The pilot application of the system premiered yesterday contactless payments by bank card and digital wallet, through enabled devices (smartphone, smartwatch) on the buses of the Express lines of the Athens International Airport, “Eleftherios Venizelos”. The goal is for direct payment by bank card to be available by the end of the year in all OASA MMMs, i.e. in buses, trolleys, metro and trams.
The alternative possibility of using a bank card (debit, credit or prepaid) for MMM boarding, in addition to the classic ticket, marks the entry of Athens Communications into a new digital era for the transportation services provided to the passenger public.
In particular, the passengers, except ATH.ENA Ticket or ATH.ENA Card, since yesterday, they can use a bank card or the cards on their activated devices (smartphone or smartwatch) to board buses of the Express lines Athens International Airport (X93, X95, X96, X97). Payment cards issued by authorized institutions are also included.
Thus, passengers traveling to and from Athens International Airport can now alternatively pay for their ticket contactless, swiping their bank card over bus validation machines with the relevant indication of contactless transactions.
The equipment installed on the selected buses “reads” the card or digital wallet and charges the value of the trip to the passenger’s account.
The benefits for the passenger
With the implementation of the use of bank cards for boarding MMMs, the passenger public will not need to:
- To obtain a ticket through the issuing offices or issuing machines (AMEK).
- To know the available moving products in order to choose the appropriate one. The system in its full development will charge the passenger the most economical fare product, based on their movements. An extremely useful feature for passengers who are not familiar with the Athens transportation system, such as visitors from other cities and tourists.
- To look for points of sale or waiting in queues to buy a ticket in order to travel by public transport.
OASA, within the framework of a contract with Hellas Smart Ticket SA, a subsidiary of TERNA ENERGY, in collaboration with LG CNS and with the support of Visa and NBG Pay, developed the application of the pilot system of contactless transactions on the specific bus lines, with a horizon of expansion of the project to all the urban transport of the capital, until the end of 2024.
With this new service, Athens joins the list of European cities, such as Madrid, Milan, and London, that enable passengers to move in a simple, safe and comfortable way, contributing to the increase in the use of public transport.
