Athens Metro: One year to go for the operation of 3 brand-new stations of Line 3

It is the final countdown for the operation of the first half of Athens Metro Line 3 extension, from Aghia Marina to the Municipal Theater (Dimotiko Theatro Station) of Piraeus. Attiko Metro’s goal is to release the first 3 stations: AGHIA VARVARA, KORYDALLOS and NIKEA to commercial operation on June 30th, 2019.

According to ypodomes.com sources, this goal is quite ambitious and its basic requirement would be the construction works to run incessantly and according to schedule until next Summer, in order for the 3 stations to be integrated into the network of STASY S.A.

Already in Aghia Varvara Station, works are at a very advanced stage while the square of the area (part of the construction site) is being reinstated. The construction progress is similar in both Korydallos and Nikea Stations.

In all 3 stations,, the “smart” electronic ticketing system will be in applied, right from the beginning. It is estimated that thse stations will serve  about 60,000 passengers/day as they are all located in a densely populated part of the urban grid.

The operation of the extension’s first half will allow the restructuring of the bus lines linking the above areas with the center of Athens and the launch of smaller, inter-municipal lines that will be feeding the new stations.

Time distance from Nikea to Syntagma Sq. will be covered in just 14 minutes, instead of an hour currently needed during peak times relieving considerably traffic congestion observed in the area, on a daily basis. The same is expected to happen towards Piraeus, as soon as the extension reaches the Municipal Theater; time distance will drop to just 5 minutes, compared to about 40 minutes at peak times, now. The distance between Nikea and the Airport will be covered in about 55 minutes.

As long as this schedule is followed, the above-mentioned 3 stations, will be the first, after more than 6 years, to be added to Athens Metro network. The last one to be added was Aghia Marina Station, in the end of 2013. With the addition of these 3 stations, Line 3 will reach 24 stations in total (including the 4 stations in D. Plakentias-Airport section). This will signify the end of Line 1’s lead in terms of number of stations, which will then share its first place with Line 3.

With the operation of the last 3 stations of the extension, two years later, in 2021, Line 3 will reach 27 stations, in  total, becoming, officially, the longest line of Athens Metro network.

Nikos Karagiannis-ypodomes.com

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