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A series of safety incidents on the Athens-Piraeus electric railway (ISAP) have raised serious concerns about the overall reliability of the capital\u2019s oldest line, which has been integrated into the metro system (Line 1).<\/p>\n
The latest incident occurred last Friday when a train heading toward Piraeus was evacuated at Moschato station after one of its carriages filled with smoke due to a reported faulty brake system. Metro operator STASY said emergency protocols were immediately enacted, with the train\u2019s operator cutting the power and deploying three fire extinguishers to contain the situation. The affected train was then withdrawn for technical inspection, and passengers experienced minor delays until service resumed.<\/p>\n
This marks the fourth malfunction reported on the line in a single month. On December 30, 2024, a train emitted smoke at Moschato station. On New Year\u2019s Day, all doors on a train opened unexpectedly while it was traveling between the Ano Patissia and Perissos stations. On January 3, another train was taken out of service after one door failed to close securely.<\/p>\n
The New Year\u2019s incident prompted strong reactions from railway employees and led to further investigations by prosecutors. The administration responded to the incident, stating that a renovation program for 14 aging trains is underway.<\/p>\n
Dimitris Gourtis, the train operator involved in the latest incident and a member of the STASY health and safety committee, told the press that the train in question had traveled approximately 4 million kilometers and was 40 years old. He criticized the company\u2019s cost-cutting measures, which have allegedly led to severe staff shortages, a lack of spare parts, and reduced service frequencies \u2013 all contributing to unsafe conditions and daily hardships for passengers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past, on the ISAP line there were 45 trains available. Now there are about 11, plus an additional four that we have borrowed from the metro. Weekend schedules have been reduced by 50%, and there is also a significant reduction in weekday schedules,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to the STASY organizational chart, there are 3,128 planned positions, with approximately 800 vacancies, underscoring the understaffing of services.<\/p>\n
Gourtis also raised the issue of staff exhaustion. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about thousands of overtime hours. I was recently speaking with a colleague who revealed that they worked three consecutive months without a day off. I would like someone to tell me if the risks associated with this situation have been assessed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The health and safety committee recently sent an urgent letter to management highlighting persistent issues with the braking systems. The letter detailed at least two instances where the train\u2019s braking distance significantly failed to achieve safety standards \u2013 in one case, the train stopped 10 meters beyond the designated platform, and in another, it stopped 50 meters beyond. The letter raised several pointed questions regarding the regular maintenance and testing of critical brake components and warned that the country\u2019s transport minister would soon be called upon to address these issues before Parliament.<\/p>\n
STASY serves approximately 250 million passengers annually.<\/p>\n
Safety in Greece\u2019s railway sector has come to the fore after a deadly train collision near Tempe Valley in February 2023 claimed the lives of 57 people.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n