Primary Rail Network
As in most European Union countries, 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 Piraeus-Athens to northern Greece-Thessaloniki, a single track electrified line from Thessaloniki to Idomeni (at the border with the Republic of 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.
Read more about this topic: Hellenic Railways Organisation
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