Diakopto railway station explained

Name El:Διακοπτό
Diakopto
Mode:S
Line:ASK
Address:Diakopto 250 03,
Borough:Achaea
Country:Greece
Coordinates:38.1917°N 22.1979°W
Train Operators:Hellenic Train
Structure:at-grade
Levels:1
Platform:2 (island platforms)
Tracks:4
Parking:Yes
Bicycle:No
Closed:2003 (renovation)[1]
Electrified:No
Owned:GAIAOSE[2]
Status:Unstaffed
Web:http://www.ose.gr/en/
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13

Diakopto railway station (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Διακοπτού|Sidirodromikós Stathmós Diakoptoú) is located just north of Diakopto, Achaea, Greece. Originally opened on 10 March 1896, it was reopened on 22 June 2020 as part of the Hellenic Railways Organisation's €848-million project extension of the Athens Airport–Patras railway to Aigio, co-financed by the European Union's Cohesion Fund 2000–2006.[3] The station is currently served by both the unique rack railway to Kalavryta and Hellenic Train local services between and .[4]

History

The Station opened on 10 March 1896[5] on what was a branch line of the Piraeus, Athens & Peloponnese Railways (SPAP)[6] when the gauge line towards Kalavryta was completed in 1895. The line opened under the government of Theodoros Diligiannis[6] however, work had been begun by the Charilaos Trikoupis government, under the grand project of connecting all of Greece by rail.[7] The French company ATON[6] with Italian craftsmen's assistant, who had acquired great experience in similar projects in the Alps, built the line.[7] Soon Diakopto was connected to Athens, via Corinth by the Piraeus–Patras railway.

Due to growing debts, the SPAP came under government control between 1939 and 1940. During the Axis occupation of Greece (1941–44), Athens was controlled by German military forces and the line used for the transport of troops and weapons. During the occupation (and especially during the German withdrawal in 1944), the network was severely damaged by both the German army and Greek resistance groups. The track and rolling stock replacement took time following the civil war, with normal service levels resumed around 1948.

Between 2007 and 2009, the entire rail and cogwheel components of the Diakopto–Kalavryta railway were completely replaced, and four new modern trains were constructed to replace the older carriages.[8] In 2008, railway operations in the region were transferred from OSE to TrainOSE. In 2009, with the Greek debt crisis unfolding OSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network.[9] Timetables were cutback and routes closed, as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads, this included all passenger and freight services on the metre gauge railway system in the Peloponnese in 2011.

However, Diakopto remained open, serving the rack railway. In 2018, work to incorporate the station into the Athens Airport–Patras railway commenced, requiring the conversion of the old metre-gauge track to standard gauge. In 2019 services were suspended due to a landslide.[10] The station was reopened on 22 June 2020 by Minister for Transport, Kostas Karamanlis, re-establishing direct rail links with Athens via the Athens Suburban Railway.[3] In July 2022, the station began being served by Hellenic Train, the rebranded TrainOSE.[11] On April 29, 2024, rack railway service resumed with 3 roundtrips 7 days a week and 2 additional roundtrips daily on weekends.[12]

Facilities

There is level access from the small car park at the front of the station. It has two island platforms, with station buildings located at the platform level. The Station buildings are equipped only with a waiting area. At platform level, there are sheltered seating and Dot-matrix display departure and arrival screens and timetable poster boards on both platforms. It is equipped with CCTV, fire detection and Honeywell Security systems.[13] Currently, there is no local bus stop connecting the station.

Services

Since 15 May 2022, this station serves the following routes:

The station is also served by the following Hellenic Train route:[15]

Station layout

L
Ground/Concourse
Customer serviceTickets/Exits
Level
Ε1
Platform 1Hellenic Train to (Eliki)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Platform 2Hellenic Train to (Platanos)/Rack railway towards Kalavryta (Mega Spileo)

See also

References

  1. Web site: EG | Diakofto Railway Station (Train Station) [ACHAIA, EGIALIA]]. www.exploring-greece.gr.
  2. Web site: Home . gaiaose.com.
  3. News: Greece Inaugurates New Peloponnese Rail Line . 13 August 2022 . GTP Headlines . 15 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Athens Suburban Railway . . 13 August 2022 . Athens.
  5. Web site: Odontotos rack railway . www.odontotos.com . 3 May 2024.
  6. Web site: Η πρώτη περιβαλλοντική αδειοδότηση του Οδοντωτού από το 1896. Capital.gr.
  7. Web site: Η ομορφότερη διαδρομή της Ελλάδας. September 2, 2017. HuffPost Greece.
  8. Web site: Diakofto–Kalavryta Railway | Greece Activities. Lonely Planet.
  9. Web site: Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός - Μουσείο τρένων. 2022-01-07. 2021-10-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20211005054523/https://www.visit-drama.com/xenagithite/sidirodromikos-stathmos-moyseio-trenon/. live.
  10. News: Έτοιμος να ξανασφυρίξει και πάλι ο Οδοντωτός . 13 August 2022 . Pagenews.gr . 10 May 2020 . el.
  11. News: TrainOSE renamed Hellenic Train, eyes expansion . 13 August 2022 . . 2 July 2022 . Athens . English.
  12. https://www.hellenictrain.gr/news/anakoinosi-29042024-epanenarxi-dromologion-odontotoy
  13. Web site: OSE Railway Stations . ΖΑΡΙΦΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ Α.Ε. . 13 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Hellenic Train Ticketing. Hellenic Train. 10 November 2022. Athens. 10 November 2022.
  15. Web site: The Rack Railway, Diakopto-Kalavryta, an amazing journey . . 13 August 2022 . Athens . en.