Ormenio railway station

Ormenio railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Ορμένιο, romanized: Sidirodromikós stathmós Pythio) is a railway station that serves the village of Ormenio, Evros in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Located around 900 metres (3,000 ft) north of the center of Ormenio, the station opened by the Chemins de fer Orientaux, (now part of OSE). Today TrainOSE operates just 4 daily Regional trains[2] to Alexandroupoli. The station is unstaffed[3] however there are waiting rooms available. Ormenio is the northernmost railway station in Greece, and the final stop before crossing the border into Bulgaria.

Ορμένιο Ormenio
Location	Ormenio Evros Greece
Coordinates	41°43′42″N 26°12′44″E
Owned by	OSE
Line(s)	Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad railway[1]
Platforms	1 (side platform)
Tracks	2 (1 disused)
Train operators	TrainOSE
Construction
Structure type	at-grade
Platform levels	1
Parking	No
Bicycle facilities	No
Disabled access
Other information
Status	Unstaffed
Website	http://www.ose.gr/en/
Electrified	No
Services
Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station Ftelia toward Alexandroupoli Regional Terminus Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station Karaağaç   Chemins de fer Orientaux   Svilengrad
Location
Ormenio Location within Greece

History

The station lies on the line, built by the Chemins de fer Orientaux (CO), from Istanbul to Vienna. The railway reached Ftelia in 1873, when the line from Istanbul to Edirne and Bulgaria was opened.[4] When the railway was built it was all within the Ottoman Empire.

During World War I the railway was an important link as the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary were all Central Allies. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, its remaining imperial possessions were divided. The sections from Alexandroupoli to Svilengrad, except for a short section of about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)[5] in Turkey serving Edirne Karaagaç station and for 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) between the Greek border and Svilengrad station in Bulgaria[6] come under the control of the French-Hellenic Railway Company (CFFH), a subsidiary of the CO, when the CFFH was incorporated in July 1929.

Under the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, a new border between Greece and Turkey was established at the Evros river, just east of Ftelia railway station, which had the result that the railway from Istanbul to Bulgaria entered Greece at Pythio, then re-entered Turkey at Edirne (Karaağaç railway station), re-entered Greece at Marasia, and finally entered Bulgaria between Ormenio and Svilengrad. This arrangement continued until 1971 when two new lines were opened. In Turkey, the Edirne Cut-off was opened to allow trains from Istanbul to Bulgaria to run through Edirne entirely on Turkish territory, so that trains such as the Orient Express no longer passed through Ormenio. In Greece, a line was opened to allow trains from Pythio to Bulgaria to stay on Greek territory and avoid Edirne. In 1954 the CFFH was absorbed by the Hellenic State Railways. In 1971, the Hellenic State Railways was reorganised into the OSE [7] taking over responsibilities for most for Greece's rail infrastructure.

In the 1990s, OSE introduced the InterCity service to the Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad line[8] Which reduced travel times across the whole line.

In 2020 it was announced that section of line between Pythio and Ormenio was to be upgraded, at a cost of €1.4 million as part of an ambitious integrated intergovernmental transport plan which will see this, and 39 other transport sector projects be built, with financing from the European Commission with a total of €117 million.[9] The package of measures aims to build or improve transport connections and connectivity across Europe, with a focus on sustainable transport. The project for the Pythian-Ormenio section envisions upgrading the existing line infrastructure and trackbed, doubling of the track as well as the installation of electrification signalling (ETCS Level 1) along the entire stretch, with the aim of improving freight transport with Bulgaria and Turkey.[10]

Facilities

The station buildings have recently been repaired and upgraded, however, the waiting rooms are barely more than brick shelters and the station remains little more than an unstaffed halt.

Services

As of 2020, the station is only served by two daily pairs of regional trains Alexandroupoli–Ormenio.[11] There are currently no services to Svilengrad.

Station layout

L Ground/Concourse		Exits
Level L1	Side platform, doors will open on the right
	Platform 1	towards Alexandroupoli (Ftelia) →
	Platform 2	towards Alexandroupoli (Ftelia) →
Side platform, Disused

Migration Criss

In September 2019, 26 Afghans and Pakistani men were found at the station, dressed only underwear. They had been robbed and left close to the Bulgarian border. It was later reported that the men they were left in Greece by Bulgarian smugglers, after they first stole everything they had on them.[12] Locals provided food and clothing to men, some no older than 16.[13] The 26 were eventually transferred to the Orestiada Border Guard Department, which is in the process of drafting the case file and is then expected to be transferred to the PRT for recording and identification. Both the local authorities and Frontex are investigating the incident.[14]

References

1. "OSE - 2017 Network Statement Annexes".
2. https://tickets.trainose.gr/dromologia/
3. https://www.evros-news.gr/2017/05/12/πύθιο-παρατημένος-καταστρέφεται-ο-πρ/
4. "Trains of Turkey website". Archived from the original on 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
5. Modern measurement done on www.Openstreetmap.com indicate 10.2 km
6. Le Journal des chemins de fer, des mines et des TP, Paris, 29 March 1930 (in French)
7. Law 674/1971, Government Gazette A-192/1970
8. https://www.radioevros.gr/epeidi-ta-traina-einai-gemata-anthrwpous-kai-istories-kai-oxi-mono-eisitiria-kai-arithmous/
9. "Αναβαθμίζεται η σιδηροδρομική γραμμή Ορμενίου - Πυθίου". v4.deltatv.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
10. "Upgrading of Ormenio – Alexandroupoli / Frontier with Bulgaria – ΕΡΓΟΣΕ". ergose.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
11. "Search schedule Ormenio - Dikaia". TrainOSE. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
12. "Έβρος: Βούλγαροι διακινητές έγδυσαν & λήστεψαν μετανάστες". e-evros.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
13. "Απίστευτο περιστατικό με μετανάστες: Τους ξεγύμνωσαν στη Βουλγαρία και τους "πέταξαν" στην Ελλάδα (εικόνες)". pentapostagma.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
14. "Βούλγαροι διακινητές ξεγύμνωσαν μετανάστες και τους πέταξαν σε χωριό του Έβρου - Βεργίνα News". verginanews.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.

External links

• Ormenio Station - National Railway Network Greek Travel Pages