is no legal authority to impose restrictions on the right to photograph spaces and slides by definition accessible to the public".Απαγόρευση φωτογράφησης σιδηροδρομικών εγκαταστάσεων Συνήγορος του Πολίτη

Future expansion

New stations Additional station in Kryoneri by 2026.Η Αττική Οδός ανέλαβε την εκπόνηση μελετών για τις οδικές και σιδηροδρομικές επεκτάσεις σε Ραφήνα και Λαύριο Additional station in Gerakas.

New services Larissa Station-Agios Dionysios via Piraeus connection with Cretan ships, (with the final destination being Thessaloniki) Reopening the suburban double line from SKA to Ano Liosia, MAK, Neoktista, Aspropyrgos Refineries, Old Aspropyrgos Station, and Elefsina, with the service of Hellenic Petroleum. The Elefsina line is planned to continue to Loutropyrgos and the new Megaron railway with a single regular line.ΕΡΓΟΣΕ Μελέτες Reopening from Agios Apostolos to Isthmus.

Lavrio branch line A nine-station, 32 km extension of the Athens Suburban Railway from Koropi to Lavrio was announced in 2016, potentially connecting 300,000 more people to the rail network at a cost of €160 million. The project involves the construction of two new stations at Markopoulo and Lavrio Port, and five intermediate stops at Kalyvia, Keratea, Daskaleio, Thorikos and Kyprianos.Κορωπί-Λαύριο ΕΡΓΟΣΕ The Athens-Lavrio distance will be 55 minutes and Koropi-Lavrio 28 minutes with the completion of the extension.

Loutraki line reopening In February 2019, OSE accepted a bid for the €12 million project to convert the former metre-gauge line between Isthmos and Loutraki to standard gauge, connect it to the Athens Airport–Patras railway and reopen it to passenger traffic by November 2021. Mytilineos–Xanthakis was selected as the contractor of the project. Due to an appeal by a rival bidder, the signing of the contract was delayed until 12 June 2019. The project consists of the electrification of the Isthmos–Loutraki line and building two new stops, one at Casino and the other in Loutraki.Xάρτης Προαστιακού Αθηνών 2021 με μελλοντικές επεκτάσεις συντάκτης Στέργιος Ρουμελιώτης

Rafina branch