Author
George Papadellis | SG Head
The Pelion railway (with its traditional steam Moutzouris Train Pelion "Smudgy") is a 600 mm narrow gauge railway line (the narrowest in Greece and one of the narrowest in the world) connecting the city of Volos with the town of Milies in Pelion mountain.
Moutzouris Train at Start Station - Photo by: ID 47030059 © Mec17 | Dreamstime.com
The section from Ano Lechonia to Milies has interesting features, including seven stone bridges, an iron bridge, two tunnels and five stone road bridges.
Smudgy at one of the most beautiful points of its itinerary - Photo by: ©2008 K. Krallis, SV1XV, 20081101-Pelion-Railway, CC BY-SA 3.0
Until 1950 (for 80 years) the line (with Smudgy with the Belgian engines "Miliai", "Iasson", "Pelion", "Volos" and "Tsagarada", and its wagons, with smaller machines) served the needs of the city as a tram for the urban transport of Volos. In 1950, the line was taken over by the Hellenic State Railways until 1971.
Smudgy over a rocky traditional bridge - Photo by: iStock.com | dinosmichail
In 1971, the line was transferred to the Hellenic Railways Organization, which suspended the service as a cost-saving measure. Right after this change, efforts were made to reopen the line for touristic purposes. This was managed after the major reconstruction of part of the infrastructure, the removal of the soil from landslides and the works against corrosion.
Moutzouris Train at station - Photo by: anonymous, Pilionbahn in milies, CC BY-SA 3.0
Currently, the National Railway Operator runs one train every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday from mid-April to the end of October.
Does it operate this period?
This ride is a unique experience! Enchanting route through olive groves, picturesque villages, and stone bridges!
Smudgy is great! We visited Volos in 2017 and we had a great trip with the train. You feel like traveling in the past, when people were dressing well to go on this excursion on Sundays. And Pelion is a gorgeous mountain!