With decision of Deputy Transport Minister, KTEL bus tickets increase by 10% both for intercity and local bus lines. The decision comes in addition to the 9% increase that was given to the sector at the beginning of 2024.
The decision has been published at the Official Government Gazette.
Travel by bus, both intercity and urban routes, with the private KTEL will be 10% more expensive in the near future, on which residents of the region rely even for their short trips.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport has given the green light for the second time in about two years for new increases in bus tickets which means that the cost of daily travel for thousands of passengers in the region is rising further.
By decision of the Deputy Minister of Transport, Konstantinos Kyranakis, the fare increase of approximately 10% was approved for both intercity and urban routes of the KTEL, which serve all cities in the country except the metropolitan networks of Athens and Thessaloniki.
The decision comes in addition to the 9% increase that was given to the sector at the beginning of 2024, which means that in less than two years, KTEL tickets have been significantly adjusted upwards with percentage increases reaching 19%!
This fact in practice creates two-speed citizens given that the fares of OASA in Athens and OASTH in Thessaloniki remain stable, having even decreased during the pandemic period, something that is made possible by the state subsidy of transport operators, but something that does not apply to KTEL. And all this at a time when there are significant complaints from passengers in certain areas, mainly concerning the frequency of routes and the connection of villages.
The ministry accepted the request of the KTEL companies that carry out transport work in the region, citing the continued increase in the operating costs of road transport, the rise in fuel prices, the increased labor costs, but also the costs for spare parts and maintenance of the bus fleet, which “have created the need to adjust the fare”, as noted.
The new prices
Ticket prices are being redefined in urban networks operated by KTEL in many cities in the country, as well as in the urban networks of Rhodes and Kos. The pricing system remains zonal, meaning that prices vary depending on the travel zone and the distance covered by the route. Prices are set without 13% VAT, while the tax is then added and the final rounding of the amount is made.
Based on the new decision for urban KTELs:
the regular ticket in the first zone is set at 1.17 euros, while the reduced ticket for categories such as pupils, students and families with many children is set at 0.68 euros.
In the second zone, the regular ticket rises to 1.56 euros and the reduced ticket to 0.88 euros, while
in zone C the price reaches 2.05 euros and the reduced ticket is set at 1.07 euros.
Travel that covers more than one zone is calculated based on the largest zone traveled, while for routes that are made within the same zone, the fare of the first zone applies.
These prices also include the mandatory 5% contribution provided for by Law 2963/2001, which is incorporated into the fare before VAT is imposed. After adding the tax, the final amount paid by the passenger is rounded to the nearest tenth, in accordance with the current pricing regime.
Prices for intercity travels
Increases of around 10% are also foreseen for intercity travel, where tickets are calculated based on kilometer coefficients. These coefficients vary depending on the region of the country and the specificity of the network. For lines operating within the same regional unit, prices range from 0.0943 euros to 0.1174 euros per kilometer and per passenger.
Regions such as Attica, Achaia, Thessaloniki and Corfu fall into the category with the lowest rate, while several island regions including Lesvos, Samos and Mykonos fall into the higher category, with a higher cost per kilometer.
For sections of lines extending beyond the boundaries of a regional unit, a different rate is applied, which is 0.0893 euros per kilometer.
It should be noted that today the regular ticket for the Athens – Thessaloniki route costs 45 euros for a one-way trip and 72 euros for a return trip, while for students the corresponding prices are 35 and 60 euros. Although the revised prices have not yet been announced by the KTEL companies, the implementation of a 10% increase would raise prices to 49.5 and 79.2 euros for the regular ticket and to 38.5 and 66 euros for the student ticket.
The hikes will affect also the monthly cards.
source: ethnos.gr & all other Greek media
