Orfana railway station

Orfana
Ορφανά
General information
LocationOrfana
Karditsa
Greece
Coordinates39°24′12″N 22°13′41″E / 39.4034°N 22.2281°E / 39.4034; 22.2281
Owned byGAIAOSE[1]
LinePiraeus–Platy railway
Platforms2
Tracks2
Train operatorsHellenic Train
Construction
Structure typeat-grade
Platform levels1
Accessible
Other information
Websitehttp://www.ose.gr/en/
History
Opened1995
Electrified25 kV AC, 50 Hz[2]
Services
Preceding station Hellenic Train Following station
Palaiofarsalos
Terminus
Regional
Larissa–Palaiofarsalos
Larissa
Terminus
Location
Orfana
Location within Greece

Orfana railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Ορφανών, romanizedSidirodromikos stathmos Orfanon) is a railway station in Orfana, Karditsa, Thessaly, Greece. It is located just east of the village. Opened in 1995, replacing an older station of the same name.

History

On 16 January 1972, at around 1645 hours[3] on the line between Orfana and Doxara, a breakdown in communication between the corresponding stationmasters at Doxaras and Orfana caused an express train and a military relief train to collide in bad weather on the single track line. The southbound diesel hauled Acropolis Express and northbound Number 121 Athens-Thessaloniki, (known as posta) were allowed to proceed[4] without first allowing a passing loop. 21 people died, and more than 40 were injured[5] in one of the deadliest rail accidents in Greece.[6][3] Nikolaos Gekas[5] The stationmaster at Orfana was later sentenced to 5 years for his part in the disaster.[7]

In August 2025, the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport confirmed the creation of a new body, Greek Railways (Greek: Σιδηρόδρομοι Ελλάδος, romanizedEllinikí Sidiródromi Monoprósopi)[8] to assume responsibility for rail infrastructure, planning, modernisation projects, and rolling stock across Greece. Previously, these functions were divided among several state-owned entities: OSE, which managed infrastructure; ERGOSÉ, responsible for modernisation projects; and GAIAOSÉ, which owned stations, buildings, and rolling stock. OSE had overseen both infrastructure and operations until its vertical separation in 2005.[9] Rail safety has been identified as a key priority.[10] The merger follows the July approval of a Parliamentary Bill to restructure the national railway system, a direct response to the Tempi accident of February 2023, in which 43 people died after a head-on collision.[11]

Services

The station is served the following Hellenic Train services:

Station layout

L
Ground/Concourse
Customer service Tickets/Exits
Level
L1
Side platform, doors will open on the right
Platform 1 towards Thessaloniki (Larissa)
Platform 2 towards Palaiofarsalos (Kalambaka)
Side platform, doors will open on the right

References

  1. ^ "Home". gaiaose.com.
  2. ^ "OSE 120 — Trainspo".
  3. ^ a b "Η σιδηροδρομική τραγωδία που επέβαλε τα ραδιοτηλέφωνα στις αμαξοστοιχίες. Δύο τρένα συγκρούστηκαν γιατί οι σταθμάρχες διαφωνούσαν μεταξύ τους. Η δίκη και η τιμωρία". January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Η σιδηροδρομική τραγωδία που επέβαλε τα ραδιοτηλέφωνα στις αμαξοστοιχίες. Δύο τρένα συγκρούστηκαν γιατί οι σταθμάρχες διαφωνούσαν μεταξύ τους. Η δίκη και η τιμωρία". Μηχανη Του Χρονου. January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Δερβένι Κορινθίας (1968) - Δοξαράς Λάρισας (1972): Δύο πολύνεκρα σιδηροδρομικά δυστυχήματα". 5 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Ιτέα Καρδίτσας: Το πολύνεκρο δυστύχημα τραίνων στα Ορφανά το 1972". 13 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Η σιδηροδρομική τραγωδία που επέβαλε τα ραδιοτηλέφωνα στις αμαξοστοιχίες. Δύο τρένα συγκρούστηκαν γιατί οι σταθμάρχες διαφωνούσαν μεταξύ τους. Η δίκη και η τιμωρία". January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  8. ^ Smith, Kevin (12 September 2025). "Greek Railways formed in a major restructuring". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  9. ^ International, Railway Gazette. "Greece restructures railway infrastructure manager to implement safety and efficiency improvements". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  10. ^ Cech, Lubomir (4 September 2025). "3 Greek companies merge to create Greek Railways". RAILMARKET.com. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  11. ^ Smith, Kevin (12 September 2025). "Greek Railways formed in major restructuring". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 5 November 2025.