Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways 1869 as a steam train connecting Athens and its port, Piraeus, and was operated by Athens & Piraeus Railway Co ( or ). The project was considered important, so Queen Olga and the Prime Minister Thrasyvoulos Zaimis attended the inauguration ceremony. There were 8 trains in each direction daily and 9 trains in each direction on Sundays. In 1874 the Athens & Piraeus Railway Company was bought by the Bank of Industrial Credit (). Under the new ownership the railway procured additional rolling stock. Soon the line was extended to Omonoia Square with an underground section constructed with the cut-and-cover
Piraeus plan was also drawn up and approved by King Otto, but not completely fulfilled, as it was revolutionary for its time. The municipality was established in 1835, reviving the ancient name 'Piraeus'. Following petitions from the new and emerging prosperous bourgeoisie, municipal elections were held to elect a mayor for the city, Kyriakos Serfiotis of Hydra. Piraeus had around 300 inhabitants at this time. Piraeus, from a deserted small town, quickly became the leading port and the second largest city in Greece, with its prime geographical location and closeness to the Greek capital helping it continually to grow, attracting people