The Greek railway system was yet again in the spotlight last month as a result of a series of more recent incidents that compromised safety. Its operation is yet again being questioned by the masses.
Urgent need for infrastructure overhaul, improved training in the Greek railway system to prevent future incidents
Despite the pressing need to modernize and improve the infrastructure of the Greek railway system, recent developments highlight significant shortcomings. Specifically, these pertain to the maintenance and management of the network.
More importantly, there are concerns about the training of workers, especially drivers and station masters. They seem to fall short of acceptable safety standards and proper adherence to protocols for the safe transport of passengers. Over the past month, incidents have ranged from accidents that led to passenger injuries to serious safety breaches that resulted in near-fatal collisions.
These events underscore the urgent need to re-evaluate security procedures and staff training. Only in this way might passengers be effectively protected so that future incidents may be avoided.
Passenger trapped by train at Livadia station
On September 9th, a shocking incident occurred at the Livadia railway station when the doors of a train closed before a woman could exit, essentially trapping her. The woman was thus dragged along the platform. The mother of three sustained minor injuries in the ordeal, and the train stopped at the next station. A prosecutor is investigating the matter.
Another incident took place on Saturday, September 14th between Sfendalis and Afidna stations when train 1531 (Chalkida – Athens) collided with fallen trees, resulting in material damage and halting the train. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, although the event caused delays and roused public concern.
Near head-on collision on suburban line—pedestrian struck at Metaxourgeio
A particularly serious incident that endangered dozens of lives occurred just outside Athens on September 13th, when two suburban trains traveled towards each other at approximately 38 miles per hour (60 km/h) on the same track. The train driver, noticing the mistake, stopped in time and prevented a collision.
Furthermore, fire on the Athens-Piraeus Line (ISAP) of the electric railway broke out on September 25th on the tracks near “Neratziotissa” station, causing major disruptions for ISAP passengers. The passengers ended up evacuating on foot while the fire department dealt with the flames, which had spread to dry grass beneath the train.
Yet another incident occurred when a train struck an elderly man in Metaxourgeio on Thursday, October 10th, resulting in a head injury. The train stopped immediately, and the injured man was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Suburban train on the wrong metro line
Finally, another concerning incident took place on October 9th when a suburban train on the airport line mistakenly entered the metro line. The train driver reacted quickly, preventing another potential incident on the Greek railway. The mistake was attributed to incorrect instructions from the station master.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for immediate improvements in the safety and management of the Greek railway so as to prevent future accidents and ensure passenger safety.
