A contactless payment system called “tap2ride” for the purchase of tickets available in all public transport means in Athens has been in effect as of Wednesday, January 15, the managing company Athens Urban Transport (OASA) announced today.
“Tap2ride” is available in buses, trolley buses, metro and tram.
The new system 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 tram 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.
According to 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.
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“Please, place your card.”
PS I suppose the tap2ride has also a version in English.
