The first new high-speed train from Italy to arrive in Greece by January 18th

Just a few days left until the arrival of TRAINOSE’s first high-speed train from Italy.

According to information, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 12, the first Trenitalia ATR 470 train departs from Piacenza (and the factory that was rebuilt) to arrive at the Thessaloniki station on the 18th of the month.

The factor that will judge the arrival of the train is…Croatia. According to secure information, the train was initially scheduled to start on the 4th of January, but the seismic sequence in the country forced it to be postponed. Now, if it is judged that the phenomenon has been overcome, then the train will start according to the schedule.

The train will come to Greece sliding and not based on its own engines. It will arrive in Thessaloniki and there will be a small ceremony upon his arrival and then it will go to the Thessaloniki engine room where the facilities have already been prepared to receive it.

Upon its arrival, test routes without passengers will begin (according to the requirements of RAS) and the first official route is estimated to take place on March 25, 2021, a day that the country will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution.

A total of 5 trains for the Athens-Thessaloniki line

The company’s goal is to have all five trains (of the same model) by the end of the autumn (as long as there are no complications from the Covid-19 pandemic), in order to run exclusively on the Athens-Thessaloniki line, gradually replacing the current ones. The trains are capable of reaching speeds over 200 km / h, but at the moment in the Greek network the maximum allowed limit is 160 km / h. This is expected to change with the completion of signaling and ETCS.

From 2022 it is estimated by market sources that the route will be able to run in less than 3 hours and 30 minutes and in sections will be able to develop speeds up to 200 km / h.

The trains consist of 9 wagons, much larger than today’s intercity trains. They “fit” only in the stations of Athens and Thessaloniki, but the problem is more practical. At stations that will not fit, passengers in off-dock wagons should use the nearest wagon.

The ETR 470 cars have about 600 seats, of which 151 are first class. In the middle of the trains there is a vehicle-restaurant with 29 seats. The layout of the seats is 2 + 1 in the first position, and 2 + 2 in the second position, while there are also specially designed seats for the people with disabilities and a suitably designed WC. At the moment there is no full coverage with wi-fi, but there will be on-board entertainment.

The cars are air-conditioned, and have an individual listening system in the first place, as well as sockets in all vehicles.

TRAINOSE is investing 52 million euros for the reconstruction of these trains, which is the first of a series of investments in rolling stock. New trains for the Suburban Railway in Athens and Thessaloniki will follow and then new trains to cover long-distance routes.