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The Pilion little train - Magnesia

The Pelion miniature railway was a dynamic eleffiaat of cultural development during the first half of the twentieth century and it greatly influenced the history and environment of Pelion and Magnesia in general.

For 76 years (1895 -1971), people and goods travelled on the train, considerably changing the economical and cultural status of the city of Volos and the region as a whole. Inspirational designer and builder of the Pelion railway, under the management of Thessalian Railways, was the Italian engineer Evaristo de Chirico, father of the great artist Giorgio de Chirico.

Using both his knowledge and a great deal of imagination, Evaristo de Chirico designed and, with the help of local craftsmen, constructed one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world. Only 60 cm wide, climbing the slopes of Pelion, mountain of the Centaurs, passing olive groves, deep gullies and gorges, it is a work of art, admired for its sensitivity, morphological harmony and structural perfection.

Construction of this railway line began in December 1894 and one year later, on October 12th, the first section, Volos - Lehonia, covering a distance of 13 km, was officially opened. Also completed were the bridge in Anavros and the one spanning Vrihona river, not far from Lehonia, which was the first to be built with fortified cement.

In 1900 the railway line was extended up to Milies and by 1903 this section had been completed. The line from Lehonia to Milies is 16 km long, with 28/1000 being the sharpest inclining slope. Technically, the work was extremely difficult because of the many bridges (6 stone bridges with two, three, four and five arches and one Iron Bridge ), protective walls, tunnels, and aerial pedestrian bridges, all masterpieces of engineering, representing the aesthetic power of the period, when engineering was sensitive to and in perfect harmony with the environment.

Today, after 25 years of silence, the little train puffs up Pelion mountain once more at 25 km per hour, thanks to the strenuous efforts of its friends.

At present, it departs from Ano Lehonia (soon the departure point will be Volos itself), climbing the mountain along a dreamlike route through olive groves, and passing the traditional settlements of Ano Gatzea, Agia Triada, Agios Athanasios, Pinakates and Argireika on the way, whistle blowing, until it reaches its final destination at Milies.

The passengers are able to enjoy the fantastic view of the sea from the peak of the mountain, and as they travel they can take photographs of the magnificent bridges of De Chirico; the five - arched bridge, or the sturdy iron bridge, unique in Europe . On reaching the end of the journey, they can also visit the historical library in Milies where they can examine the manuscripts of Anthimos Gazis, Konstanda and others.