Line 4 (Athens Metro)

Line 4 of the Athens Metro is a future line that will run from Alsos Veikou to Goudi. Construction of the line started in mid to late-2021 and is scheduled to be completed in 2029 but is more realistically estimated to remain under construction until at least 2030.

Line 4 had been under consideration for many years. Its exact route was changed multiple times. One of the most famous routes was the U-shaped line from to (which are current stations of lines 1 and 3 respectively), including a branch to Vyronas. However, the route from Alsos Veikou to Goudi was chosen, as it has the benefit of being the one passing from the densely populated areas of central Athens, such as Galatsi, Exarcheia, Kolonaki, Kaisariani and Zografou.

In the distant future, it will be extended further north to Lykovrysi and to other important suburbs of Athens, like Marousi.

Development history

Plans for Line 4 of the Athens originated from the Metro Development Study for the period between 1996 and 2000, which proposed branch lines for Lines 2 and 3. The Line 2 branch would have run between and Alsos Veikou, with intermediate stations at Exarcheia, Alexandras, Dikastiria, Kypseli, and Galatsi. The Line 3 branch would have run between and , with intermediate stations at Faros, Filothei, Sidera, OAKA (Athens Olympic Sports Complex), and Paradissos (for Suburban Railway trains at ).

On 1 December 2005, after the original plan for 2 branches was scrapped, Georgios Souflias, then the Minister of the Environment, Urban Planning and Public Works, announced that the two branches would combine to form the U-shaped Line 4. Souflias stated that the original branches, if built, would have caused "significant structural and operational weaknesses" for Lines 2 and 3. The original proposal for Line 4 is similar to what is currently proposed between Alsos Veikou and Marousi (without the Line 5 branch), but it did not include stations at Elikonos, Panepistimioupoli, and OTE.

Originally, Section D of the Line 4 was going to have an interchange station with Line 1 at Perissos, but in late 2020 it was found that there were important reasons, technical, construction and transport service, for choosing a different interchange station. So, Section D was changed to have the interchange station be Pefkakia.

In September 2014, it was announced that a second station would be added to Kaisariani, named "Near East", after the local team of the same name of the Kaisariani Public Gymnasium (Near East Foundation - NEF), as it had been chosen to be built next to the team's stadium, but in late December 2017 to early January 2018, Attiko Metro decided to move Near East station to the Zografou Campus and then renamed it "Panepistimioupoli". At the same time, also in late December 2017, Attiko Metro announced the addition of a new station at the intersection of Parnithos and Agias Glykerias streets in Galatsi. The station's initial name was "Parnithos", but it was later changed to "Elikonos". Elikonos station takes its name from the Elikonas hill located next to the station. Also, Elikonos station will be the deepest on line 4, at a depth of 36.4 meters, with Ilisia station being the second deepest, at 34.7 meters.

Regarding Exarchia station, an alternative location at the intersection of Tositsa and Bouboulinas streets was considered, but did not proceed. Construction of the station began as usual at Exarchia Square in August 2022.

All more than 12 km(8.0m) of the metro line are said to have been opened by TBMs "Athina" and "Niki" until the end of 2026 as stated by officials.

Controversies

Exarcheia Station

There has been significant opposition to a metro station at Exarcheia Square, in a neighborhood known for its radical political and intellectual activism. Some local residents have even gone to protest against the building of a metro station at Exarcheia Square, as they claim that the square has historic value to the community. Locals claim that the "station is part of gentrification scheme aimed at altering historically leftwing and anarchist area". 16 people were detained as a result of these protests. Regardless of the protests, construction of the metro station has resumed since the protests ended.

Tunnel Controversy

Syriza and KKE MPs brought up a danger with the construction of the tunnel of Line 4 referencing a letter from ΑVAX S.A to Elliniko Metro which stated that the construction of the tunnel is not following certain studies which may cause serious political, economical and safety-related problems.

Construction stages

In March 2017, Elliniko Metro (the infrastructure manager of the Athens Metro) split the Line 4 project into five sections, of which Section A is now under construction: proposals for Sections C, D and E first appeared in the Souflias plan in April 2009.

If Elliniko Metro builds all sections as planned, the line will be about long, with 35 stations: However, the expected length of the completed project may change due to the ongoing review of the alignment of Sections C, D and E.

Section A (Alsos Veikou–Goudi)

Section A (), also known as Line 4A, consists of a line from Alsos Veikou to Goudi with a length of 12.8 km and 15 stations.

The construction budget of the project amounts to 1.2 billion euros, of which the European Investment Bank will allocate 800 million, while the remaining amount will be paid from the new NSRF and national funds. The depot of Line 4 is planned in Katechaki and Sepolia, as Alsos Veikou was rejected due to the forest area, while in the future, after the final extension, the depot will be relocated to Lykovrysi (at the height of the Holy Monastery of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou).

The following table lists stations of Section A of Line 4, which are under construction: the spelling of the station names on this table, in English and Greek, are according to Elliniko Metro, and all confirmed stations are underground with a layout of two tracks and two side platforms.

Section B (Goudi–Marousi)

Section B () may consist of a line from Goudi to Line 1 at , with intermediate stations at (for Line 3), Faros, Filothei, Sidera, Olympic Stadium, Paradissos (for Suburban Railway trains at ), and OTE.

Section C (Evangelismos–New Government Park)

Section C (), , may consist of a branch from to the new Government Park near , with intermediate stations at Pangrati and Vyronas: Elliniko Metro previously planned to build the terminus at Ano Ilioupoli.

The extension may form part of Line 5 (Haidari-Kalamaki), with trains initially terminating at . Elliniko Metro also announced the possibility of a further southern extension from Dafni towards Kalamaki. A western extension of Line 5 from Akadimia to Koumoundourou Square was also briefly considered in 2014: the alignment of the first section of Line 4 allows for the construction of such extension.

Section D (Alsos Veikou–Petroupoli)

Section D () may consist of a line from Alsos Veikou to Petroupoli, with intermediate stations at Plateia Igias in Nea Ionia, (for Line 1), Nea Filadelfeia, (for Suburban Railway trains), and Ilion (future Line 2). However, the September 2022 Athens Metro Development Plan reroutes Line 4 via instead of Perissos, resulting in the relocation of the station for Nea Filadelfeia.

Section E (Marousi–Lykovrysi)

Section E () may consist of a line from to the A1 motorway (National Road), with intermediate stations at Pefki and Lykovrysi. However, the September 2022 Athens Metro Development Plan has Line 1 serving the National Road at Varympompi Junction, with Line 4 terminating at Lykovrysi. The depot of the line will be near of the Monastery of Holy Irene Chrysovalantou.

Progress

The following table lists the progress into construction so far of each station of line 4.

*Organisation of common benefit

Notes

References

External links

Athens Metro official website

{{Athens Metro navbox, lines=4

Athens Metro lines