Locale Athens, Greece Routes 3 | Open 19 July 2004 | |
 | ||
Owner(s) Urban Rail Transport S.A. (STASY) Operator(s) Urban Rail Transport S.A. (STASY) Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in)
(standard gauge) | ||
The Athens Tram is the modern public tram network system serving Athens, Greece. It is now owned and operated by Urban Rail Transport (STASY) S.A. (Greek: ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε.).
Contents
- Old tram networks 1908 1960
- Modern tram system
- Ticketing policy
- Routes and stops
- Plans for extensions
- References
STASY operates a fleet of 35 Sirio vehicles, which serve 3 tram lines and 48 tram stops. The tram network spans a total length of 27 kilometres (16.8 mi), and covers ten Athenian suburbs. This network runs from Syntagma Square to the southwestern suburb of Palaio Faliro, where the line splits in two branches; the first runs along the Athens coastline toward the southern suburb of Voula, while the other heads toward the Piraeus district of Neo Faliro. The network covers the majority of the city's Saronic Gulf coastline. Athens' STASY tram system provides average daily service to 65,000 passengers, and employs 345 people. Photography and video-taking on the tram and its stations is allowed.
Old tram networks (1908-1960)
Athens Tram began its operations in 1882 with horse tramways. After 1908, the metre gauge tram network became electrified and was extended to 21 lines.
The original Athens tram system ceased operations in 1960 and was replaced by trolleybuses and thermal buses.
However, a standard gauge tram system was constructed along the perimeter of Piraeus Harbour by the Hellenic Electric Railways.
Modern tram system
In March 2001, Tram S.A. was established as a public utility company under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, as a subsidiary company of Attiko Metro S.A. the state company which developed the Athens Metro network. The company started the construction of the tram lines in the beginning of 2002, while the commercial launch of the system took place in July 2004, a few weeks prior to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The construction of the tram network was financed by the Third European Regional Development Fund and Greek state funds.
In March 2011, the Greek Government passed Law 3920 to allow ISAP and Athens Tram to be absorbed by Athens Metro Operations Company (AMEL). The resulting company was renamed "STASY S.A." (Greek: ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε.) and is a subsidiary of OASA S.A. The merger was officially announced on June 10, 2011.
Ticketing policy
Ticket counters operate in some of the stations. Also automatic ticket machines with touch screens are located at each tram station.
Purchased tickets are valid for 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) after validation and can be used for several rides on most other means of public transport in Athens including the metro, buses, trolleybuses, and the urban part of the suburban railway (between Piraeus, Magoula and Koropi stations, excluding the airport). Passengers must validate their tickets at the machines at the station where they board at the start of their ride. The normal adult flat fare is 1.40 Euros.
There are daily and weekly tickets, as well as monthly cards which also apply for all means of public transport in Athens. Fares are checked frequently; passengers who fail to show a validated ticket or a monthly card are penalized by a fine of 60 times the price of a standard ticket.
Children under 6, the handicapped, and persons currently enlisted in the military are eligible for free transportation.
Routes and stops
Athens Tram has three routes named after ancient Greeks: Thucydides, Aristotle and Plato. Trams run from approximately 5:00am to midnight daily.
The following table lists the routes and the stops for the Athens tram:
Plans for extensions
Further extensions are planned towards the major commercial port of Piraeus. The expansion would include 12 new stations and increase the overall length of the tram system by 5.4 km (3 mi).