 Αλεξανδρούπολη Alexandroupolis | |||||||||||||||
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 Alexandroupolis station July 2012 | |||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||
| Location | Alexandroupolis Evros Greece | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°50′42″N25°52′45″E / 40.8451°N 25.8793°E /40.8451; 25.8793 | ||||||||||||||
| Owned by | GAIAOSE[3] | ||||||||||||||
| Lines | |||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Train operators | Hellenic Train | ||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||
| Structure type | at-grade | ||||||||||||||
| Platform levels | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Accessible |      | ||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||
| Status | Operational | ||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.ose.gr/en/ | ||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1874 | ||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 1958[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Electrified | No[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||
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| Former service | |||||||||||||||
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Alexandroupolis station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alexandroupolis railway station orAlexandroupolis Port railway station (Greek:Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Λιμένα Αλεξανδρούπολης,romanized: Sidirodromikos Stathmos Limena Alexandroupolis) is the main railway station ofAlexandroupolis inEastern Macedonia and Thrace,Greece. Built-in the 1950s to combine the city's then-two stations, the current station is located in the city centre and acts as an interchange for services toOrmenio[4] andThessaloniki. Trains approaching fromThessaloniki must reverse for a few hundred meters to reach the station.
The central "French" station[5] was opened in 1874, two years after the line fromAlexandroupolis (thenDedeagac) toIstanbul viaEdirne was completed.[6] Built by theChemins de fer Orientaux (CO), from Istanbul toVienna. The railway reached Ftelia in 1873 when the line from Istanbul toEdirne and Bulgaria was opened.[7] When the first station was built, the local rail network was self-contained within theOttoman Empire.[citation needed] The "Poleos" Station would open later.[8] Until 1909 there was no connection between the lines Istanbul–Alexandroupolis and Thessaloniki–Alexandroupolis (opened in 1896) at Alexandroupolis; a connection existed between Feres and Potamos (near currentAvas).[9]
DuringWorld War I, the railway was an important link for moving troops and equipment, as the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria, and Austria-Hungary were allCentral Allies. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, its remaining imperial possessions were divided. The sections fromAlexandroupolis to Svilengrad, except for a short section of about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)[10] in Turkey servingEdirne Karaagaç station and for 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) between the Greek border andSvilengrad station inBulgaria[11] come under the control of theFrench-Hellenic Railway Company (CFFH), a subsidiary of the CO, when the CFFH was incorporated in July 1929.[citation needed]
Under theTreaty of Lausanne of 1923, a new border between Greece and Turkey was established at the Evros river, just east of Ftelia railway station, which had the result that the railway from Istanbul to Bulgaria entered Greece at Pythion, then re-entered Turkey at Edirne (Karaağaç railway station), re-entered Greece atMarasia, and finally entered Bulgaria between Ormenio andSvilengrad. This arrangement continued until 1971 when two new lines were opened. In Turkey, theEdirne Cut-off was opened to allow trains from Istanbul to Bulgaria to run through Edirne entirely on Turkish territory so that trains such as theOrient Express no longer passed through Ormenio. In Greece, a line was opened to allow trains from Pythion to Bulgaria to stay on Greek territory and avoid Edirne. In 1954 the CFFH was absorbed by theHellenic State Railways.[citation needed]
29 April 1954 Alexandroupolis Railway Station was the setting for a formal visit byKing Paul and then PrinceConstantine.[2] In 1958 the station was rebuilt[2] in a moremodern style. The following year, the station saw the arrival ofGerman, thePatriarch of Serbia.[citation needed]
In 1971, the Hellenic State Railways was reorganised into theOSE[12] taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure. In the 1990s, OSE introduced the InterCity service to theAlexandroupolis–Svilengrad line[13] Which reduced travel times across the whole line.[citation needed]
In 2001 the infrastructure element of OSE was created, known as GAIAOSE; it would henceforth be responsible for the maintenance of stations, bridges and other elements of the network, as well as the leasing and the sale of railway assists.[3] In 2005, TrainOSE was created as a brand within OSE to concentrate on rail services and passenger interface. In 2009, with theGreek debt crisis unfoldingOSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network. Timetables were cut back, and routes closed as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads. Services from Feres to Alexandroupolis were cut back to three trains a day, reducing the reliability of services and passenger numbers. With passenger footfall in sharp decline. On 11 February 2011, all cross-border routes were closed, and international services (to Istanbul, Sofia, etc.) were ended. Thus, only two routes now connect Alexandroupolis with Thessaloniki and Athens (and those with a connection to Alex / Polis), while route time increased as the network was "upgraded".[14] Services to/fromOrmenio were replaced by a bus service. In 2014TrainOSE replaced services to/fromDikaia with buses[15]
In 2014TrainOSE replaced services to/fromDikaia with buses[15] In 2017OSE's passenger transport sector was privatised asTrainOSE, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane[16] infrastructure, including stations remained under the control of OSE. In Late January 2020 a fire "accidentally" started when the possessions of a homeless man (who had found shelter within the courtyard of the station) caught fire for "unknown reason".[17] It was reported that just 20 days later the station was repaired.[17] In July 2022, the station began being served byHellenic Train, the rebranded TrainOSE.[18]
Following theTempi crash,Hellenic Train announcedrail replacement bus's[19] on certain routes across the Greek rail network, starting Wednesday 15th March 2023.[20]
In August 2025, theGreek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport confirmed the creation of a new body,Greek Railways (Greek:Σιδηρόδρομοι Ελλάδος,romanized: Ellinikí Sidiródromi Monoprósopi)[21] to assume responsibility for rail infrastructure, planning, modernisation projects, and rolling stock acrossGreece. Previously, these functions were divided among several state-owned entities:OSE, which managed infrastructure;ERGOSÉ, responsible for modernisation projects; andGAIAOSÉ, which owned stations, buildings, and rolling stock. OSE had overseen both infrastructure and operations until its vertical separation in 2005.[22] Rail safety has been identified as a key priority.[23] The merger follows the July approval of a Parliamentary Bill to restructure the national railway system, a direct response to theTempi accident of February 2023, in which 43 people died after a head-on collision.[24]
The station has waiting rooms and a staffed booking office within a 1960s-era building (which was renovated in 2020 following a fire).[17] There are toilets, parking and a Taxi rank also available, as well as bike racks. There is a disabled ramp leading up to the island platform, which is shielded by 1960s-era concrete canopies.
The station is served by regional stopping services toDikaia andOrmenio. InterCity trains also serve it toThessaloniki.
On 30 December 2019, TrainOSE announced re-opening theAlexandroupolis-Ormenio route.[25] As of 2020[update], theThomas Cook European Timetable notes that the station is served by two daily trains to/from Thessaloniki, and by three pairs of regular trains toDikaia. However As of 2022[update] it is reported that the timetable was cutback to just two services[26]
There are currently no daytime through trains to/from Athens. International services such as the "Friendship Express" toIstanbul viaPythion remains suspended since 2011.[27][28] Also, there are currently no regular passenger services to Bulgaria.[29]
Between July 2005 and February 2011 theFriendship Express, (an internationalInterCity train jointly operated by theTurkish State Railways (TCDD) andTrainOSE linkingIstanbul'sSirkeci Terminal, Turkey andThessaloniki, Greece) made scheduled stops at Central Station of Alexandroupolis.[30]
As of October 2024[update] all services are run as arail-replacement bus service.
Alexandroupolis railway station and its port could see an upgrade if the plans for theSea2Sea project go ahead.[31]
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