The central “French” station[5] was opened in 1874, two years after the line from Alexandroupolis (then Dedeagac) to Istanbul via Edirne was completed.
[9] During World War I, the railway was an important link for moving troops and equipment, as the Ottoman Empire, Bulgaria, and Austria-Hungary were all Central Allies.
The sections from Alexandroupolis to Svilengrad, except for a short section of about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)[10] in Turkey serving Edirne Karaagaç station and for 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) between the Greek border and Svilengrad station in Bulgaria[11] come under the control of the French-Hellenic Railway Company (CFFH), a subsidiary of the CO, when the CFFH was incorporated in July 1929.
[citation needed] Under the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923, a new border between Greece and Turkey was established at the Evros river, just east of Ftelia railway station, which had the result that the railway from Istanbul to Bulgaria entered Greece at Pythion, then re-entered Turkey at Edirne (Karaağaç railway station), re-entered Greece at Marasia, and finally entered Bulgaria between Ormenio and Svilengrad.
In Greece, a line was opened to allow trains from Pythion to Bulgaria to stay on Greek territory and avoid Edirne.
[citation needed] 29 April 1954 Alexandroupolis Railway Station was the setting for a formal visit by King Paul and then Prince Constantine.
[citation needed] In 1971, the Hellenic State Railways was reorganised into the OSE[12] taking over responsibilities for most of Greece's rail infrastructure.
In 2009, with the Greek debt crisis unfolding OSE's Management was forced to reduce services across the network.
Timetables were cut back, and routes closed as the government-run entity attempted to reduce overheads.
[25] Between July 2005 and February 2011 the Friendship Express, (an international InterCity train jointly operated by the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and TrainOSE linking Istanbul's Sirkeci Terminal, Turkey and Thessaloniki, Greece) made scheduled stops at Central Station of Alexandroupolis.