Hellenic Train
Hellenic Train S.A., formerly TrainOSE S.A. (), is a private railway company in Greece which operates passenger and freight trains on OSE lines. Hellenic Train employs train crews, operators and manages the most of rail services throughout the Greek railway network, leasing rolling stock owned by GAIOSE except for ETR 470 trains. The company was a subsidiary of the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) until 2008, when it became an independent state-owned company until its privatisation in 2017. TrainOSE was acquired in September 2017 by the Italian national railway company, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane. In 2022 the company rebranded as Hellenic Train. History The company was a subsidiary of the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) and had been since 2005. Before 2005 it had been an in-house service of OSE. In 2008 the company became an independent state-owned company. In 2017 it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the FS Italiane Group. Privatisation The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund became the sole shareholder of the corporation in April 2013. An international tendering process for the privatisation of TrainOSE began in July 2013. The Italian state railway group Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane submitted the only binding offer for a 100% stake in TrainOSE, announced on 6 July 2016. On 14 July 2016, the privatisation agency accepted Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane's offer, worth 45 million euros, to buy 100% of TrainOSE. TrainOSE's shares were completely transferred on 14 September 2017, and is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane. In 2022, TrainOSE was rebranded as Hellenic Train. On 28 February 2023, Greece suffered its worst rail disaster when 57 people died in the Tempi train crash, in which a Hellenic Train from Athens collided with a freight train coming from Thessaloniki. Many of the people on the passenger train were students returning from Carnival, while the freight train likely contained heavy steel plates and other construction material; the two trains collided at a combined speed of 100 miles per hour. The station master reportedly failed to switch the rail line and advised the train driver to ignore a red signal, causing both trains to be switched to the same track. Following the train crash, services were suspended and it was announced that buses would replace train services until safety improved and the new signalling system is completed. A limited service will begin in April 2023 and the new signalling system is expected by September 2023. Domestic services Mainline passenger services Hellenic Train operates three types of regional rail passenger services which include "Regular" trains (, regular/common train), Express trains () and Intercity (IC) trains. The regular rail service is the slowest, with trains making frequent stops, while it is also the cheapest available. Express trains are faster trains, making fewer stops in sections served by regular trains. Intercity (IC) trains are the fastest but the most expensive. The needed supplement on Intercity (IC) trains typically doubled or tripled the base fare respectively, but today this is determined more by the different competing