Editing Proastiakos (section)

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2017}}
[[File:Athens Proastiakos map.jpg|thumb|[[Athens Suburban Railway]] map c.2012, in English and Greek]]

The concept of regular and frequent suburban and commuter rail services was introduced in Greece in the 1990s. It became possible due to extra capacity becoming available through improvements to the existing lines and the construction of new ones. In the past, suburban services ran on very infrequent timetables and were not very popular.

The construction of a new rail line between central Athens, its eastern suburbs, and the new [[Athens International Airport]] was decided in 1992–1993. During the construction of [[Attiki Odos]] motorway in the late 1990s, space was left between the main carriageways for the railway line. After two years of construction, the line to Athens International Airport opened in 2004. The first suburban services between Athens and the Airport were inaugurated using Stadler GTW and Siemens Desiro DMU trains.

On 27 September 2005, the new standard gauge rail line reached [[Corinth]], terminating at a new station, located at [[Examilia]]. This line today is served by "Proastiakos" suburban services, while initially "Proastiakos" trains stopped at Nea Peramos, Megara, Kinetta, and Agioi Theodoroi. On 18 July 2006, three new stations were added: Ano Liosia, Aspropyrgos, and Magoula. On 4 June 2007, the line was extended from Athens Central Station to the port of [[Piraeus]] with 3 intermediate stations at [[Lefka railway station|Lefka]], [[Rentis railway station|Rentis]], and [[Rouf railway station|Rouf]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Τα δρομολόγια του Προαστιακού της Αθήνας |url=https://www.athenstransport.com/proastiakos/ |website=Athens Transport |access-date=20 December 2024 |language=el |date=18 December 2024}}</ref> This extension linked the airport with the port of Piraeus. On 9 July 2007, Proastiakos services reached the new station at [[Kiato]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=hellenictrain.gr |first1=hellenictrain |title=Athens Suburban and Regional Railway |url=https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/athens-suburban-and-regional-railway |website=hellenictrain |access-date=19 December 2024}}</ref>

[[Hellenic Train]] also runs "Proastiakos" commuter rail services between the cities of [[Thessaloniki]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=hellenictrain.gr |first1=hellenictrain |title=Athens Suburban and Regional Railway |url=https://www.hellenictrain.gr/en/athens-suburban-and-regional-railway |website=hellenictrain |access-date=19 December 2024}}</ref> and [[Larissa]], on the modernised and electrified main line. The service initially operated from [[Thessaloniki]] to [[Litochoro]] in 2007 and was extended to [[Larissa]] in 2008.

In 2009 the brand name "Proastiakos"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kassimi |first1=Alexandra |title=Proastiakos introduces social distancing measures {{!}} eKathimerini.com |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/252309/proastiakos-introduces-social-distancing-measures/ |access-date=20 December 2024 |work=www.ekathimerini.com |date=5 May 2020 |language=English}}</ref> was also used for a short-lived regional service of four trains in each direction per day, connecting the cities of Xanthi, Komotini, and Alexandroupolis in the region of Western Thrace.

In 2010, [[Hellenic Train|TrainOSE]] created the [[Proastiakos patras|Proastiakos Patras]] service which runs on the old Athens-Patras line from [[Agios Andreas railway station|Agios Andreas]] to Agios Vassileos.

In May 2020 TrainOSE updated its electronic ticketing system to support social distancing on all Proastiakos services. The system stopped selling tickets when capacity on that train had reached 50 percent, TrainOSE CEO Filippos Tsalidis told reporters during a press briefing on safety measures to prevent Covid-19 infection during travel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kassimi |first1=Alexandra |title=Proastiakos introduces social distancing measures {{!}} eKathimerini.com |url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/252309/proastiakos-introduces-social-distancing-measures/ |access-date=20 December 2024 |work=www.ekathimerini.com |date=5 May 2020 |language=English}}</ref>