Initially, OSE's liveries were functional and utilitarian, with a new Logo to represent the new company. The first logo of the Hellenic Railways Organization, was established 1970, featured a distinct and simple design reflecting the organization's purpose and identity. The original logo depicted a winged wheel, symbolizing speed, mobility, and the connection between technology and transportation, a common motif in railway insignias worldwide. This design was framed in a circular layout, often accompanied by the acronym "OSE" in Greek letters (ΟΣΕ) or full name in some instances. The choice of the winged wheel highlighted the organization's focus on modernizing Greece's railway infrastructure and enhancing its services. Most locomotives and rolling stock were painted in shades of green, reflecting a traditional European railway style. Steam Locomotives, where primarily black with white or silver detailing, consistent with global practices for visibility and maintenance ease.
During this period, OSE adopted blue and white liveries, aligning with the national colours of Greece. Passenger carriages often featured a white base with blue stripes. Diesel locomotives such as the Alco models began sporting blue with white or yellow detailing, while some electric units showcased variations of red, yellow, and silver.
New OSE Logo and Branding of corporate logo was prominently displayed on rolling stock. The letters of the new logo incorporate interlocking and flowing curves, symbolizing connection and movement, which align with the concept of a railway network. The colours are a contrast to each other, with both the orange and the blue, making the logo visually dynamic and ensuring it stands out in various contexts. The designs became more streamlined, incorporating lighter blue and grey tones to reflect a modern image. High-speed Intercity (IC) trains were branded with more vibrant and passenger-focused liveries, including combinations of blue, white, and silver.
With the privatization of the passenger operator TRENOSE (now Hellenic Train under the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane group), livery styles began to diversify. TRENOSE introduced its branding, emphasizing red, white, and silver, particularly on its modernized ETR 470 and other high-speed trains. The Freight locomotives continued with more subdued liveries, often red, blue, or gray. Under the management of Hellenic Train, OSE's infrastructure and rolling stock are gradually being updated. Liveries reflect modern corporate branding, often incorporating sleek designs and reflective of the Italian influence.
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Primary rail network
As in most European Union countries, the administration of the railway infrastructure is separate from the railway operating companies using the network to provide passenger and freight transportation services. Up until November 2010, company EDISY S.A. was the actual manager of the Greek national railway infrastructure until it became a subsidiary of OSE. Specifically, on 29 November 2010, EDISY S.A. was merged back into the parent company OSE S.A., which is today the manager of the rail infrastructure of Greece.
The major lines of the Greek railway network consist of the mostly electrified standard gauge double-track line from Athens to northern Greece-Thessaloniki, a single-track electrified line from Thessaloniki to Idomeni (at the border with North Macedonia) and the mixed-gauge line from Athens to Peloponnese. Almost all other lines link directly with these two lines. The main line of the Greek Railway System from Athens to Thessaloniki covers a distance of 520 kilometres (320 mi).
According to the 2007 Network Statement, the total length of the standard gauge lines was approximately 1,665 kilometres (1,035 mi), while the length of the metre gauge lines (excluding Krioneri–Missolonghi–Agrinio line) is about 725 km (450 mi). In addition, about 150 km (93 mi) of new standard gauge lines towards Athens Airport and to replace metre gauge lines became fully operational in July 2007.
The backbone of the Greek railway network is called P.A.Th.E./P., which stands for Patras–Athens–Thessaloniki–Idomeni/Promachonas.
Piraeus – Athens Central Station
Piraeus is served by two terminals. One at Piraeus Harbour (Πειραιεύς Λιμήν, 37°56′55″N 23°38′08″E), which up until 2006 was used by some standard gauge trains for Chalkis, Thessaloniki, and Alexandroupolis. The short line to Agios Ioannis Renti is closed and, as of 2009, is being renovated. The heavy rolling stock repair works (Piraeus Central Factory, Κεντρικό Εργοστάσιο Πειραιώς – ΚΕΠ) are located at Lefka (37°57′17″N 23°39′03″E), next to Ergostasio halt, and are accessible from this line.
The other Piraeus mainline station (Peloponnese Station, 37°56′57″N 23°38′36″E) was used by the Peloponesse metric line trains until 2005, when it was converted to standard gauge, reopening in 2007 and today serving the Proastiakos rail service. The two lines from Piraeus meet just outside Agios Ioannis Renti (AIR) marshalling yard (37°57′41″N 23°39′55″E). Next to the marshalling yard lies the major rolling stock depot and maintenance facility of OSE (MAI).
North of AIR, the line crosses Kifissos River and then passes through the freight and parcels handling station of Rouf. At a siding of Rouf station, there is a "railway theatre" in disused rolling stock and a disused SEK class Μα "2-10-2" steam locomotive made by Breda (37°58′27″N 23°42′14″E). The line between Rouf and Athens Central (Larissis Station) is single-track and non-electrified.
There is considerable traffic on this stretch as it serves the busy Proastiakos commuter rail service and regional rail service to Thessaloniki and Halkida (Chalkis); as well as other destinations served by Athens.
Athens – Larissa – Thessaloniki
In 1916 the railway from Athens to Platy was completed, linking Athens with the European railway network. The line passes through Thebes and Larissa, and offers connections to several other cities (Chalcis, Lamia, Volos, Trikala) through branch lines. At Platy the line joins with the line from Thessaloniki to Amyntaio, Kozani, and Florina. The line continues across flatland until the suburbs of Thessaloniki are reached at Sindos.
Larissa and Thessaloniki have substantial marshalling yards for both goods and passenger trains.
There are daily InterCity (IC) trains from Athens to Thessaloniki and one night train. The InterCity (IC) rail service usually takes 4 hours and 23 minutes from Athens to Thessaloniki and 4 hours and 10 minutes from Thessaloniki to Athens.
Athens – Corinth – Kiato - Patras
In 2004, a new line was inaugurated running from Acharnai (SKA) junction to Athens International Airport "El Venizelos". Between Iraklio and Koropi, the new line runs along a closed motorway (Attiki Odos) along the general direction of the old Lavrio line, but displaced east. The line is double-track and electrified with 25 kV overhead catenary. When the planned extension from Koropi to Lavrio is built, it will probably follow the old Lavrio line more closely.
The new Corinth line branches off at SKA and runs west into Elefsis and the Megara Plains. The line passes through impressive tunnels and bridges in the "Kakia Skala" area, north of Agioi Theodoroi; while crossing the Corinth Canal over a new bridge and then into the New Corinth Station.
The line extends up to the village of Rodadaphni. Currently, the service is carried by DMU trains between Kiato and Aigio, where passengers can change to Hellenic Train bus services to Patras. Passengers in Kiato can also choose Hellenic Train bus services to reach Patras. There is work in progress to extend the line to Rio (Bozaitika area), while plans exist to extend the line to Patras.
Electrification of the lineup to Rio is in the plan as well.
Thessaloniki – Idomeni
This is a single-track electrified line connecting Thessaloniki with Idomeni, near the border with North Macedonia. It is mostly used for international freight.
Secondary rail network
Thessaloniki – Edessa – Amyntaio – Kozani / Florina
This line was opened in 1894 and connects Thessaloniki with the city Bitola, in the southern part of North Macedonia. It passes through Platy, Veroia, Edessa, Amyntaio, and Florina. At Amyntaio the Kozani–Amyntaio railway branches off. The section between Thessaloniki and Platy is part of the important connection towards Athens and southern Greece. The part across the border with North Macedonia is not used anymore, and passenger traffic has been suspended west of Edessa.
Thessaloniki – Alexandroupoli – Svilengrad
This railway line, 620 km long, joins Thessaloniki via the Port of Alexandroupoli to Svilengrad in Bulgaria, passing through or near most major cities of East Macedonia and Thrace (Serres, Drama, Xanthi, Komotini). At Strymon, the line connects with a northbound line along Strymon River Valley to Promachonas, which then joins with the Bulgarian network at Kulata. The line section from Stavroupoli to Toxotes runs along Nestos River Valley and is part of a preserved area that is not accessible by road.
From Alexandroupolis, the line continues northwards, where it runs alongside the Evros River, that marks the border between Greece and Turkey. A junction is located at Pythio, where a line continues east and crosses into Turkey towards Istanbul. On the Greek side, the line continues north over the Karaağaç cut off to Ormenio, the northernmost village of Greece. There the line crosses to the Bulgarian border town of Svilengrad. The distance from Alexandroupolis to Ormenio is 178 km.
Leianokladi - Stylida
An unelectrificated single-track regional railway line that connects Stylida with Lamia and Leianokladi.
Oinoi – Chalcis Line
The Oinoi–Chalcis railway is an 21.69-kilometre-long (13.48 mi) railway line that connects Oinoi (West Attica) with Chalcis, capital of Euboea in Greece. It is one of the most important railway lines in Central Greece. Its southern terminus is Oinoi, where there are connections to Athens and Thessaloniki.
Thessaly rail network
Larissa – Volos
The 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge, single-track branch line from Larissa to the port of Volos (61 km) was completed in 1960 along the route of a former 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge line. It branches off the Athens–Thessaloniki mainline at Larissa crossing the Northern part of the Thessalian Plain to Velestino, formerly a junction with the now disused Volos–Palaiofarsalos section. From Velestino it descends rapidly to the port of Volos, initially running parallel to the abandoned metre gauge line and then diverging through Melissiatika. Volos was the terminus for both lines, and also for the Pelion railway to Milies. Engine sheds and marshalling yards at Volos are home to many abandoned relics of the Greek railway system. There is a regular service on this line. Volos station is one of the very rare stations that serves three different gauges of railway line, notably standard gauge, metre gauge, and 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge.
Palaiofarsalos – Kalabaka
The West Thessaly single-track line to Kalabaka, recently converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge, branches off the Athens–Thessaloniki mainline at Palaiopharsalos. The line serves the cities of Karditsa and Trikala, the towns of Sofades and Kalambaka; and the tourist attraction of Meteora. In the past, this line was part of a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge line from Velestino to Kalabaka, crossing the main line at Palaiofarsalos. The eastern section to Velestino, still metre gauge, is maintained by enthusiasts as a heritage railway.
Peloponnese metre gauge network
The Peloponnese network belonged since its construction to the former Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways or SPAP (Greek: Σιδηρόδρομοι Πειραιώς Αθηνών Πελοποννήσου, Sidiródromi Pireós Athinón Peloponnísou; ΣΠΑΠ) until 1962 when they were merged to Hellenic State Railways or SEK (Greek: Σιδηρόδρομοι Ελληνικού Κράτους, Sidiródromi Ellinikoú Krátous; ΣΕΚ).
All passenger service on the metre gauge network in the Peloponnese (except the Diakofto Kalavrita Railway) was suspended in 2011. Some special passenger trains were able to run by demand of tour operators with the last one in 2016 but the line as of 2025 needs repairs in order for trains to run again
Athens – Corinth – Kiato (metre gauge)
The old metre gauge Piraeus–Patras railway line of Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways, which ran from Piraeus, Athens to Corinth, used to remain in operation only between Agioi Anargyroi and Corinth for departmental and freight services after passenger services were shut down in 2007 but now is completely abandoned. The track from Piraeus to Agioi Anargyroi has been removed. It is double-tracked between Agioi Anargyroi and Elefsis (near Athens), while for the rest of its remaining section it is single-tracked and non-electrified.
After Ano Liosia, the line runs north and west of the Aegaleo mountain range into Eleusis and onwards to the Megara plain. After nine km it reaches Kakia Skala, running between the old and new highways. It then continues between the mountain and the sea, passing next to the Corinth Refinery, crossing the Corinth Canal into the Peloponnese and on into the Old Station in Corinth on the Southern banks of the Gulf of Corinth.
The part between Ano Liosia and Megara is currently under reconstruction in standard gauge and electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz AC.
A short branch line at Isthmos leads to the town of Loutraki. The branch is currently under reconstruction in standard gauge and electrified using 25 kV 50 Hz AC.
Kiato – Patras
The 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge line to Patras runs along the south side of the Gulf of Corinth, the northern coast of the Peloponnese.
At Diakofto, a seaside resort between Corinth and Patras, there is a junction with the Diakofto Kalavrita Railway, a 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge rack and pinion line which climbs to a height of 720 m during a 22 km journey to Kalavryta through the Vouraikos Gorge. This line is known to Greeks as the "Odontotos" ("The train with teeth").
The main line continues alongside the gulf, passing to the north of Aigio and on to Patras. The Patras train station is situated next to the port near Othonos-Amalias Avenue. An old steam locomotive, c. 1900, lies to the east. The engine sheds and rolling stock depot are located to the northeast next to Norman Street. A freight marshalling yard is near Agios Andreas, although there are no longer freight services on the metric line.
Services on this section were suspended on 17 August 2009 due to work in progress for the line regauging to standard gauge. Hellenic Train announced that services will be reinstated on the western part of the line (Diakopto-Patras) on 27 September 2009. As of 2025 Kiato railway station is the terminal for the electrified trains Siemens-Desiro class 460 as the line till Aigio railway station is not electrified yet but will soon be in 2026
Patras – Lechaina – Pyrgos – Olympia
The line Patras–Kato Achaia–Lechaina–Amaliada–Pyrgos–Olympia is about 150 km long and runs through the prefectures of Achaia and Ilia. The train runs to the east of Akti Dymaion and alongside the Gulf of Patras between the old and the new highways as far as Kato Achaia, where it passes along the bed of the ravine, 4 km from the EO9/E55 to Lappa. The route then runs to the north of forested land, passing into Nea Manolada, then west of the highway to Lechaina. There used to be a junction with the Kavasila–Kyllini/Loutra Kyllinis branch line here, but this branch has since been abandoned. The line continues southwest to Kardamas and then into Douneika, moving away from the hills before reaching Pyrgos. It passes Pyrgos to the north, shortly branching left to the south west, leaving the main line for Kyparissia and Kalamata. The track runs into the hills, passing through Varvasena and then into the terminus at Olympia.
Pyrgos – Katakolo
Another 13 km branch line, originally operated by a separate company Σιδηρόδρομος Πύργου–Κατακώλου (Pyrgos–Katakolo Railway), opened in 1883 to link Pyrgos with the port of Katakolo. This line had its own terminal in Pyrgos. Later, in 1951, this railway was taken over by SPAP and trains were diverted into the SPAP station. The line was modernised in 2007 and is used for limited passenger service.
Pyrgos – Kalo Nero – Kyparissia/Zevgolatio
The line runs along the bed of the Alpheus river, east of the EO9/E55, then through Zacharo and into the plain westward with a few forested hills northwest of Kaiafa. It runs for most of its length west of the highway, passing into Zacharo and through Neochori and Tholon. At Kalo Nero, the main line turns east and runs inland, joining Corinth–Argos–Tripoli–Kalamata line at Zevgolatio while a short branch continues south from Kalo Nero down the coast to Kyparissia.
Corinth – Argos – Nafplion – Tripoli – Kalamata
The line branches off from the Athens–Corinth–Patras line, one km west of Corinth Old Station, with a spur entering the Corinth New Station. The line passes through Argos, where there is a branch line of ten km from Argos to Nafplion. It continues on to Tripoli and Lefktro, where a short branch line connects Megalopoli to the main line. In Zevgolatio, the line joins the line from Pyrgos–Kyparissia and continues on to Kalamata. This line used to continue from the main station of Kalamata to the old station of "Kalamata Limin" (Kalamata Harbour), now used as an open-air railway museum, and it came to an end at the Port of Kalamata. The track of this last section from Kalamata main station to the port still exists but is no longer in use.
Work is in progress on this line, especially between Tripolis and Kalamata, and details are liable to change. Passenger services on the section between Corinth, Argos, Tripolis, and Nafplion resumed on 1 August 2009 only to stop again 2 years later in 2011 with the whole line
Messene – Kalamata
This single-track line is a branch of the Corinth–Argos–Tripoli–Kalamata line and is 4.7 km long. The branch starts at Asprochoma then the track follows the EO82 road closely on the southern side. The line was opened in 1892 and linked Kalamata with Messene where a station building and a freight yard were built. It was closed in 1976, but the tracks were not removed.
The line was rebuilt and reopened in September 2007. From 2013 to 2016, there was an occasional operation, from 20 until 28 September, during the Messene festival and to the Christmas period until 10 January.
Since 10 June 2025, there has been an effort in the Kalamata municipal council to restore the Kalamata - Messinia part of the line. The Municipal government wishes for the line to connect the port of Kalamata, Kalamata International Airport, the Courts and finally Messini. The vice-mayor supported the plan and wished to install traffic lights should construction be implemented finishing to say that by the end of 2025 3km of the line will have been completed. The local KKE-backed Councillor claimed that the shutting down of the train tracks is one of the most destructive decisions made.
