Sofades railway station

Σοφάδων Sofades
Location	Sofades 433 00, Karditsa Greece
Coordinates	39°42′11″N 21°37′31″E / 39.7030°N 21.6254°E / 39.7030; 21.6254Coordinates: 39°42′11″N 21°37′31″E / 39.7030°N 21.6254°E / 39.7030; 21.6254
Owned by	OSE
Line(s)	Express Palaiofarsalos–Kalambaka railway[1]
Platforms	1
Tracks	1
Train operators	TrainOSE
Construction
Structure type	at-grade
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes
Disabled access
Other information
Status	Unstaffed
Website	http://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened	16 June 1886
Rebuilt	2000/2001
Electrified	No
Services
Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station Palaiofarsalos Terminus Express Karditsa toward Kalambaka Palaiofarsalos toward Larissa Express Karditsa toward Kalambaka Palaiofarsalos toward Thessaloniki Express Karditsa toward Kalambaka Palaiofarsalos toward Athens Express Karditsa toward Kalambaka   Former service   Preceding station   Thessaly Railways   Following station   Thessaly Railways   Karditsa
Location
Sofades Location within Greece

Sofades railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός Σοφάδων, romanized: Sidirodromikós stathmós Sofades) is a railway station in town of Sofades, in the Karditsa regional unit, Thessaly. Located just outside the town center, it opened on 16 June 1886 by the Thessaly Railways (now part of OSE). Today TrainOSE oporates both regional and intercity services to destinations across Greece.

History[]

The station open 16 June 1886 by the Thessaly Railways.^[2] The original station building (and the line) was designed by the Italian , (father of Giorgio de Chirico). The line was authorise by the Greek government under the law AMH’/22.6.1882.^[3] soon after the liberation of Central Greece from the Ottomans.

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 on to 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.^[4] In 1955 Thessaly Railways was absorbed into Hellenic State Railways (SEK).^[5] In 1970 OSE became the legal successor to the SEK, taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure.

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 was converted from Narrow gauge (1000 mm) to standard gauge (1435 mm) and physically connected at Palaiofarsalos with the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki.^[6] 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 cutback 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^[7] infrastructure, including stations, remained under the control of OSE.

Facilities[]

The Station has waiting rooms on platform 1, however, the station is (as of 2020) unstaffed, with no ticket purchasing facilities or parking.

Services[]

Today, the station is served by direct lines to the rest of Greece, via Palaiofarsalos, served both by intercity trains to Athens, Palaiofarsalos Larissa and Thessaloniki and Proastiakos to Athens.^[8] Previously Thessaly Railways operated a narrow gauge service to Volos.^[9]

In August 2009 TrainOSE S.A. proceeded to a drastic cutback of passenger services on Thessaly lines.^[10] As of Spring 2020 There are ten (five in each direction) Regional services on Palaiofarsalos-Kalambaka Line. In addition, there is one Regional train to Athens from Kalambaka and back (884/885).

External links[]

• https://www.gtp.gr/TDirectoryDetails.asp?ID=77328

References[]