Athens Tram

The standard gauge tram Athens (Greek Τραμ ), which also serves the neighboring town of Paleo Faliro, is operated by the Tram SA and is a subsidiary of Attiko Metro, which operates the lines 2 and 3 of the Athens Metro. In July 2004, the regular tram service began on three lines. The tram supplements the older trolleybus Athens / Piraeus.

Precursor

In 1882 there was in Athens a horse-drawn railway, which was replaced in 1908 by the electric tram. His greatest extent reached the tram network of Athens in 1936 with the commissioning of the coastal tram to Perama. After the Second World War, the network was shut down in stages until 1960. Only the distance to Perama, which had a different operator ( the electric railway company ISAP ) was still operated until 1977.

The facilities were of the electric train ISAP (now Metro Line 1) assumed that even started some work cars on their network. The staff was also adopted by the latter, unless it did not go into early retirement. Some historic vehicles were taken from the Museum of OSE, the two cars restored (another car of the newly founded Tramway Company was returned later and will be issued at a station ).

Athens suffered the end of the 1980s, an acute congestion, which was expressed in frequent smog and later driving bans. There was considerable debate as to whether you (then only one line ) should introduce or expand the tram back underground. At the end of a combined solution was implemented with two separate networks that are operated under one roof.

Route network

The system comprises a T-shaped web. Currently (2010) there are three lines, each commutes a line between two of the three final stops of the network. Northern end of two of these lines is the central Syntagma Square. There is an interchange with the subway. More are ( Stadio kai Irini Philias ), the latter to the metro station Faliro at the bus stop happily coupled Fix and SEF. SEF is also the former second end point of the tram network in the southwest. The third terminus Asklipio Voula is located in the seaside suburb of Voula, in the southeast of the metropolitan area of Athens.

Future

Phases 1 and 2

Tram SA was planning the route network by 2010 to expand to Piraeus ( Phase 1). Two other lines through the city of Piraeus should follow to 2013 ( phase 2). This is to the harbor and the notoriously congested city of Piraeus be developed. Up to the present (2012), however, the phase 1 has not been implemented.

Phases 3 and 4

There were other projects that were in the planning and in the exam. So the route network from the port of Piraeus should be expanded to the north to the hamlet of Kaminia and west to the neighboring community Keratsini with the Athenians industrial ports in Phase 3. In Phase 4 should roll back from there the old coastal railway to Perama.

Rolling stock

It can be used 35 tramcars of type Sirio the company AnsaldoBreda, designed by Italian designer Pininfarina. The depot is located on the site of the former airport Hellenikon. A historic, also originating from Italian production tramcar of the former Athens tram operation was restored and placed at the tram stop Kasomouli as a keepsake. Another historic tram vehicle is located in Athens Railway Museum.