New public transport fares announced

The government on Thursday announced the new public transport fares that go into effect from February 1, which in some cases will be up to 80 percent higher than previously based on a joint decision of the transport and finance ministries.

The new system will have two kinds of basic ticket: a cheaper 1.20 euro fare for single journeys using buses, trolleys and trams and the more expensive ticket valid for 90 minutes on all means of public transport, whose price has been raised from 1.00 euro to 1.40 euro.

Fares have risen across the board, including monthly and weekly travel cards after many years. The new list of fares are the following:

• Single bus, trolley and tram fare: 1.20 euro

• 90-minute travel pass valid on all public transport: 1.40 euro

• 24-hour travel pass valid on all public transport: 4.00 euro

• Seven-day travel pass valid on all public transport: 14 euro

• Bus ticket to Saronida: 1.60 euro

• Ticket on express bus to and from the airport: 5.00 euro

• Single metro ticket to and from the airport: 8.00 euro

• One-month bus pass: 20.00 euro

• One-month travel pass for all public transport: 45 euro

• One-year pass for buses, trolleys and trams: 200.00 euro (valid until 31 January 2012)

• One-year travel pass for all public transport: 450.00 euro (valid until 31 January 2012)

• One-month metro pass to and from airport: 140.00 euro

• One-year metro pass to and from airport : 1,000.00 euro (valid until 31 January 2012)

Under the new fare system, the monthly and one-year passes for use only on the ISAP electric railway and the metro have been abolished while the Proastiako railway ticket will be valid for all means of public transport for 90 minutes.

Those eligible for half-price fares will include card-holding members of registered large families, persons aged over 65 (on display of their ID card or passport), children aged seven to 12 years old, teenagers aged 13 to 18 on display of an ID card or passport, students that have an OASA card, students at vocational training colleges up to 22 years old that have a certification of attendance and an ID or passport, students at universities and colleges abroad up to 25 years old on display of a student ID and an ID or passport.

Deputy Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Spyros Vougias announced in Parliament that the government is also considering introducing a reduced fare for registered unemployed but that nothing definite has yet been decided.