Athens Metro: new line extensions to the North & South of the city are being planned

The construction works for the first section of Line 4, from Alsos Veikou to Goudi, may be underway in the Athens Metro, and the competition for the extension of Line 2 to Ilio (Anthoupoli-Agios Nikolaos) is progressing. However, the next goals for the Athens Metro focus on two significant extensions, those towards Kallithea and Marousi of the capital’s metropolitan railway.

After the decade-long crisis, the country went through, it resulted in the Metro not being able to expand as much as it should have. As a result, accumulated needs for the extensive expansion of the network have emerged. In this context, we see that with the feasibility of advancing the above major Metro projects, new generations of expansions and lines are coming.

The new line Thissio – Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

The first expansion under consideration is the new branch of Metro Line 1, connecting Thissio to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). It is estimated that the completion of the project by the Athens Metro will take approximately two years.

The two-year timeframe is necessary to complete the project maturity, obtain the required environmental study approval, and prepare the competition documents. The route study has progressed in the new branch of Metro Line 1 (Line 1B), and the station locations have been determined. The next step is to proceed with topographical, geological, and geotechnical studies. Subsequently, the final studies will need to be developed.

The budget for the project is estimated at 400 million euros. The Thissio station will serve as a common station for both lines. Subsequently, the new line will run underground along the entire route towards Kallithea, with stations planned at Hamosternas, Plateia Davaki, Lofos Filaetou, and SNFCC.

Line 4 extension to Marousi – Lykovrysi

However, a step forward has also been taken with the extension of Line 4. Here, the expansion of the line is being studied to cover Kifisias Avenue, one of the most congested central axes of the capital.

This extension, in addition to covering Kifisias Avenue up to its connection with the Attiki Odos, continues northwestward through Amarousio and Pefki, reaching Lykovrysi quite close to the National Road.

It is a crucial addition for further alleviating the congestion of the city’s road network, not only due to the obvious value of creating new stations along Kifisias Avenue. The areas it will cover include Philothei, Chalandri, Marousi, Pefki, and Lykovrysi.

The studies are currently in the initial stages, and topographical and geotechnical studies have progressed. This project, with a cost of 1.2 billion euros, will include 10 underground stations: KATECHAKI (connection to Line 3), PHILOTHEI, FAROS, SIDERAS, OLYMPIC STADIUM, PARADISOS (connection to the Suburban Railway), OTE, MAROUSI (connection to Line 1), PEFKI, and LYKOVRYSI.

The plans for the metro extensions

In addition to the extensions towards Kallithea and Marousi, the future plans of the Athens Metro and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport include the extensions of Line 4 towards Petroupoli (Line 4) and PYRKAL (future Line 5), Line 2 towards Menidi and Glyfada, as well as the extension of Line 1 towards Varybobi. Finally, there is also the issue of the underground extension of Line 1 from Faliro to the terminal station Piraeus.

According to indicative costs, the funding needs for these projects, including the extensions towards Kallithea and Marousi/Lykovrysi, exceed 3.5 billion euros. With their implementation, these projects will change the landscape of Athens, as practically, we will be talking about a network of 6 lines with over 110 stations covering the majority of the metropolitan area of the capital.