Mitsotakis rides first rebuilt Line 1 train; 14 more due within a year

A ride on the first rebuilt train

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis boarded the first of 14 trains being rebuilt and fully modernised on Line 1 of Athens' Electric Railway at midday on Monday, 12 October 2026. He rode the route from Thiseio station to Moschato, accompanied by Deputy Minister of Transport Giorgos Kotsiras and STASY chief executive Thanasis Kottaras. The train entered service the previous week, in the week of 5 October 2026, and the government describes it as the start of a gradual renewal of the fleet on a line that serves a key axis for public travel in Athens. Line 1 had gone 22 years without any addition of rolling stock before this train entered service.

What the rebuilt trains include

The rebuilt carriages have been upgraded for accessibility, including the safe transport of wheelchairs. They have new motors, a closed-circuit television system for passenger safety and an upgraded air-conditioning system. Inside, the carriages have been fully refurbished with LED lighting, new seats, floors, windows and side panelling, along with new screens and modern passenger information systems. The rebuilding work is being carried out in Volos, under an agreement with the Spanish contractor CAF.

The prime minister's assessment

After the ride, Mitsotakis acknowledged that Line 1 is in poor condition, mainly because of the age of its trains, and said the situation is starting to change. In his remarks after disembarking, he said:

The truth is that Line 1 is currently in a very problematic state, due to extremely old trains. This is changing, however.

He went on to say that the government is making the upgrade of the capital's public transport a first policy priority, and that within the next year the line will receive its 14 rebuilt units:

We are receiving 14 fully rebuilt, new trains within the next year, accessible, air-conditioned, clean, comfortable, with special places for our fellow citizens with disabilities.

Goals and timeline

The programme covers the modernisation of all 14 trains and aims at a full upgrade of the line, which also means more frequent services. Mitsotakis said the central goal set with the minister is not simply to have better, newer, rebuilt trains, but also to reduce the intervals between trains so that the line can serve more passengers. The rebuilt trains are one of several measures the government says it is pursuing to strengthen public transport in Athens. The programme is scheduled for completion within 2027.