The first refurbished train on Line 1 of the Athens Metro—the former ISAP network connecting Piraeus to Kifissia—is expected to enter service this summer, following the completion of testing. The train is part of a broader program through which STASY, the public company that operates the metro and tram system in the Greek capital, is modernizing 14 trains that are over 40 years old.
According to the Greek publication Athens Transport, the first refurbished train arrived a few weeks ago, car by car, at the STASY depot in Sepolia, where it was assembled. The train is set to undergo testing in the coming days, first statically under the shed, then in motion on the test track at the depot.
If the tests proceed as planned, the train will subsequently run on Line 1 without passengers, including with test loads, before returning to commercial service. The first passenger trips are estimated for July.
Trains with nearly 3 million kilometers traveled
The trains covered by the program are part of the eighth series of rolling stock from the former ISAP network and first entered service in the early 1980s. Since then, each train has traveled an average of approximately 2.9 million kilometers—the equivalent of about 7.5 times the distance between Earth and the Moon—running on the same route between Piraeus and Kifisia.
After more than four decades of service, STASY decided to completely rebuild the 14 trains to extend their service life by another 25 years. According to the company, purchasing new trains would have been several times more expensive, and the construction would most likely have taken place abroad.
The work is being carried out at a factory in the industrial area of the city of Volos, and the project contractor is the Spanish company CAF, a manufacturer of rolling stock and railway solutions.
Delayed Project and Increased Costs
The program was not without its problems. According to Athens Transport, STASY imposed penalties on CAF for delays deemed unjustified in the project’s execution.
At the same time, the cost of the work was increased by adjusting the contract by 9.5%, due to rising material prices and supply chain issues that arose after the start of the war in Ukraine.
The project timeline has also been extended. Initially, all 14 refurbished trains were supposed to be delivered by the end of 2025. According to the new timeline, they are expected to be available on Line 1 by early summer 2027, with the project estimated to be completed by May 2027.
By December, STASY estimates that another three trains will be put into service. The goal is to deliver one train per month until next summer.
New interior, cabins, and spaces for people with disabilities
Although the project is defined as a refurbishment, the modernized trains have been almost entirely rebuilt. According to the Greek publication, apart from the train’s basic structure, nearly all components and mechanisms have been replaced or rebuilt.
The door mechanisms, which frequently caused malfunctions, have been replaced, even though the door panels have been retained. The interior of the trains now more closely resembles that of the trains running on lines 2 and 3 of the Athens Metro.
The trains are receiving new seats, screens for displaying the route and advertisements, security cameras, and, for the first time on every train on Line 1, three spaces designated for wheelchair users.
The air conditioning system has been modernized, including in the driver’s cabs. According to STASY, this should ensure better travel conditions during very hot months and reduce the problems faced by drivers, who were sometimes forced to take trains out of service due to malfunctions in the cab’s air conditioning.
Drivers will also have touchscreens on which they can view information about the train’s systems, as well as footage from cameras installed on station platforms to monitor passengers boarding and exiting.
Green color for the green line
The first refurbished train has a green exterior, a choice with symbolic value, as Line 1 is known as the green line of the Athens metro. Subsequent trains may feature other colors, as the line has already begun to feature a more visually diverse fleet.
All train surfaces have been specially treated with anti-graffiti properties, so that any drawings or inscriptions applied later can be cleaned off more easily.
Credit: athenstransport.com
The factory in Volos can work on four trains simultaneously. Currently, three trainsets are already there, and another is scheduled to depart from Athens for Volos in May. The second refurbished train is expected in Athens in July.
Improved service frequency on Line 1
According to Greece’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Konstantinos Kyranakis, the project should enable the first significant increase in frequency on Line 1 in several years.
By the end of 2026, the interval between trains is expected to drop below 6 minutes for the first time in two decades, reaching approximately 5 minutes. A further reduction in the interval is expected after the completion of the entire refurbishment program.
The Greek official also announced plans for Line 1 to operate 24 hours a day on Saturday nights in about a year, as rolling stock availability increases.
More old Athens Metro trains to follow
The reconstruction of the 14 trains on Line 1 is only the first stage of a broader modernization program. Next in line are 10 trains from the 10th series, which have been in service since the early 1990s and are set to be renovated to extend their service life.
Another major project involves the modernization of 12 trains from the first generation of the Athens Metro, which entered service in 2000. This program also includes the installation of air conditioning systems, has an estimated budget of approximately EUR 109 million, and is expected to be implemented over about 3 years.
Share on: 
