The new Metro, Tram and Suburban railway extensions in Attica

After many years, 2021 seems to be a very promising year for Athens’ means of transportation. New extensions, new projects, new rolling stock. After many years of rigidity due to the crisis, we see a significant mobility at the level of political will which remains to become a reality.

Starting from the Metro, after the operation of the extension of Line 3 to Nikaia with 3 stations, it is the turn of the other half. The 3 stations Maniatika, Piraeus, and  Municipal Theater according to the statements that have been made will operate in 2022.

The works in the Metro

Towards the end of the year, the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Costas Karamanlis, announced the start of the tender for the extension of Line 2 Anthoupoli-Agios Nikolaos (Ilion) with a total of 3 stations. It will be the first extension of the line after 8 years. In 2013, the extensions to Elliniko and Anthoupoli came into operation.

In Attiko Metro from 2020, they are exploring the possibilities to expand the Metro network to Glyfada through Line 2 and to Kallithea up to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center through Line 1. This year we are waiting for the results, but also the next move that will be the start of maturation of the projects with the elaboration of studies.

This year will be the year that the works for Line 4 from the Veikos Grove to Goudi will start. The preliminary works will inaugurate the construction period of this very large project. Signatures will also fall for the main project in order to start the studies and to prepare the ground for the receipt of the 2 tunnel boring machine, which will start digging from 2022. The activation of the next phase of line 4 from Goudi to Kifisos at the height of Lykovrisi through Kifissias Avenue is also an important matter. Here we have some maturity in the studies.

The menu of the works also includes the famous undergrounding of line 1 from Faliro to Piraeus. The project, which is mature in terms of design, costs 100 million euros and includes a new station in Kaminia. The undergrounding will help to create a road boulevard that will lead directly to the port of Piraeus and will alleviate the serious traffic problem experienced by the city, especially during the summer months.

Tram: Piraeus is the target

Regarding the Tram, this year, maybe in February, the haunted extension from Faliro to Piraeus will work. In the near future, we will also see the release of the new orange Trams, which have become very popular due to their modern design.

But what may excite the “Tramophiles” is that the possibility of expanding the network to Hadjikyriakeio and Keratsini / Perama is finally being discussed. These are extensions that have occupied the publicity a few years ago but it seems that now they are back in the big picture. Here we expect more in the near future.

Moreover, developments are expected due to the investment in Elliniko for the expansion of the Tram from Agios Kosmas, which through the investment area will reach the Metro station “Argyroupoli”. The Poseidon-Vouliagmeni connection will most likely be financed by Lamda.

Suburban Railway: Rafina and Lavrio

The Suburban Railway in recent years has seen – with the exception of the pandemic period – its transport work increase. The electrification of the routes changed the image that exists for the medium. What we have not seen for several years is the extensions to the two major ports of Eastern Attica. The projects have been announced many times but never reached the start of implementation.

Last year, ERGOSE presented a total plan of 3.3 billion euros for railway projects which will start to be implemented. Two of the projects concern the extensions to Lavrio and Rafina. The projects are expected to be implemented through competitive dialogue and their funding is taken for granted due to the commerciality they are believed to have.

The coverage of these 2 ports, especially that of Rafina, which operate many ferry routes, will transform the movements to Eastern Attica and will give a big boost to the Suburban Railway that will become the dominant medium in a rapidly growing area with a population that exceeds the 500,000 inhabitants.

Funding is sought and perhaps the promising CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) through which the country has implemented important projects is the solution.

Finally, we are waiting for the activation of line 3, Gefyres-Aspropyrgos-Elefsina, a project that was announced 3 years ago but remains “paused”. The project concerns the normalization and electrification of the old line that was part of the Athens-Patras route.