Odontotos (Rack Railway)

Odontotos railway is project of Charilaos Trikoupi.

About 113 years ago Odontotos rack railway started from the seaside town of Diakopto parallel to the river and climbed to Kalavrita through bridges and tunnels.

The contract for the construction of the line was signed in 1889 and the construction was finished seven years later. The design of the line was made by French engineers. The project was very difficult due to the inaccessible terrain. On March 10, 1896 the train made its first trip.

Since then the Vouraikos river and Odontotos head together. The little train incorporated so well to the natural environment that it seems that it had always been there. The way it was constructed did not put a strain on the ecosystem of the gorge. Using stone and wood from the area the technicians’ work is so perfect that someone may think that the nature worked on its own.

The route starts from Diakopto crosses the gorge of Vouraikos Zachlorou passes through the village and ends in Kalavryta. The journey takes about 1 hour.

Odontotos is not just the “train”. Vouraikos gorge and rack railway Diakopto-Kalavryta is a unique attraction in Greece.