Over 200 years ago, when locomotives were first being developed, people worried their speed would make passengers “unable to breathe” or that “they would be shaken unconscious by the vibrations.”
The arrival of trains marked a turning point in human history, revolutionizing the way people and goods moved across vast distances. Before railroads, travel was slow and unpredictable, bound by the limitations of horse-drawn carriages and ships. The invention of the steam locomotive in the early 19th century changed everything, bringing speed, reliability, and a new sense of connection. Railways did not just transform transportation; they fueled industrial expansion, reshaped economies, and fostered innovation in engineering and communication. They became the lifelines of cities, carrying raw materials to factories and finished goods to markets.
Beyond their economic importance, they connected cultures, ideas and people, weaving a more interconnected world. Thus, trains became symbols of modernity, a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of progress. The architectural masterpieces of the stations, the sounds and rhythm of the wheels and the steam of the engines inspired myriad depictions in modern art and continue to engender a sense of adventure, speed and progress.
The birth of the Greek state coincided with the dawn of the railway era. As early as 1835, plans were proposed to establish a railway connection between Athens and Piraeus. However, it took 22 years for the first construction contract to be signed in 1857, and a total of 12 years before the project was completed in 1869.
Railway expansion accelerated towards the end of the 19th century, in a Greece where the economy relied on small agricultural towns. With limited road infrastructure and minimal industry, the need for a railway network became urgent. In 1881, Prime Minister Alexandros Koumoundouros signed agreements to create standard-gauge lines, envisioning Greece as a key hub for international travel.
In 1882, leadership changed, and Charilaos Trikoupis introduced a different approach. Instead of prioritizing international connectivity, he focused on domestic development, promoting a metric-gauge network that would connect the Peloponnese and Thessaly. The Athens – Larissa line, intended for future integration into the European network, was maintained as standard gauge. Despite ambitious expectations, the network took 25 years to complete.
By 1909, Greece’s railway network had reached 1,606 kilometers, and in 1918, the full Athens – Thessaloniki route was inaugurated, marking a major milestone in linking the country’s northern and southern regions.
In 1920, the Hellenic State Railways took over railway operations, while in 1926, the Hellenic Electric Railways assumed control of the Omonia – Piraeus line. During the 1930s, the Attica Railways and Thessalian Railways were also incorporated into the former one.
In 1971, railway operations were transferred to the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE), which continues to manage Greece’s railway network today.
From steam power to electrification, and from local routes to international connections, the history of Greek railways reflects the country's development, geopolitical role, and transition into the modern era.
In this Thematic Exhibition you will find photographs, scores and art works about trains, also letters and documents concerning the network and the state of the railways, magazines and press of the Panhellenic Railway Federation, train machinery and components, diagrams and other documents that illuminate the development of railway infrastructure in Greece in the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
