E-tickets for Athens public transport set for more delays

The ongoing saga over the introduction of an electronic ticketing system for Athens public transport is set to continue with more delays in its implementation.

Last month, Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis said that the system will be up and running in August rather than on June 1, from an original target for last spring. This new target, however, may be further deferred to the fall as efforts to set up the necessary infrastructure to support the system have been hampered by objections from the Data Protection Authority over the inclusion of people’s social security numbers on monthly and yearly travel cards.

The Athens Public Transport Organization (OASA) last month said it would scrap the social security number requirement and refrain from keeping files tracking commuters’ movements. It is now waiting for final approval from the DPA, hopefully this month.