Greek train station master suspended due to wrong instructions

On September 14, 2024, news from Athens. Greek railway company said a train station master has been suspended and faces disciplinary action. Allegedly, the instructions given by the station master would put two passenger trains on the Athens suburban railway on the same track section on a collision course.

However, the station master of another different station and the drivers of the two trains quickly realized the mistake and stopped one of the trains about half a kilometer before it entered the single track. This incident occurred after a serious railway disaster about a year and a half ago. The crash on February 28, 2023 killed 57 people when a passenger train collided with an oncoming freight train that was wrongly placed on the same track. That accident sparked widespread public anger, especially after learning about the understaffing of train stations and the damaged and outdated safety infrastructure.

The Greek railway company said that strict compliance with railway traffic rules is a decisive factor for the smooth operation of railway traffic. The company is further strengthening employee training to avoid individual mistakes and improve services. The train drivers' union also said in a statement that thanks to the professionalism and sense of responsibility of train drivers, a serious incident that could have occurred today was avoided.