By F. Zois
[email protected]
A rail link extending to the northern Peloponnese coastal city of Aigio, from the current terminus at Kiato, further east, comes after an interruption of 10 years.
The rail connection means that a handful of small coastal cities on the Peloponnese's northern coast - Xylokastro, Akrata, Diakopto and Aigio - will again be linked by standard rail.
The routes will initially be served with diesel locomotives, as the line is still not electrified.
In a related development, private rail provider Piraeus Europe Asia Rail Logistics (Pearl) will sign an agreement with the Hellenic Railways Organisation ( OSE), the state-run owner of railway infrastructure in the country, on Monday to allow the former to operate rail routes. Pearl joins Italian-owned Trainose and Rail Cargo Logistics Goldair as private rail operators in the country, as the once dominant state monopoly in all rail services went by the wayside during the memorandum years in Greece.
Next up is a license for Romania-based Grup Feroviar Roman.
