Greece’s most mountainous railway
The Diakopto–Kalavryta Rack Railway is one of the most iconic and historic rail routes in Greece. It is also one of the few rack-and-pinion railways in the world still in regular operation, linking the coastal town of Diakopto with the mountain town of Kalavryta through the breathtaking Vouraikos Gorge.
The line was inaugurated in 1896 and remains a remarkable engineering feat to this day. Its defining feature is the rack system—special gears that lock into a toothed rail on steep inclines, allowing the train to climb the mountain safely. A key element of its construction is the way it was harmoniously integrated into the natural landscape of the gorge, utilising traditional materials and techniques.
The total distance of the journey is 22 km. On standard tracks, the speed ranges from 30 to 40 km/h, while on the rack sections, it decreases to between 6 and 15 km/h.
Starting at Diakopto, next to the Corinthian Gulf, the train enters the Vouraikos Gorge, following the riverbed past waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and lush vegetation. Stops are made at the locations of Niamata and Triklia, while roughly halfway through the journey, the train stops at Kato Zachlorou, the service point for visitors to the Mega Spilaio (Great Cave) Monastery. The journey concludes in Kalavryta, following a stop in the area below the village of Kerpini.
The line was inaugurated in 1896 and remains a remarkable engineering feat to this day. Its defining feature is the rack system—special gears that lock into a toothed rail on steep inclines, allowing the train to climb the mountain safely. A key element of its construction is the way it was harmoniously integrated into the natural landscape of the gorge, utilising traditional materials and techniques.
The total distance of the journey is 22 km. On standard tracks, the speed ranges from 30 to 40 km/h, while on the rack sections, it decreases to between 6 and 15 km/h.
Starting at Diakopto, next to the Corinthian Gulf, the train enters the Vouraikos Gorge, following the riverbed past waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and lush vegetation. Stops are made at the locations of Niamata and Triklia, while roughly halfway through the journey, the train stops at Kato Zachlorou, the service point for visitors to the Mega Spilaio (Great Cave) Monastery. The journey concludes in Kalavryta, following a stop in the area below the village of Kerpini.
