At 85 million euros the cost of the West Attica Suburban

Of Fotis Fotinou

Good news for the residents of Western Attica. By August, the OSE will announce the extension of the Suburban from Ano Liosia to Megara, with an initial budget of 85 million euros.

The project is considered important, due to the rapid development of the Triassios Field, but also the need to connect Elefsina with a means of fixed orbit.

The line will run suburban routes and will connect Western Attica with the main railway network.

In particular, it is a new suburban railway line, 36 km long, which will start from Ano Liosia, pass through Aspropyrgos, Elefsina and end in Megara.

At the same time, it will use the old metric line, which has been out of service for about 15 years.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport included the Suburban of Western Attica in the Recovery Fund and the goal, as mentioned above, is to tender the project – through the OSE – within two months. The project in question has the possibility of being extended by 3 km within the urban fabric of Megara (right of option).

According to OSE officials, the calculation of the capacity of the single-track Desiro electrified track determines the routes at up to 72 trains per day, which is considered extremely adequate.

The reason there is no double line is because, it is claimed, there will be delays with many expropriations.

It is pointed out that the Recovery Fund has very narrow margins, which means that the project must be completed by 2026, otherwise it is at risk.

The extensions to Lavrio and Rafina

In addition to the Western Attica Suburban, developments are expected, until the end of the year, in the extensions of the Suburban in the ports of Rafina and Lavrio.

In these cases, the costs are clearly higher and it remains to be proven if they are of private binding interest, something that will become clear in the next period, with the culmination of the Competitive Dialogue process. The joint ventures GEK TERNA – INTRAKAT, AKTOR – MYTILINEOS and AVAX – ALSTOM have shown initial interest.

The extension of the Suburban in Lavrio amounts to 391 million euros (without VAT) and the contractor that will be selected will undertake the study and construction of the railway connection of the city and the port of Lavrio with the existing suburban railway line from the Koropio Railway Station, total about 32 km long

The new line will be double in its longest length, electrically driven and equipped with modern two-way signaling systems with remote control and ETCS. The route of the new suburban railway from Koropi to the port of Lavrio envisages two stations, one in Markopoulos and the port terminus in Lavrio, as well as seven railway stops at the BIO.PA locations/settlements of Kalyvion, Kalyvion, Kouvara, Keratea, Daskaleou, Kalopigadou and Lavriou.

In any case, the final positioning of the stands will take place during the Competitive Dialogue process.

Accordingly, the extension of the Suburban in Rafina amounts to 309 million euros (without VAT) and the selected contractor will undertake the study and construction of the railway connection of the city and the port of Rafina with the existing suburban railway line.

According to the existing studies, two alternative incisions have been considered:

-Construction of an entirely new railway line, as an extension of the existing line from the terminal railway station at “El. Venizelos” airport to the port of Rafina, where the construction of a terminal railway station at the port of Rafina is envisaged.

Included are five new railway stops (Conference Center Airport, Spaton, Artemis, Crossroads, Rafina) and a new railway station (Port of Rafina).

-Railway connection of the port of Rafina from the Geraka area, initially along the belt of the old Lavrio line, and then, in combination with the Stavros – Rafina highway, using the (constructed in one section) island.

Included are five new railway stations (Geraka, Agios Gerasimos, Artemis, Crossroads, Rafina) and a new railway station (Port of Rafina).

It is noted that in both of the above projects, the preparation of the required final studies will be completed by the contractor of each project, which will result from the tender process. According to the conditions of the tenders drawn up by ERGOSE, participation in the Competitive Dialogue is a necessary condition for the participation of the pre-selected ones in the next stage, the submission of binding offers.

The study for the railway connection of the port of Volos is being completed

In the coming months, and specifically, by autumn, the study for the connection of the port of Volos with the railway network will be completed.

The reopening of the railway connection of the port of Volos is not great in cost, but great in importance, as mentioned, in an informative meeting with representatives of the press, officials of TAIPED.

This, because the port of Volos is going to be used through an international tender, so any connection with the OSE is a reinforcing “paper”.

Currently, developments are expected in the coming days in the ports of Alexandroupoli and Igoumenitsa, with the submission of binding offers, while for the port of Heraklion, binding offers are expected until the end of the year.