Larissa railway station

Λάρισα Larissa
Larissa railway station forecourt, December 2010
Location	37 Palaiologou, PC 412 23[1] Larissa Greece
Coordinates	39°37′46″N 22°25′22″E / 39.6295°N 22.4228°E / 39.6295; 22.4228Coordinates: 39°37′46″N 22°25′22″E / 39.6295°N 22.4228°E / 39.6295; 22.4228
Owned by	OSE
Line(s)	InterCity Express   InterCity   Express   Regional Piraeus–Platy railway[2] and Larissa–Volos railway[3]
Platforms	4
Tracks	6
Train operators	TrainOSE
Connections	[2]
Construction
Structure type	at-grade
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access	[4]
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	LAR
Website	http://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened	22 April 1884[5]
Closed	8 March 1957
Rebuilt	26 August 1961
Electrified	25 kV AC, 50 Hz[6]
Services
Preceding station   Proastiakos Thessaloniki   Following station Rapsani toward Thessaloniki Line 1 Terminus Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station Terminus Regional Kypseli toward Volos Rapsani toward Thessaloniki Regional toward Palaiofarsalos Terminus Regional Orfana toward Palaiofarsalos Terminus Express Sofades toward Kalambaka Rapsani toward Thessaloniki Express Sofades toward Kalambaka Palaiofarsalos toward Athens InterCity Katerini toward Thessaloniki Palaiofarsalos toward Athens InterCity Express Thessaloniki Terminus   Former service   Preceding station   Thessaly Railways   Following station Terminus   Thessaly Railways
Location
Larissa, Thessaly Location within Greece

Larissa railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός Λάρισας, romanized: Sidirodromikós stathmós Larísas) is the main railway station for Larissa in Thessaly, Greece. Located in a residential area, close to the city center, it is served by InterCity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki, Express services to Kalambaka, Regional services to Volos and by Proastiakos services to Thessaloniki.^[7] Larissa railway station should not be confused with Larissa Station in Athens (now known as Athens railway station).^[8]

History[]

The station opened on 22 April 1884^[9] as the northern terminus of the Thessaly Railways. The original station building (and the line) was designed by the Italian , (father of Giorgio de Chirico). The line was authorised by the Greek government under the law AMH’/22.6.1882.^[10] soon after the liberation of Central Greece from the Ottomans. Originally built in the colonial style, with a strong romantic stamp, the building was almost identical to that of Volos, both of which stood out for their aesthetic apprentice. In March 1889 the government of Charilaos Trikoupis ordered the construction of The "Piraeus-Demerli-Border Railway". In 1908 the train arrives in Larissa and the (then) border of Greece. The first passenger train, between Athens and Thessaloniki, was launched in March 1918, and the first international train, branch of the "Simplon Orient Express", arrived in Athens in June 1920. In 1955 Thessaly Railways, faced with huge financial obligations was absorbed into Hellenic State Railways (SEK).^[11] On 8 March 1957, Thessaly was hit by a 6.4 Doublet earthquake, while reported casualties were light, many of station buildings, including Larissa suffered severer damage and were deemed unsalvageable, with most of the old station was lost with the construction of the existing one began in 1961.^[12][13]

In 1960 the line from Larissa to Volos was converted to standard gauge and connected through Larissa to the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki, allowing through services to Volos from Athens and Thessaloniki. The new railway station was inaugurated on 26 August 1961, at a cost of cost 6,500,000 drachmas. It was reported Panagiotis Kanellopoulos made the official inauguration. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament , the Minister of Industry Nikolaos Martis, the Minister of Transport and Public Works , the Deputy Minister of Transport , Metropolis of Larissa and Tyrnavos . In 1970 OSE became the legal successor to the SEK, taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure. In 2005 part of the station building was given over to a museum. Housed in auxiliary buildings of the main station building, it houses railway Paraphernalia from Thessaly Railways and the 1930s and is run by Association of Friends of the Larissa Railway (S.F.S.L.).^[14]

In 2009, with the Greek debt crisis unfolding OSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network. Timetables were cutback and routes closed, as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads. In 2011 it was reported that the Greek government was looking at divestiture of certain high-profile assets of OSE, namely a number of the larger terminal stations, most notably Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Volos and also Larissa.^[15] In January 2017, heavy snowfall forced many trains services to be suspended.^[16] In 2017 OSE's passenger transport sector was privatised as TrainOSE, currently, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane^[17] infrastructure, including stations, remained under the control of OSE. In 2018 a new coffee shop opened within the station.^[18] In 2019 the station received negative publicity after it was reported the high levels of rubbish left in and around the station.^[19][20][21] The issue stemmed for one of finally responsibility^[22] for cleaning and maintaining the station forecourt.^[23][24]

Facilities[]

The station has waiting rooms and staffed ticket office within a 1960s era building. The station has a buffet and a new coffee shop.^[25] The station has toilets, with plans for upgrades and improved cleaning routes.^[26] The station is equipped with Dot-matrix display departure and arrival screens on the platforms for passenger information. There are taxi ranks and parking in the forecourt.

In June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic the station was one of the first in Greece to utilise thermal cameras in order to measure the temperature of staff and passengers, as an additional precautionary measure against the coronavirus.^[27]

Services[]

The station is served by regional stopping services to Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Palaiofarsalos and Volos.^[7] It is also served by InterCity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki. Since 2008, it has served as the southern terminus for Line 1 of Proastiakos services to Thessaloniki.

The station is served by local and regional buses. KTEL^[28] operates Lines 3, 11 & 14 while OSE operates Lines 573/4, 575/6 & 577/0.^[29] All services are accessible from the forecourt.

Accidents and incidents[]

2008 accident[]

On 8 March 2008, an Alexandroupolis-bound^[30] InterCity train derailed 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) outside the station, with Reuters reporting no deaths and a total of 28 people injured in the incident.^[31] The Jerusalem Post reporting 20 adults and 3 children were taken to a nearby hospital^[32] Initial reports indicated human error, when the station master (who) failed to change the points after a previous train had passed through the station, causing five carriages from the passenger train to jump the tracks. The two drivers of the derailed train were taken in for questioning, the station master fled the scene and is now being sought by authorities.^[31]

2018 accident[]

On 3 August 2018, a Stylida-bound train derailed at the station. No deaths and only 2 injuries resulted. The train left the tracks and collided with a wall of a building as it entered Larissa station. Initial reports indicate an unknown person in the control room had switched the points, sending the train straight into the building.^[33] This again raised the issue of rail safety in Greece.^[34]

2019 accident[]

On 26 April 2019 two carriages on an Intercity service between Thessaloniki and Athens derailed outside Larissa, No injuries were reported among the passengers.^[35]

Line layout[]

L Ground/Concourse	Customer service	Shops/Buffet	Tickets/Exits
Level Ε1	Side platform, doors will open on the right
	Platform 1	Intercity towards Athens (Palaiofarsalos) ←
	Platform 2Α	Intercity towards Thessaloniki (Katerini) →
	Platform 2Β	towards Thessaloniki (Rapsani) →
	Island platform, doors open on the right/left
	Platform 3Α	Intercity towards Kypseli (Volos) →
	Platform 3Β	towards Thessaloniki (Rapsani) →
	Platform 4	Terminus ←
	Island platform, doors to the left
	Platform 5	In non-regular use
	Island platform, doors on the right/left
	Platform 6	In non-regular use

Gallery[]

• 

  Unit A462, an OSE diesel locomotive stands at Larissa station between duties 6 November 1992.

• 

  Unit A422 (still sporting the familiar DB blue and white livery), a Krauss-Maffei built diesel-electric locomotive from the 1960s seen at Larissa on 6 November 1992.

• 

  Photo of the snow-covered platforms of Larissa station 16 December 2010

See also[]

• Railways of Greece
• Hellenic Railways Organization
• TrainOSE
• Proastiakos
• P.A.Th.E./P.

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Larissa train station.

• https://www.gtp.gr/TDirectoryDetails.asp?id=77318&lng=2