Light Rail Transit Association   URBAN TRANSIT NEWS 2004

Athens tramway opens: Forty-four years after the tram last ran in central Athens, on Monday 19 July, they made a triumphal reappearance, and within the first three hours the tram had carried more than 20,000 people according to officials.

The new system comprises three lines (Syntagma-Neo Faliron, Syntagma-Glyfada and Neo Faliron-Glyfada), serving mostly the seaside suburbs. Extension plans have already been unveiled. It is expected that a total of some 80,000 passengers will use the 24 hour tram service daily. The project cost 380 million Euros. The system includes 35 AnsaldoBreda Sirio trams, covers more than 16 miles and includes 47 stops.

A map of the system can be found on the Greece.com website

20 July 2004