Hellenic State Railways - History

History

The Hellenic State Railways took over the standard gauge railway line from Piraeus to Papapouli at the pre-1912 borders, the extension from Papapouli to Platy and most of the former Ottoman railway lines that were within the Greek borders after 1919. These lines were:

• Piraeus, Demerli & Frontiers Railway (Greek: Σιδηρόδρομος Πειραιώς-Δεμερλή-Συνόρων), also known as Larisaikos
• Part of the former Thessaloniki & Monastir Railway (French: Chemin de fer de Salonique à Monastir or SM)
• Part of Chemins de fer Orientaux or CO, between Thessaloniki and Idomeni. The line from Alexandroupolis to Ormenio was transferred to the French-Hellenic Railway Company (Chemin de fer Franco-Hellenique, CFFH) of Evros (Greek: Γαλλοελληνική Εταιρεία Σιδηροδρόμων or ΓΕΣ) which was absorbed by SEK much later, in 1954
• The section of Thessaloniki-Constantinople Railway (French: Jonction Salonique-Constantinople or JSC) between Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis.
• The 66 km long Sarakli-Stavros line, a former military line (600 mm) constructed during World War I.
• The 50 km long Skydra local railway, a former military line (600 mm) constructed during World War I and initially operated until 1936 by a company called Local Railways of Macedonia (Greek: Τοπικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι Μακεδονίας).

After World War II the Hellenic State Railways absorbed most other Greek railways, including:

• Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways (1962), which had already absorbed other minor metre gauge railways.
• Thessaly Railways (1955), including Pelion railway.
• The French-Hellenic Railway Company (Chemin de fer Franco-Hellenique) of Evros (1954).

Only Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi (E.I.S., later ISAP), operator of Piraeus-Kifissia railway and Piraeus-Perama light railway, and the private mining and industrial lines remained independent.

The Hellenic State Railways existed until December 31, 1970. On the next day all railways in Greece with the exception of private industrial lines and E.I.S. were transferred to Hellenic Railways Organisation S.A., a state-owned corporation.