Афина метросы: Тарихы мен дамуы

Rapid transit railway in Athens, Greece

The Athens Metro (Μετρό Αθήνας) is a rapid transit system in Greece which serves the Athens urban area. Line 1 opened as a single track conventional steam railway in 1869 and was electrified in 1904. Beginning in 1991, Elliniko Metro S. A. constructed and extended Lines 2 and 3. The Athens Metro is actively connected with the other means of public transport, such as buses, trolleys, the Athens Tram and the Athens Suburban Railway. The Athens Metro is hailed for its modernity (mainly the newer lines 2, 3), and many of its stations feature works of art, exhibitions and displays of the archaeological remains found during its construction. Photography and video taking is permitted across the whole network and street photographers often work in Athens Metro. This will be the only metro system in Greece, until the Thessaloniki Metro begins operation in 2024.

Until 28 January 2000, Line 1 was the only rapid transit line in Athens. The Athens and Piraeus Railway Company (SAP) opened a steam single track mixed cargo and passenger railway line on 27 February 1869 and was run between and It was electrified in 1904. On the 4th of February 1885 Lavrion Square Strofyli steam narrow gauge single track mixed cargo and passenger railway line opened and was run at the time from Attiki Square to Kifissia through Iraklio. These originally mixed cargo and passenger railway lines gradually merged and converted to a rapid transit system. The section between Kifissia and Strofyli was abandoned. From 1869 to 1926 the line was operated by SAP. From 1926 to 1976 the line was operated by Hellenic Electric Railways (EIS). In 1976 the EIS was nationalized and renamed Athens Piraeus Electric Railway Company (ISAP), which continued to operate what became line 1 of the Athens Metro until 16 June 2011. Construction of Lines 2 and 3 began in November 1992 to decrease traffic congestion and improve Athens' air quality by reducing its smog level. Both lines were constructed underground. Lines 2 and 3, built by Attiko Metro S. A. and operated until 2011 by Attiko Metro Operations Company, are known respectively as the red and blue lines and were inaugurated in January 2000. Line 3 was extended to the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in summer 2004, and Line 2 was extended to Anthoupoli and Elliniko in 2013.

Until 17 June 2011, the operational management of the Athens Metro network was similar to that of the London Underground network before the creation of the London Passenger Transport Board and the absorption of the Metropolitan Railway on 1 July 1933. The Greek government attempted to absorb ISAP into Attiko Metro operation company under Law 2669/1998 so the latter would be responsible for the whole network, but this initiative failed. Athens Metro operations were consolidated when the Greek government enacted Law 3920/2011, replacing AMEL, ISAP and Tram S. A. with Urban Rail Transport S. A. (STASY S. A.) (ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε. ), a subsidiary of OASA S. A. (Athens Urban Transport Organisation S. A. ).

Line 1 uses two aspect red/green home signals, yellow/green distant signals and a passenger information system (PIS). The current system replaced 1950s era semaphore signals. The automatic train protection (ATP) system of Line 1 was fully installed in 2023 which replaced the previous Indusi system. Lines 2 and 3 use the Alstom automatic train supervision system (ATS) and a passenger information system (PIS). Two aspect red/white colour signals are used at points and junctions only.

Fares are prepaid, either as short term tickets valid for 90 minutes, 24 hours, three days, five days, or as long term tickets. As of September 2020, there are two types of fare products, the ATH. ENA Ticket and ATH. ENA Card, both of which are validated using a contactless system (by scanning the ticket or card at the electronic validating machines). The tickets are valid on all modes of public transport in Athens except on trains and buses to the airport. Passengers cannot buy a fare on board the bus. To travel to or from the airport, passengers may buy a one way ticket for €9 or a 3 day ticket for €20 which also includes unlimited local trips and a return trip to the airport. Arrival at the airport without having paid the appropriate fare will incur a €72 fine, reduced to €36 if paid within 10 days. Term tickets are available in 30, 90, 180, and 365 day periods and are available only with a personalized ATH. ENA Card. Reduced fares are available for university students, seniors, disabled and persons under 18. During a fare control the passengers that are entitled to a reduced fare have to show ID card, student card or passport. Children under the age of 6 are entitled to travel for free with all means of transportation. On buses and trams the ticket or card must be validated only when entering the vehicle/car by scanning the ticket at the electronic validating machines. At metro or Suburban Railway stations, the ticket or card must be validated at the electronic gates when entering and exiting the station.

During construction of the metro tunnels, artifacts of archaeological interest were discovered and rescue archaeology was employed. Teams of archaeologists worked ahead of, then with, engineers for six years, protecting and recording archaeological finds (streets, houses, cemeteries, sanctuaries, public workshops, foundry pits, kilns, aqueducts, wells, cisterns, drains and sewage tunnels). This afforded new insight into the city's ancient topography, through unprecedented infrastructure development combined with the study and preservation of archaeological data. Exhibitions of ancient artifacts or replicas are found at a number of metro stations, including Monastiraki, Akropoli and Syntagma.

A fourth line is planned for the Athens Metro and it has been incorporated in the roadmap for the development and expansion of public transport in Athens since 2005. The new line in its totality will extend over a length of , adding thirty five (35) new stations to the Athens Metro system. The cost of the entire project is estimated at 3.3 billion EUR. The recommendation is for lighter rolling stock than the type used in existing lines of Athens Metro which would operate automatically without a driver. In November 2020, Alstom was chosen to supply the line with 20 4 car automated Metropolis trains, operated under Urbalis 400 signalling system. The first phase of Line 4 will be between Alsos Veikou and Goudi stations, predicting fifteen (15) new stations and a length of of new track. An invitation to tender for the construction of the first phase of Line 4 was issued in September 2018. The construction is expected to start by mid 2020 and the opening of the line by circa 2028. The estimated cost for constructing the first phase of the new line is 1.51 billion EUR. Currently, the project of the first phase is considered to follow a PPP scheme which might be extended for constructing the whole new line. An alternative solution is a mixed funding between the EIB and the Greek State. It is also a high profile candidate project to be included in the Juncker Plan of EU that will include also the second phase of Line 4 of Athens Metro. The European Investment Bank is allocating a €730 million loan over 30 years to finance the building of the first segment of the Line 4 metro, which will connect Alsos Veikou and Goudi. The initiative will also assist Athens by reducing the number of private automobiles on the road by 53 000, resulting in 318 tonnes fewer CO2 released daily.

On 15 November 2008, Greek newspaper Ta Nea reported that the Greek government was considering a circular line from Ano Ilisia to Faros, via and , as part of a "" network. This proposal evolved to form part of what is now the long term Athens Metro Future Regulatory Plan (or the Souflias plan) on 13 April 2009, which called for an network of eight lines and 200 stations. The Souflias plan was last revised in January 2012, and saw limited activity until October 2020, when Elliniko Metro announced that they were reconsidering some extensions from the plan, including the extension of Line 1 from to Nea Erythraia, the extensions of Line 2 to and Glyfada, Line 6 from Melissia to Perama, and Line 7 from Haidari to Kalamaki.