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Palaiofarsalos railway station

Coordinates: 39°18′51″N 22°14′36″E / 39.3142°N 22.2432°E / 39.3142; 22.2432
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Hellenic Train
Παλαιοφάρσαλος
Palaiofarsalos
Palaiofarsalos railway station, 2019
General information
LocationFarsala 403 00, Stavros
Larissa
Greece
Coordinates39°18′51″N 22°14′36″E / 39.3142°N 22.2432°E / 39.3142; 22.2432
Elevation160 metres (520 ft)
Owned byGAIAOSE[1]
Managed by
  • OSE
Line(s)
Distance297 kilometres (185 mi) from Athens
Platforms4
Tracks7
Train operatorsHellenic Train
Connections
  • Bus interchange Bus
    Hellenic Train Bus
Construction
Structure typeat Grade
Platform levels2
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesNo
Accessible
Architectural styleModern
Other information
StatusStaffed
Websitehttp://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened1908[3]
Rebuilt1932
Electrified25 kV 50 Hz AC[2]
Previous namesDemerli
Original companyThessaly Railways
Services
Preceding station Hellenic Train Hellenic Train Following station
Domokos
towards Athens
InterCity
Athens–Kalambaka
Sofades
towards Kalambaka
Leianokladi
towards Athens
InterCity
Athens–Thessaloniki
Larissa
towards Thessaloniki
Terminus Regional
Larissa–Palaiofarsalos
Orfana
towards Larissa
Local
Kalambaka branch
Sofades
towards Kalambaka
Former service
Preceding station Thessaly Railways Following station
Stasis Sofadon
towards Volos
Volos–Kalambaka Enotiki
towards Kalambaka
Location
Stavros is located in Greece
Stavros
Stavros
Location within Greece
Map

Palaiofarsalos railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Παλαιοφαρσάλου, romanizedSidirodromikós Stathmós Palaiofarsálou) is a railway station near Farsala in Larissa regional unit, Greece. It is located in the village Stavros, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of Farsala. It is situated at the junction of the main Piraeus–Platy railway and the branch line[4] to Trikala and Kalambaka. It is served by intercity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki and by local trains to Kalambaka.[5]

History

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The Palaiofarsalos station opened in 1908 as Demerli[3] at the meeting point between the metric line of the Thessaly Railways (S.Th.) and the standard line of the Piraeus-Demerli-Sinoron Railway (S.P.D.S.) or “Larissaykos”.[3]

After the First World War, the Greek state planned the ambitious construction of several new rail lines and links, including a standard gauge line from Kalambaka onto Kozani and then Veroia creating a conversion of the route from Volos to Kalambaka on standard gauge. In 1927, the relevant decisions were made; starting in 1928, work was carried out on the construction of the new line from Kalambaka. But a year later, it was clear that the project would exceed the estimated costs many times over. In 1932, the construction work was stopped and remains unfinished.[6]

In 1955 Thessaly Railways was absorbed into Hellenic State Railways (SEK).[7] In 1970 OSE became the legal successor to the SEK, taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure. In 1971, the Hellenic State Railways was reorganised into the OSE[8] taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure. It was during this time the station was rebuilt in the modernist style, in which the canopies still stand.

Freight traffic declined sharply when the state-imposed monopoly of OSE for the transport of agricultural products and fertilisers ended in the early 1990s. Many small stations of the network with little passenger traffic were closed down, especially on the mainline section and between Karditsa and Kalampaka. In 2001 the section between Kalampaka and Palaiofarsalos were converted from Narrow gauge (1000 mm) to standard gauge (1435 mm) and physically connected at Palaiofarsalos with the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki.[9] Since to upgrade; however, travel times improved and the unification of rail gauge allowed direct services, even InterCity services, to link Sofades and Kalambaka with Athens and Thessaloniki.

In 2009, with the Greek debt crisis unfolding OSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network. Timetables were cut back, and routes closed as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads. In 2017 OSE's passenger transport sector was privatised as TrainOSE, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane[10] infrastructure, including stations, remained under the control of OSE.

In September 2020, Cyclone Ianos hit Greece.[11] Palaiofarsalos railway station temporarily remained out of operation, with Thessaloniki-Paleofarsalos routes terminating at Larissa.[11]

In July 2022, the station began being served by Hellenic Train, the rebranded TrainOSE.[12] On 28 February 2023 during the afternoon, an overhead line cable snapped and fell on a passenger train at the station, causing a power outage in the area that led to significant delays; one of the trains affected by the delays later collided with a freight train near the Tempe Valley, killing over 40 people.[13]

Facilities

[edit]

The station is housed in a 1960's era brick-built station building, renovated in the early 21st century but now slightly rundown. As of (2008) the station is unstaffed, with no staffed booking office; however, there are waiting rooms and is equipped with toilets. Access to the platforms is via a subway under the lines. The platforms have shelters with seating, and seating is available under the original 1960s modernist canopies. There are both Dot-matrix display departure and arrival screens and timetable poster boards on the platforms, as well as a buffet/coffee shop. There is also parking in the forecourt. The station has been the victim of repeated vandalism.

Services

[edit]

The station is a regional hub, with a number of services calling at the station. It is served by the trains of both the Athens–Thessaloniki line and Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka line, with InterCity Express and InterCity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki, Express and Regional stopping services to Kalambaka and Larissa.[5][14]

The connecting bus station is severed by both local, and regional services.

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Home". gaiaose.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Annexes". Network Statement (PDF) (2023 ed.). Athens: Hellenic Railways Organization. 17 January 2023. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b c "Railway Network: Railway station Palaiofarsalos". gaiaose.com.
  4. ^ "Palaiofarsalos Railway Station | railcc".
  5. ^ a b TrainOSE 2013 timetable Archived 2013-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Alexandros C. Gregoriou "The Kalambaka - Kozani - Veroia railway 1928 - 1932 (Kopie im Internet Archive)". Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. ^ "HistoryEN | Thessaly Museum Railways". thessalyrailways.gr. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
  8. ^ Law 674/1971, Government Gazette A-192/1970
  9. ^ "Upgrading of Paleofarsalos – Kalambaka line". ΕΡΓΟΣΕ. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  10. ^ "It's a new day for TRAINOSE as FS acquires the entirety of the company's shares". ypodomes.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Ομαλοποιούνται τα δρομολόγια τρένων στον άξονα Αθήνα - Θεσσαλονίκη". Typosthes.gr.
  12. ^ "TrainOSE renamed Hellenic Train, eyes expansion | eKathimerini.com". www.ekathimerini.com. 2 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Paleofarsalos: 25,000-volt power cables fell into a passing train". CNN Greece (in Greek). 28 February 2023. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  14. ^ "TrainOSE 2103 timetable" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.