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.[5] Larissa Rail Station should not be confused with Larissa Station in Athens.

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
Owned by	OSE
Line(s)	Intercity Piraeus–Platy railway[2] and Larissa–Volos railway[2]
Platforms	4
Tracks	6
Train operators	TrainOSE
Connections	Proastiakos Thessaloniki[2]
Construction
Structure type	at-grade
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Disabled access
Other information
Status	Staffed
Station code	LAR
Website	http://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened	22 April 1884[3]
Electrified	25 kV AC[4]
Services
Preceding station   Proastiakos Thessaloniki   Following station Rapsani toward Thessaloniki Line 1 Terminus Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station Rapsani toward Thessaloniki TrainOSE Mezourlo toward Palaiofarsalos Terminus Regional Kypseli toward Volos Terminus Regional Orfana toward Palaiofarsalos Palaiofarsalos toward Athens Intercity Katerini toward Thessaloniki
Location
Larissa, Thessaly Location within Greece

History

The station opened on 22 April 1884[6] 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.[7] soon after the liberation of Central Greece from the Ottomans. In 1955 Thessaly Railways was absorbed into Hellenic State Railways (SEK).[8] 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. 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.[9] In January 2017, heavy snowfall forced many trains services to be suspended. [10] In 2018 a new coffee shop opened within the station.[11] In 2019 the station received negative publicity after it was reported the high levels of rubbish left in and round the station.[12][13] The issue stemmed for one of finally responsibility[14] for cleaning and maintaining the station forcourt.[15][16]

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 1930’s and is run by Association of Friends of the Larissa Railway (S.F.S.L.).[17]

Facilities

The station has waiting rooms and staffed ticket office within an 1960s era building. The station has a buffet, and new coffee shop.[18] There is a taxi rank and Parking in the forecourt. In June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic the station was on 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.[19]

Services

The station is served by regional stopping services to Thessaloniki, Kalambaka, Palaiofarsalos and Volos.[5] 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 08 March 2008, an Alexandroupolis-bound[20] 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.[21] The Jerusalem Post reporting 20 adults and 3 children were taken to a nearby hospital[22] 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.[21]

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.[23] This again raised the issue of rail safety in Greece.[24]

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.[25]

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

External links

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

References

1. https://ose.gr/el/σιδηροδρομικά-μουσεία/25-σιδηροδρομικό-μουσείο-λάρισας
2. "OSE - 2020 Network Statement Annexes".
3. http://www.trainose.gr/en/ιστορικός-σταθμός-βόλου/
4. https://www.sdcem.com/project/tithorea-domokos-high-speed-line/
5. TrainOSE 2013 timetable Archived 2013-01-19 at the Wayback Machine
6. http://www.trainose.gr/en/ιστορικός-σταθμός-βόλου/
7. https://thessalyrailways.gr/?page_id=2768&lang=en
8. https://thessalyrailways.gr/?page_id=2768&lang=en
9. https://now24.gr/Θεσσαλία-Πωλείται-ο-σταθμός-Λάρισας/
10. https://www.naftemporiki.gr/slideshows/1193093/fotografies-apo-ton-xionismeno-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas/all
11. https://www.radiopolis.gr/anoikse-simera-to-neo-kai-diaforetiko-mikel-ston-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas-foto/
12. http://www.kosmoslarissa.gr/blog/larisa/mesa-sta-skoypidia-o-sidirodromikos-stathmos-sti-larisa-foto
13. 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
14. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=el&u=https://tinealarissa.gr/index.php/tag/stathmos/&prev=search&pto=aue
15. 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
16. https://ilarissa.gr/news/larissa/dimos-lariseon-efthyni-tou-ose-i-kathariotita-ston-stathmo-larisas
17. https://ose.gr/el/σιδηροδρομικά-μουσεία/25-σιδηροδρομικό-μουσείο-λάρισας
18. https://www.radiopolis.gr/anoikse-simera-to-neo-kai-diaforetiko-mikel-ston-sidirodromiko-stathmo-tis-larisas-foto/
19. https://www.news.gr/ellada/article/2265816/se-litourgia-i-thermikes-kameres-sto-stathmo-larisis-dite-fotografies.html
20. https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/382024
21. injured in central Greece train derailment "Railway accident at Larissa" Check |url= value (help). Retrieved 2020-07-29.
22. "Train derails in central Greece; 23 injured". Retrieved 2020-07-29.
23. "Railway accident at Larissa". Retrieved 2020-07-29.
24. https://www.europeandatajournalism.eu/eng/News/Data-news/Greece-s-deadly-rail-tracks
25. https://greece.greekreporter.com/2019/04/30/train-derails-in-central-greece-no-causalities-reported/