The services provided to passengers on the Athens public transport system are entering a new digital era as of next Wednesday, January 15, when the new contactless payment ‘tap2ride’ system will be available on all means of public transport operated by the Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA), ANA reports.
On Wednesday, OASA and the infrastructure and transport ministry will present the new system, which enables passengers to pay their fare using a bank card or with their smartphone or smartwatch when traveling on buses, trolley buses, the metro, and trams in the Greek capital. Contactless payments can be used in addition to the ATH.ENA tickets and ATH.ENA Card previously used by passengers.
The system has been implemented on a pilot basis on Athens International Airport Express Bus lines (X93, X95, X96, and X97) since April 2024.
Passengers will thus have the option to tap in and out using their credit and debit cards directly at validation machines and ticket barriers, with the price of the fare charged to their accounts. With the introduction of the new system, Athens joins a list of European cities including Madrid, Milan, and London that give passengers the option to travel in a safe, easy, and comfortable manner, contributing to the use of public transport.
The benefits of the new system for passengers include not having to buy a ticket beforehand to travel, not needing to know all the options in order to get the cheapest available fare (the system will charge passengers the cheapest fare based on their travel history), and not having to find a ticket sales point or wait in line for a ticket.
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Source: tornosnews.gr/en/