ATHENS
RESTRUCTURING THE TRANSPORT NETWORK
FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Key words:
Transport-system integration; Planning; Environmental politics; Public-transport projects
Monograph written by Camille MARTINET and Julien ALLAIRE, based on the presentation by
Zoï CHRISTOFOROU, OASA / UNTA (Damascus conference, 2010).
Intellectual property of CODATU
Latest update:
16/08/2012
Athens
Athens
hosted
the 2004 Olympics. The
Games’
return
to
Greece, cradle of the
ancient Olympics and
of the first modern
Games, enabled the
metropolitan area of
Athens, which produces
nearly half of national
GDP, to implement an
urban requalification
project.
RESTRUCTURING THE TRANSPORT NETWORK
FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Greece
Athens
Population: 11,316,000 inhab.
Population: 4,000,000 inhab.
Area: 131,957 sq. km
Area: 400 sq. km
Density: 85.8 inhab. / sq. km
Density: 10,000 inhab. / sq. km
Urbanisation rate: 61.40%
Length of lines: (2010)
Metro: 55 km
Tramway: 27 km
Modal mix:
Private cars: 53%
Public transport: 37%
Active modes: 10%
Annual rate of urban-population
growth (2005-2010): 0.56%
GDP / habitant: $26,606.9
HDI: 0.861 / 1
Car ownership: 455 vehicles per
1,000 inhab.
Vehicles per km of road: 55
Accident rate: 1.49 fatal
accidents per 10,000 inhab.
Sources: World Bank – UNDP – Zoï Christoforou – UrbanRail.net – EPOMM
Key words: Transport-system integration; Planning; Environmental politics; Public-transport projects
Based on the presentation by Zoï Christoforou – OASA / UNTA (Damascus conference, 2010).
In 2004, during a 16-day period, 301 events were held in the Greek capital and 3.6 million
spectators attended the Olympic Games. To host this occasion, the city implemented a vast urbanrequalification programme: housing construction and refurbishment, heritage enhancement,
transport-infrastructure development, and the creation of new sporting amenities.
Urban-infrastructure issues were central to preparations for the Olympics. The success of the major
sporting events depended on the construction and reliability of the infrastructure. The Games
therefore served as an ultimatum for the Athens authorities.
Athens saw very rapid urban growth in the second half of the 20th century. Since the 1960s, the
metropolitan area had extended to the north and south without reference to any planning document,
and often illegally. It is estimated that one-quarter of the buildings in Athens were built illegally. Until
the second half of the 1990s, and Athens’ decision to host the Olympics, planning documents were
generally unsuccessful.
Since 1970, car ownership has risen strongly in this capital city. In 2009, according to Eurostat, 1 the
rate in the Athens area was 650 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants. Very early on, the national and local
authorities tried to fight the atmospheric pollution caused by car traffic. The Nefos – a cloud of
sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone that hangs over the city, which is located between sea
and mountains – makes the metropolitan area one of the most polluted in Europe.
To reduce pollutant emissions, an alternate traffic scheme called dactylio was introduced in 1982. In
a 23 sq. km area of the city centre, cars could only be driven on odd or even dates depending on their
registration plate. However, this measure did not have the expected results in terms of improving
traffic flows and air quality, owing to: a sharp rise in the number of taxis and two-wheeled vehicles
authorised to drive in the area; a fast increase in car ownership in households located in the area, so
as to have two cars with “odd” and “even” plates; inadequate public-transport provision; and
practically no parking controls. 2
Figure 1: Modal mix in Athens.
ORGANISATION OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
In Athens, the public transport system comprises seven transport modes: suburban bus, taxi,
suburban train, fuel-engine bus, trolleybus, metro and tramway. The suburban buses and the taxis
are operated by the private sector; the other modes are attached to the Ministry of Infrastructure,
Transport and Networks via Hellenic Railways and the Athens Urban Transport Organization (AUTO).
AUTO has the power to plan, organise, oversee and provide services of all public-transport modes,
above and under ground.
The improvement and modernisation of Athens’ public transport for the Olympics was conducted
under the “Attica SOS” plan launched in 1994 by the Ministry of the Environment. The ministry
implemented many measures to improve air quality: creating bus lanes, opening 17 km of metro line,
renewing the bus fleet, developing trolleybus lines, controlling car traffic, etc. The transport1
2
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Vehicle_fleet_statistics_at_regional_level/fr
http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=ECOPO_029_0053
modernisation programme was expected to reduce atmospheric pollution, increase road safety, and
introduce new travel habits. 3
The transport infrastructure required to host the Games was therefore incorporated into the
restructuring of the transport system of the whole of Attica (the region including Athens).
UNPRECEDENTED DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Public transport development, though a core element of planning projects for more than 50 years,
had never actually materialised until Athens was chosen to host the Games. The summer 2004
Olympics were the biggest-ever challenge faced by the Athens transport system.
The entire transport system was modernised: 9.6 km of new metro lines, 23 km of tramway lines
(two new lines) and 32 km of suburban-rail network entered service for the occasion. At the same
time, 120 km of new roads were opened and 90 km of existing roads were upgraded.3
Development of the metro network
Athens’ metro network comprised three lines, the first of which had been built in 1869 and only
served a small part of the city. The metro network had to be upgraded for the Games. A vast
programme was launched, aiming to: increase speed, upgrade the signalling system on the busiest
routes, upgrade the safety and telecommunications systems, and refurbish the stations.
In addition, extension projects to link the city centre with the Olympic sites north of the capital were
essential. These satisfied the Games’ needs by serving the entire Attica region as well as Athens
International Airport.
Building the extensions was problematic: archaeological sites were discovered, and it was also
necessary to destroy many illegal constructions, a move that prompted legal action by residents. All
of this continually slowed down the works, which cost about €2 billion.
The lines opened before 2004 carried about 530,000 users per working day. The extensions added
150,000 extra daily users. Public transport users saved considerable travel time. Launched in 1991,
the works continued until 2007, when the final line extensions entered service. The network is
currently 55 km long and has 52 stations.
3
http://thema.univ-fcomte.fr/IMG/pdf/These_Adeline.pdf
In addition, a suburban regional train linking Piraeus (to the south) with Athens central railway
station, then the airport (to the east), was built for the occasion.
Figure 2: Athens transport system.
The tramway
The tramway was created to serve the capital’s southwest suburbs, where several Olympics sports
venues were located. It shortened the journey to the coast to 22 minutes, instead of two hours
previously. Its average speed is 25.5 km/h, whereas that of cars and taxis in Athens is 10 km/h. Two
lines were built: one linking central Athens and Glyfada, a coastal resort; the other linking the city
centre with Phaedra Bay, where two of the main sports complexes are located.
The first stage of construction ended by summer 2004. Some 23 km of lines were built for the Games
(owing to construction delays, the tramway was shortened by one station near the city centre). Over
the longer term, this network will serve central Athens more extensively.
The tramway, which had been closed down 50 years ago, is now one of the transport modes the city
is relying on to resolve its congestion problems. Its construction is one of the investments supported
by the European Union’s Community Support Framework.
At the same time, a semi-ring road was built to link the east and west of the metropolitan area, while
bypassing central Athens. The road, about 50 km long, now rings the northern half of the city, from
Venizolos International Airport to the east. This piece of infrastructure required a budget of €950
million.
With the execution of the projects, AUTO improved coordination between the various modes, thus
reducing travel times. The authority also rolled out an integrated ticketing system and a joint
operations centre. To develop multimodality, park-and-ride facilities were created at five metro
stations and efforts were made to improve information for travellers.
BENEFITS OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE DURING AND AFTER THE GAMES
Figure 3: The tramway in Athens.
During the Games, emphasis was placed on the quality of service provided by the public transport
system. A fleet of buses was dedicated to Olympic participants, and these enjoyed exclusive use of
some bus lanes.
In parallel, Athens put in place traffic management measures using video surveillance, coordination
of traffic lights at crossroads, and parking and traffic restrictions near the Olympic sites. Deliveries
and waste collection were allowed at night only, on designated routes.
During the Games, public transport performed particularly well, representing more than 73% of
journeys: 1.6 million out of a total of 2.17 million.
The Olympic Games enabled the Greeks to launch the big reforms necessary for urban policy in the
capital. The event structured development of the metropolitan area, and developed the public
transport offering needed for a conurbation of this size. In this respect, the Athens authorities drew
inspiration from the example of Barcelona.
In Zoï Christoforou’s view, the Olympics offered Athens a new urban-mobility culture as well as
infrastructure and an integrated fare system. Some traffic restrictions have been maintained, and
some express bus lines have continued to run.
Between 2003 and 2006, urban public transport gained 10% modal share, exceeding 35% in 2006.
Since 2004, the metropolitan area has continued to develop projects: extending dedicated bus lanes,
city-centre tramway lines, and metro lines to the suburbs. The bus fleet was renewed, and the
implementation of a zonal fare system was explored.
The Games were therefore a positive catalyst for the Greek capital, making it more functional for
residents and more attractive to tourists. The development of a transport offering for the 16-day
event gave a structure to long-term urban planning.
Transport infrastructure improvement, modernisation and construction created a new organisation,
which in turn influenced the urban area by improving services and accessibility for certain areas of
Athens, thus giving a new structure to the Attica region.
According to Greek writer Alexis Stamatis, “the Olympic Games were a godsend: a unique opportunity
for the city to change its face … and the Greeks did not miss their chance.”