Athens Launches Contactless Payments on Public Transport

Learner News | 13/01/2025

This edition of Greek Learner News explores Athens’ shift to a digital era in public transport. Discover how this change is modernizing travel and aligning with global cities, starting with new payment options on various transportation modes.

Athens Launches Contactless Payments on Public Transport

The news in Greek

Η Αθήνα ξεκινά την ψηφιακή1 εποχή2 στις συγκοινωνίες. Από την 15η Ιανουαρίου, οι επιβάτες3 μπορούν να πληρώνουν4 εισιτήρια για μετρό, λεωφορεία και τραμ με κάρτες ή κινητά. Αυτή η αλλαγή κάνει τη μετακίνηση πιο εύκολη και σύγχρονη5 , όπως σε άλλες6 πόλεις της Ευρώπης. Ο στόχος είναι πιο άνετες και γρήγορες μετακινήσεις.

  1. ψηφιακός
    που σχετίζεται με την τεχνολογία των ψηφίων ↩︎
  2. εποχή (f.)
    περίοδος χρόνου που χαρακτηρίζεται από συγκεκριμένα γεγονότα ή συνθήκες ↩︎
  3. επιβάτης (m.)
    άνθρωποι που ταξιδεύουν με κάποιο μέσο μεταφοράς ↩︎
  4. πληρώνω
    δίνω χρήματα για κάτι που αγοράζω ή χρησιμοποιώ ↩︎
  5. σύγχρονος
    που ανταποκρίνεται στις σημερινές ανάγκες ή τάσεις ↩︎
  6. άλλος
    διαφορετικός από αυτό που αναφέρεται ↩︎

Translation

Athens embraces the digital age in transportation. From the 15th of January, passengers can pay for metro, bus, and tram tickets using cards or mobile phones. This change makes commuting easier and more modern, similar to other European cities. The goal is to provide more comfortable and faster journeys.

Text Comprehension

Question: When did Athens start allowing contactless payments on public transport?

On January 15th.

Question: What types of public transportation can passengers use contactless payments for in Athens?

Metro, buses, and trams.

Vocabulary

GreekEnglish
ψηφιακόςdigital
εποχή (f.)era
επιβάτης (m.)passengers
πληρώνωpay
σύγχρονοςmodern
άλλοςother

Free 6-week email course

Just starting with Greek? Get one easy lesson per week plus a short exercise to help things stick. Course launches in May – sign up now to be among the first to receive it!

Free email course

Read the full story

This development follows a successful pilot phase initiated in April, which allowed users of airport express bus lines to pay using contactless methods. During this period, more than 90,000 transactions were completed using this system, representing approximately 9% of all transactions on these lines, illustrating the growing acceptance and demand for such technologies among passengers.

The launch of the ‘tap2ride’ system aligns Athens with other major European cities such as Madrid, Milan, and London, which have adopted similar systems. It aims to simplify and streamline the commuting experience for residents and tourists alike by offering a more straightforward and convenient method of payment, thus encouraging increased use of public transportation.

Athens Launches Contactless Payments on Public Transport
Athens Launches Contactless Payments on Public Transport

According to OASA officials, the contactless payment system is part of a broader effort to modernize Athens’ public transport services, enhancing convenience and security while supporting the transition towards so-called smart city developments. The system is expected to offer a seamless transit experience by eliminating the need to purchase physical tickets or understand complex fare structures.

Under this scheme, commuters can easily pay for their rides by simply swiping their cards or devices at the designated contactless payment machines. This advancement in Athens’ transportation infrastructure highlights the city’s commitment to embracing digital innovation to improve urban mobility and passenger convenience.

Info: “Greek Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Greek”, a dedicated language school offering comprehensive Greek lessons online. We provide a variety of courses suited to different levels and learning preferences.


Greek Learner News

Discover news from Greece to stay informed and practise your skills.

  • Greece Faces Nationwide Transport Strike

    Greece Faces Nationwide Transport Strike

  • Power Outages Affect Regions Across Attica Today

    Power Outages Affect Regions Across Attica Today

  • Traffic Chaos Hits Major Athens Roads

    Traffic Chaos Hits Major Athens Roads

Learn to speak Greek!

Send us your details and our learning coordinator Andrea will contact you directly
to find out about your learning goals and how we can help.

    By submitting this form, you agree to the processing of your data as described in our privacy policy.

      Thanks for filling out the form!

      We’ll be in touch shortly. If you’d like to speed things up and help us find the best option for you, feel free to share some or all of the following details. This step is completely optional.

      ×