‘Cheaper journeys on mass transit’ was one newspaper headline yesterday. ‘Athens Transport Organisation reduces ticket prices’ was another. At first glance they both appear to the weary Greek to be glimmers of good news amid the chronic overtaxation and high unemployment. But, as ever, the devil is in the details.
The truth is that while some Athens public transport ticket prices will be reduced, others will be increased according to the changes announced yesterday by the Transport Ministry. Furthermore the time period for which tickets will be valid will also be reduced. Overall, the net result will be greater costs for the majority of passengers of public transport systems, according to the Panhellenic Federation of Consumer Unions (POMEK).
According to the organisation, the main beneficiaries of the new pricing scheme will be users of who exclusively travel on subway and train networks as the basic ticket will be reduced from 1.40 euros to 1.20 euros and the monthly pass from 45 euros to 30 euros (33%).
For exclusive users of buses, trolleys and trams on the other hand the cost of the monthly pass will effectively be increased from 20 euros to 30 euros (50%), given that the card for unlimited trolley and bus rides is being eliminated.
At the same time it should be noted that the actual cost of a simple ticket on all means of transport will increase for some as its validity will be reduced to 70 minutes from 90 minutes. This, according to POMEK, will effectively render all tickets one-way tickets.
“We could talk of a reduction in the price of tickets if the 20 euro pass for buses and trolleys was being kept, and if the 90 minutes validity period was left untouched. With the measures that were announced a segment of public transport passengers will benefit (the users of the metro and trains) but a (probably much larger) segment will face higher costs and indeed 50 to 70% higher,” POMEK said in a statement.