The Commission has approved an investment of more than €10 million from the Cohesion Fund for the refurbishment of 14 trains part of the Athens metro line, specifically line 1 running from the area of Piraeus to Kifissia. The investment kick-starts the first ‘circular economy’ project in Athens, bringing new life to outdated trains and ensuring that existing materials are recycled, all the while providing local citizens with more reliable public transport and investing in green mobility in the city.
It is estimated that the modernization will extend the lifespan of trains by around 25 years. Higher comfort and improved reliability will make the trains more attractive to passengers, ensuring that more people switch from cars to the metro, which will save them time and money.
The project will also reap many environmental benefits and energy savings: Athens can look forward to less air pollution and lower noise levels thanks to the modernised trains, and the upgrade of two energy recovery traction substations as well as the installation of an energy recovery system from the electric braking will reduce energy consumption by 15%.
This first adoption part of the 2014–2020 funding period paves the way for a further investment from the 2021–2027 funding period, meaning that the total investment for this project will amount to more than €94 million.
This support complements other Cohesion Policy contributions to upgrade the Athens metro line: in October 2022, the extension of metro line 3 to the Piraeus port was inaugurated, having received €470 million in financial support from the Cohesion Fund.
