GREECE - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 297

You won't need your rail pass for this day excursion. You'll be traveling on Athens's
privately owned electric line—ISAP. The line is the “subway” for the city. A major
portion of the rails running to Piraeus, however, is aboveground.
Begin your journey from Omonia Square in the city. It connects with Syntagma
(Constitution) Square via Stadhiou Street, which starts right outside the entrance to
the tourist information office. The entrances to the underground terminal are clearly
marked. Be certain to purchase and validate your tickets before boarding. The sta-
tion uses a center platform for all trains, so check the directional signs for Piraeus
before boarding.
Travel at off-peak hours to avoid the crowds. Service is frequent throughout the
day. Train etiquette in Greece dictates that men relinquish their seats to the ladies
and that the young do the same for elders. When in Greece, do as the Greeks do.
Athens (Athinai)—Piraeus
Frequent local trains run between Athinai Omonia Station and Piraeus on the ISAP
Line; first train 0500, last train returning Omonia Station at 0030; journey time is
approximately 20 minutes.
Distance: 5 miles (8 km)
Leave the electric train at the end of the line in Piraeus. The terminal lies right
at the harbor. To stroll along the quay, exit the station straight ahead, turning left at
the side along the sea. Commercial ships and ferries to hundreds of island points
occupy the piers along the waterfront of the main harbor.
Throughout the centuries, Piraeus has had successes and failures. In 86 B.C. the
Roman general Sulla destroyed the city and its docks, and for centuries Piraeus
was considered an unimportant village. Reconstruction began only in 1834, when
Athens became the capital of Greece. Resettled by islanders, Piraeus grew rapidly
throughout the 19th century and played a large part in the revival of Athens.
Between 1854 and 1859, Piraeus was occupied by an Anglo-French fleet to pre-
vent Greek nationalists' forays against Turkey, an Allied power in the Crimean War.
During World War II the port was put out of action in April 1941 by a German air
attack. The ammunition ship Clan Fraser , carrying 200 tons of TNT, together with
two other ships loaded with ammunition, exploded and destroyed the port.
In addition to its main harbor, Piraeus has two small-craft harbors, Zea and Mik-
rolimano. Zea shelters pleasure craft, and Mikrolimano features fishing craft and