Athens Airport (Greek: Αεροδρόμιο, Aerodromio), also known as Athens International Airport (Διεθνής Αερολιμένας Αθηνών, Diethnis Aerolimenas Athinon) on signage, is a railway station and metro station that serves the international airport of Athens, Greece. It operates on both the Athens Suburban Railway as well as Line 3 of the Athens Metro. It is the first and only train station in Greece that is not managed by Gaiose. It is owned by the airport, which charges the train operating companies (Hellenic Train and STASY) fees to use it.
Διεθνής Αερολιμένας Αθηνών Athens International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Athens International Airport train station (2019) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Spata Spata-Artemida Greece | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°56′13″N 23°56′41″E / 37.936890°N 23.944700°E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managed by | Athens International Airport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Airport–Patras railway[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train operators |
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| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | At-grade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible |      | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Key dates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 July 2004 | Opened[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 June 2007 | Suburban Rail electrified[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editThe station opened on 30 July 2004, two weeks before the Athens Olympics. Although it was projected that only commuter rail would use the station, the Athens Metro operating company decided to extend Line 3 to the airport. However, building new tracks was not economically viable, so the route would be served by dual-voltage second-generation trains and would share tracks with Suburban Railway trains between Doukissis Plakentias station and the airport. Because of the limited availability of these trains (7 in total), only 1 or 2 per hour reach the station, leaving the airport every 36 minutes from 06:10 to 23:34.[4]
The decision to extend Line 3 to the airport forced a change to the station design; Metro trains have a higher floor than Suburban Railway trains, so the central track had to be lowered. This is why initial services to the airport did not use any stations between Doukissis Plakentias and the airport. The intermediate stations did not have the tracks lowered; parts of the platforms were raised in 2006. Since then, all intermediate stations have been used by both services.
Station layout
edit| Access/Concourse A/C |
Customer service | Tickets Exits |
| Level L1 |
Platform 1 | → Unused |
Island platform (Spanish solution), outbound or interchange to 
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| Platform 2 | ←  towards Dimotiko Theatro (Koropi)
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| Island platform (Spanish solution), doors will open on the left, right | ||
| Platform 3 | ←  towards Piraeus /  to Ano Liosia (Koropi)
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| Side platform (Spanish solution), outbound or interchange to
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Access
editThe railway station is immediately adjacent to the airport terminal, accessible by an elevated walkway. Because of the additional cost of using the station, there is a surcharge for passengers entering or exiting the airport. As of 2023, the base fare to the airport is €9, with varying prices for round trips or groups.[5]
Services
editSince 27 September 2022, the following weekday services call at this station:
- Athens Suburban Railway Line A1 to Piraeus, with up to one train per hour;[6]
- Athens Suburban Railway Line A2 to Ano Liosia, with up to one train per hour: during the peak hours, there is one extra train per hour that terminates at Paiania–Kantza instead of the Airport;[6]
- Athens Metro Line 3 towards Dimotiko Theatro, with up to one train every 36 minutes.[7]
Future developments
editAs the airport's passenger numbers are rising, services may get denser and Track 1 could be used again. Moreover, for many years there have been plans to extend Suburban Railway services to Rafina, a suburb of Athens and the third largest harbour of the city as well. Although original plans show the line branching off the main one after Pallini or Doukissis Plakentias Station, then running in a reserved-for-this-purpose median of the A64 Mount Hymmetus Ring Road and then extending to Rafina, recent plans have called for an extension of the line from the Airport. Such an extension would be shorter and less expensive to build, however, it has been unpopular due to the fact that the travelling time from and to Rafina will be longer and certain areas will not be served.
Gallery
edit-
Footbridge to the station and the Sofitel hotel (2008) -
View of the platforms (2011) -
OSE class 460 train to Kiato (2015) -
OSE class 460 train to Ano Liosia (2018)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Annexes". Network Statement (PDF) (2023 ed.). Athens: Hellenic Railways Organization. 17 January 2023. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Athens 2004 Olympic transport". Athens Transport (in Greek). 13 August 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- ^ "Piraeus-Spata in 50 minutes by Suburban Railway". in.gr (in Greek). Athens: Alter Ego Media. 1 June 2007. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Urban Rail Transport SA :Airport Routes". Athens: Urban Rail Transport S.A. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
- ^ "Athens Transport Tickets and Cards". Athens Transport. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
- ^ a b Antoniou, George (20 June 2022). "Timetable: Piraeus-Athens-Airport and Ano Liosia-Koropi-Airport" (PDF). Hellenic Train. Athens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
Antoniou, George (20 June 2022). "Timetable: Airport-Koropi-Ano Liosia and Airport-Athens-Piraeus" (PDF). Hellenic Train. Athens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022. - ^ "Timetable" (PDF). STASY (in Greek). Athens. 17 October 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.