Line 3 provides a direct albeit infrequent service between the Port of Piraeus with the Athens International Airport, a journey that takes up to 59 minutes.[7] The line between Dimotiko Theatro and Doukissis Plakentias is underground, and the shared section with the Athens Suburban Railway towards the Airport is a surface-level median of the A6 and A64 motorways.
It first opened, between Ethniki Amyna and Syntagma, on 28 January 2000, with Line 2.[8] In 2012, construction works commenced for the latest underground extension of Line 3 to Dimotiko Theatro via Piraeus which was completed on 10 October 2022.[9][10]
Rolling stock
Dual voltage ROTEM-supplied stock with greater luggage space is used for services to Athens International Airport. Line 3 rail vehicles utilize 750 V DC third rail current collection between Dimotiko Theatro and Doukissis Plakentias, changing to 25 kV AC overhead catenary while operating on the Athens Suburban Railway for access to/from the airport.
On 1 March 2012 a contract was signed between Attiko Metro S.A. and a joint venture for the construction of the extension of Line 3 from Haidari (Agia Marina) to Piraeus, 7.6km (4.7mi) long with six stations. The extension to Nikaia in 2020 brought the Korydallos and Nikaia municipalities into the network's catchment area, serve approximately 132,000 passengers on a daily basis and upon completion in 2022,[11] connects to the port of Piraeus, the largest passenger port of Europe [12] with the Athens International Airport in just 1 hour.[13]
The completion dates of the final three stations are as follows:
Maniatika (10 October 2022)
Piraeus (10 October 2022)
Dimotiko Theatro ("Municipal Theatre", 10 October 2022)
Notes
The original plans included one more station after Dimotiko Theatro, named Evaggelistria. Attiko Metro cancelled plans for the station on 10 November 2008, due to local objections (mainly by the Metropolitan Bishop of Piraeus District).[14]
There were plans to build a station between Korydallos and Nikaia named Perivolaki.
During the construction of the first section of Line 3, Elliniko Metro considered building stations at Geoponiki (Greek: Γεωπονική) on the extension towards Egaleo between Kerameikos and Eleonas, and Girokomeio (Γηροκομείο) on the planned Marousi branch between Panormou and Faros.[17]
2018 timetable controversy
On 1 November 2018, STASY introduced a new timetable that scrapped direct metro services to the airport from the city center, due to the lack of spare parts for the fleet. At the time, travelers from the city center to the Airport had to change at Doukissis Plakentias. Reception towards the timetable changes was overwhelmingly negative: the negative reception included a complaint by the Transport Ministry General Secretary, Thanos Vourdas, claiming that STASY required ministerial approval to scrap the airport trains.[18] On 9 November 2018, STASY decided to reinstate the original service pattern, from 10 November 2018.[19]
↑The colour of Line 3 varies: the signage, in-car line diagrams and STASY maps (since 7 October 2022) use blue,[1][2] while Attiko Metro maps (as well as those of STASY until 7 October 2022) use sky blue.[3][4]
↑"Metro and Tram Map"(PDF). STASY (in Greek). Athens: Transport for Athens. 11 October 2022. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
↑"Metro and Tram Map"(PDF). STASY (in Greek). Athens: Transport for Athens. 14 July 2020. Archived from the original(PDF) on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
↑"Company presentation". STASY (in Greek). Athens: Transport for Athens. 7 November 2022. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
12"Timetable"(PDF). STASY (in Greek). Athens. 17 October 2022. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
↑"Line 3 (Timetables)". STASY. Athens: Transport for Athens. 9 January 2023. Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
12"Stations". Athens Piraeus Electric Railways (in Greek). Athens. 17 January 2012. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
123Burroughs, David (10 July 2020). "Athens metro Line 3 extension opens". International Railway Journal. Omaha: Simmons-Boardman Publishing. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
↑Axarlis, Nikos (March 1998). "Tunnel Canceled". Archaeology. Long Island City: Archaeological Institute of America. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
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