Larissa railway station

Larissa railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός σταθμός Λάρισας, romanized: Sidirodromikós stathmós Larísas) is the railway station for Larissa in Thessaly, Greece. It is located in a residential area, close to the city centre. It is served by intercity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki and by local services to Thessaloniki and Volos.[6] Larissa railway station should not be confused with Larissa Station in Athens.

For the Larissa Station in Athens, see Athens Railway Station.
Λάρισα
Larissa
Larissa railway station forecourt, December 2010
Location37 Palaiologou, PC 412 23[1]
Larissa
Greece
Coordinates39°37′46″N 22°25′22″E
Owned byOSE
Line(s)
  InterCity Express
  InterCity
  Express
  Regional
Piraeus–Platy railway[2] and
Larissa–Volos railway[3]
Platforms4
Tracks6
Train operatorsTrainOSE
Connections Proastiakos Thessaloniki[2]
Construction
Structure typeat-grade
Platform levels1
ParkingYes
Bicycle facilitiesYes
Disabled access
Other information
StatusStaffed
Station codeLAR
Websitehttp://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened22 April 1884[4]
Electrified25 kV AC[5]
Services
Preceding station   Proastiakos Thessaloniki   Following station
toward Thessaloniki
Line 1Terminus
Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station
toward Thessaloniki
TrainOSE
Mezourlo
TerminusRegional
toward Volos
TerminusRegional
toward Athens
InterCity
toward Thessaloniki
toward Athens
InterCity Express
Terminus
Location
Larissa, Thessaly
Location within Greece

History

The station opened on 22 April 1884[7] by the Thessaly Railways. The original station building (and the line) was designed by the Italian Evaristo de Chirico, (father of Giorgio de Chirico). The line was authorise by the Greek government under the law AMH’/22.6.1882.[8] soon after the liberation of Central Greece from the Ottomans. In 1955 Thessaly Railways was absorbed into Hellenic State Railways (SEK).[9] In 1960 the line from Larissa to Volos was converted to standard gauge and connected though Larissa to the mainline from Athens to Thessaloniki, allowing through services to Volos from Athens and Thessaloniki. In 1970 OSE became the legal successor to the SEK, taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure. In 2005 part of station building was given over to a museum. Housed in auxiliary buildings of the main station building, it's houses railway Paraphernalia from Thessaly Railways and the 1930s and is run by Association of Friends of the Larissa Railway (S.F.S.L.).[10]

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.[11] In January 2017, heavy snowfall forced many trains services to be suspended. [12] In 2017 OSE's passenger transport sector was privatised as TrainOSE, currently, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane[13] infrastructure, including stations, remained under the control of OSE. In 2018 a new coffee shop opened within the station.[14] In 2019 the station received negative publicity after it was reported the high levels of rubbish left in and round the station.[15][16] The issue stemmed for one of finally responsibility[17] for cleaning and maintaining the station forecourt.[18][19]

Facilities

The station has waiting rooms and staffed ticket office within an 1960s era building. The station has a buffet, and new coffee shop.[20] The station is equipped with Dot-matrix display departure and arrival screens on the platforms for passenger information. There is a taxi rank 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.[21]

Services

The station is served by regional stopping services to Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Palaiofarsalos and Volos.[6] It is also served by InterCity trains between Athens and Thessaloniki. Since 2008, it has served as the terminaus for line 1 of Proastiakos services to Thessaloniki.

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

Accidents and incidents

2008 accident

On 8 March 2008, an Alexandroupolis-bound[22] 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.[23] The Jerusalem Post reporting 20 adults and 3 children were taken to a nearby hospital[24] 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.[23]

2018 accident

On 03 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.[25] This again raised the issue of rail safety in Greece.[26]

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.[27]

Line layout
L
Ground/Concourse		 Customer service 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
  • 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

References
  1. https://ose.gr/el/σιδηροδρομικά-μουσεία/25-σιδηροδρομικό-μουσείο-λάρισας
  2. "OSE - 2020 Network Statement Annexes".
  3. "OSE - 2017 Network Statement Annexes".
  4. http://www.trainose.gr/en/ιστορικός-σταθμός-βόλου/
  5. https://www.sdcem.com/project/tithorea-domokos-high-speed-line/
  6. TrainOSE 2013 timetable Archived 2013-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
  7. http://www.trainose.gr/en/ιστορικός-σταθμός-βόλου/
  8. https://thessalyrailways.gr/?page_id=2768&lang=en
  9. https://thessalyrailways.gr/?page_id=2768&lang=en
  10. https://ose.gr/el/σιδηροδρομικά-μουσεία/25-σιδηροδρομικό-μουσείο-λάρισας
  11. https://now24.gr/Θεσσαλία-Πωλείται-ο-σταθμός-Λάρισας/
  12. https://www.naftemporiki.gr/slideshows/1193093/fotografies-apo-ton-xionismeno-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas/all
  13. "It's a new day for TRAINOSE as FS acquires the entirety of the company's shares". ypodomes.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  14. https://www.radiopolis.gr/anoikse-simera-to-neo-kai-diaforetiko-mikel-ston-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas-foto/
  15. http://www.kosmoslarissa.gr/blog/larisa/mesa-sta-skoypidia-o-sidirodromikos-stathmos-sti-larisa-foto
  16. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=el&u=https://www.onlarissa.gr/2019/12/18/ntropi-eikones-chomateris-vlepoyn-oi-taxidiotes-ston-stathmo-toy-ose-tis-larisas-foto/&prev=search&pto=aue
  17. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=el&u=https://tinealarissa.gr/index.php/tag/stathmos/&prev=search&pto=aue
  18. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=el&u=https://www.onlarissa.gr/2019/12/18/poios-ftaiei-gia-to-skoypidario-ston-ose-tis-larisas-aplirotoi-oi-ergazomenoi-quot-afantos-quot-o-ergolavos/&prev=search&pto=aue
  19. https://ilarissa.gr/news/larissa/dimos-lariseon-efthyni-tou-ose-i-kathariotita-ston-stathmo-larisas
  20. https://www.radiopolis.gr/anoikse-simera-to-neo-kai-diaforetiko-mikel-ston-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas-foto/
  21. https://www.news.gr/ellada/article/2265816/se-litourgia-i-thermikes-kameres-sto-stathmo-larisis-dite-fotografies.html
  22. https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/382024
  23. injured in central Greece train derailment "Railway accident at Larissa" Check |url= value (help). Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  24. "Train derails in central Greece; 23 injured". Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  25. "Railway accident at Larissa". Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  26. https://www.europeandatajournalism.eu/eng/News/Data-news/Greece-s-deadly-rail-tracks
  27. https://greece.greekreporter.com/2019/04/30/train-derails-in-central-greece-no-causalities-reported/
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