Ormenio railway station

Ormenio railway station (Greek: Σιδηροδρομικός Σταθμός Ορμένιο, romanized: Sidirodromikós stathmós Pythio) is a railway station that serves the village of Ormenio, Evros in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Located around 900m north of the center of Ormenio, it is the Northernmost railway station in Greece, and the final stop before crossing the border into Bulgaria.

Ορμένιο
Ormenio
LocationOrmenio
Evros
Greece
Coordinates41°43′42″N 26°12′44″E
Owned byOSE
Line(s)Alexandroupoli–Svilengrad railway[1]
Platforms1
Tracks2 (1 disused)
Train operatorsTrainOSE
Construction
Structure typeat-grade
Platform levels1
ParkingNo
Bicycle facilitiesNo
Disabled access
Other information
StatusUnstaffed
Websitehttp://www.ose.gr/en/
ElectrifiedNo
Services
Preceding station   TrainOSE   Following station
Ptelea
RegionalTerminus
|}
Location
Ormenio
Location within Greece

History

The station is on the line, built by the Chemins de fer Orientaux (CO), from Istanbul to Vienna. When the railway was built it was all within the Ottoman Empire. During World War I the railway was an important link as the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary were all Central Allies.

In 2020 it was announced that section of line between Pythio and Ormenio was to be upgraded, at a cost of €1.4m as part of an ambitious integrated intergovernmental transport plan which will see this, and 39 other transport sector projects be built, with financing from the European Commission with a total of €117 million.[2] The package of measures aims to build or improve transport connections and connectivity across Europe, with a focus on sustainable transport. The project for the Pythian-Ormenio section envisions upgrading the existing line infrastructure and trackbed, dubbling of the track as well as the installation of electrification signalling (ETCS Level 1) along the entire stretch, with the aim of improving freight transport with Bulgaria and Turkey.[3]

Facilities

The station buildings have recently been repaired and upgraded, however the waiting rooms are barely more than brick shelters and the station remains little more than an unstaffed halt.

Services

As of 2020, the station is only served by two daily pairs of regional trains Alexandroupoli–Ormenio.[4] There are currently no services to Svilengrad. There are currently no services to Svilengrad.

Station layout
L
Ground/Concourse		 Exits
Level
L1
Side platform, doors will open on the right
Platform 1 towards Alexandroupoli (Ptelea) →
Platform 2 towards Alexandroupoli (Ptelea) →
Side platform, Disused

Migration Criss

In September 2019, 26 Afghans and Pakistani men where found at the station, dressed only underwear. They had been robbed and left close to the Bulgarian border. It was later reported that the men they were left in Greece by Bulgarian smugglers, after they first stole everything they had on them.[5] Locals provided food and clothing to men, some no older than 16.[6] The 26 were eventually transferred to the Orestiada Border Guard Department, which is in the process of drafting the case file and is then expected to be transferred to the PRT for recording and identification. Both the local authorities and Frontex are investigating the incident.[7]

References
  1. "OSE - 2017 Network Statement Annexes".
  2. "Αναβαθμίζεται η σιδηροδρομική γραμμή Ορμενίου - Πυθίου". v4.deltatv.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  3. "Upgrading of Ormenio – Alexandroupoli / Frontier with Bulgaria – ΕΡΓΟΣΕ". ergose.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  4. "Search schedule Ormenio - Dikaia". TrainOSE. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  5. "Έβρος: Βούλγαροι διακινητές έγδυσαν & λήστεψαν μετανάστες". e-evros.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  6. "Απίστευτο περιστατικό με μετανάστες: Τους ξεγύμνωσαν στη Βουλγαρία και τους "πέταξαν" στην Ελλάδα (εικόνες)". pentapostagma.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  7. "Βούλγαροι διακινητές ξεγύμνωσαν μετανάστες και τους πέταξαν σε χωριό του Έβρου - Βεργίνα News". verginanews.gr. Retrieved 5 January 2020.


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