Commercial Uses of Land Around Urban Railway Stations in Greece

Abstract

This paper describes the results and conclusions of a research project on the development of commerce around electrical railway stations in Athens, Greece. The objective of the research is to reveal whether the stations attract and develop commercial land uses around them. The parts of the railway network used in this study are selected under the assumption that the railway crosses through districts with a relatively rich variety of land uses. Stations near the center of the city are excluded from the sample because, as proved, they are intensely influenced by the central functions of the city. The analysis is based on data from 2,418 commercial units included in a recent survey of 12 stations of the aboveground railway network cover over 235 Ha in the northern suburbs of Athens. Variables include characteristics of commercial units, types of shops, distances of the shops from the station, numbers of employees, etc.