Minister scrambles to clear up new e-ticket problems

Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis is scrambling to impose some order following the confusion caused by half-baked plans to activate a new electronic ticket system on public transport and end sales of some paper tickets.

An announcement that paper tickets for multiple journeys will cease to be sold at the end of this month has resulted in huge lines of passengers at metro stations seeking to buy electronic tickets. To ease the congestion, the ministry is planning to extend the opening hours of ticket issuing booths at metro stations so that commuters can buy electronic tickets at night, Kathimerini understands.

Another problem that transport authorities appear not to have anticipated is the repercussions of electronic machines for validating the e-tickets. One mobile telephony provider said it has observed interference in its network caused by the electronic validation machines that have been installed at metro stations.