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).
On Wednesday, OASA and the infrastructure and transport ministry will present the new system, which enables passengers to also pay their fare using a bank card or with their smartphone or smartwatch, in order to travel 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 had been implemented on a pilot basis since April 2024 on Athens International Airport Express Bus lines (X93, X95, X96 and X97).
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 that include 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.
“Public urban transport will play a crucial role in the development of smart cities and in facilitating the movement of users through tap & pay contactless payments, offering a safe and unobstructed experience to passengers and managers of transport systems seeking an easy, direct and safe access to these services,” OASA executives said.
OASA figures show rising use of the EMV – Tap & Pay application among passengers using the Express Bus lines, with more than 90,000 users, while it accounts for 9% of transactions on Express buses.
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.
