Palaiofarsalos–Kalambaka railway
| Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Operational | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | OSE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Greece (Thessaly) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stations | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | railway line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | TrainOSE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 2001 (1886 with a metric range) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 80.1 km (49.8 mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track length | 1.435mm (Standard gauge) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | Single track[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | No [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) (highest) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Palaiofarsalos to Kalambaka railway is an 80.1-kilometre long railway line that connects Kalambaka (Thessaly) with the mainline station of Palaiofarsalos Thessaly Greece. It is the most important railway line of Thessaly. Its southern terminal is Palaiofarsalos, where there are connections to Athens and Thessaloniki.
Route
The southern terminal of the Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka line is Palaiofarsalos railway station near Farsala. It is separated from the Athens-Thessaloniki line and follows a branch of approximately 80 km. It continues to through Karditsa and Trikala, and advances north-northwest ending in Kalambaka.
The journey time between Athens and Kalambaka is around 4 hours and 58 minutes.
Stations
The stations on the Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka railway serve are:
- Palaiofarsalos railway station (connecting to Athens, Thessaloniki and suburban Athens)
- Karditsa railway station
- Trikala railway station
- Kalambaka railway station
History
The Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka line was inaugurated on 16 June 1886 (as part of the Thessaly Railways), with a metric range, with services to/from Volos.
After the First World War, the Greek state had planned the ambitious construction of several new rail lines and links, including a standard gauge line from Kalambaka on to Kozani and then Veroia creating a conversion of the route from Volos to Kalambaka on standard gauge. In 1927, the relevant decisions were made, starting in 1928, work was carried out on the construction of the new line from Kalambaka. But a year later, it was clear that the project would exceed the estimated costs many times over. In 1932, the construction work was stopped and remains unfinished.[2]
Freight traffic declined sharply when the state-imposed monopoly of OSE for the transport of agricultural products and fertilisers ended in the early 1990s. Many smaller stations on the network (with little passenger traffic) were closed, especially on the mainline section between Karditsa and Kalampaka.
In early 2001, the decision was taken to upgrade the line from 600 mm gauge to standard gauge and physically connected at Palaiofarsalos with the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki. In 2001 the section between Kalampaka and Palaiofarsalos was converted from 600 mm gauge to standard gauge and physically connected at Palaiofarsalos with the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki.[3] Since to upgrade, however, travel times improved and the unification of rail gauge allowed direct services, even InterCity services, to link Volos and Kalambaka with Athens and Thessaloniki. During the conversion, several smaller stations where closed, however, travel times improved and the unification of rail gauge allowed direct services, even InterCity services, to link Kalambaka with Athens and Thessaloniki.
Services
The Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka railway is used by the following passenger services:
- Proastiakos Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka. The journey takes around 48 mins.[4]
Future
Upgrade
In early 2018 TrainOSE announced the upgrade of the line.[5] This upgrade will involve doubling the track and full electrification from Kalambaka (allowing faster nonstopping services to Athens and Thessaloniki) with installation of new signalling and ETCS Level 1 systems on the existing single-track railway line.[5] The tendering process was set for 11 October 2018, with funding being allocated Operational Programme THESSALY 2014-2020.[5] With a completion date of 2022. The time for Athens to Kalampakas will be reduced to 2 hours and 50 minutes, Athens to Karditsa 2 hours and Athens to Trikala 2 hours and 40 minutes.[6] The projected costs estimate are set at €46,6500.[5]
Extensions
East: Kalambaka - Grevena - Siatista - Kozani - Panagia Soumela Vermiou - Veria According to press reports, there is OSE's planning for line extensions, from Kalambaka to Grevena, Siatista and Kozani at first stage
West: Kalampaka-Ioannina-Igoumenitsa (project duration from the completion of the study: 5 years). In the projected second stage expansion from Kalambaka to Ioannina and Igoumenitsa in the framework of the Railway Egnatia.[7] The expansion stations will be: Kalambaka-Malakasi-Anthochori-Ioannina-Kastritsa-Agios Nikolaos-Kristallopigi-Igoumenitsa.[8]
References
- ^ a b c "OSE - 2017 Network Statement Annexes".
- ^ Alexandros C. Gregoriou Archived (Date missing) at gregoriou.itgo.com (Error: unknown archive URL)
- ^ https://www.ergose.gr/project/anavathmisi_grammis_palaiofarsalos_kalambaka/?lang=en
- ^ https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Palaiofarsalos/Kalambaka
- ^ a b c d https://www.ergose.gr/project/simatodotisi_ilektrokinisi_palaiofarsalos_kalampaka/?lang=en
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-11-22. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ https://www.ypodomes.com/index.php/statheri-troxia/sidirodromoi/uperastikos-ose/item/33747-%25CE%25AD%25CF%2581%25CF%2587%25CE%25BF%25CE%25BD%25CF%2584%25CE%25B1%25CE%25B9-%25CF%2583%25CE%25B9%25CE%25B4%25CE%25B7%25CF%2581%25CE%25BF%25CE%25B4%25CF%2581%25CE%25BF%25CE%25BC%25CE%25B9%25CE%25BA%25CE%25AC-%25CE%25AD%25CF%2581%25CE%25B3%25CE%25B1-15-%25CE%25B4%25CE%25B9%25CF%2582-%25CE%25B5%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CF%258E-%25CF%2583%25CF%2584%25CE%25B7%25CE%25BD-%25CE%25B5%25CE%25BB%25CE%25BB%25CE%25AC%25CE%25B4%25CE%25B1
- ^ http://library.tee.gr/digital/kma/kma_m1310.pdf