Athens: paper transport tickets will be withdrawn

The Greek Ministry of Transport announced the replacement of paper tickets on public transport for payment through bank cards or through mobile applications for smartphones.

“The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport wants to achieve even greater penetration of new technologies and services into the lives of citizens using public transport in Athens“, the ministry said in a statement. The aim of the innovations is that passengers do not need to purchase or use paper tickets if they have a bank card or e-banking application on their mobile phone, but pay the fare directly.

Standards
The ministry said it was working with banks to launch the e-ticketing system, which ministry officials say is used in all major European cities. Sources in the Ministry of Transport said that “the bank card can be used on all types of public transport.”

Benefits of ditching paper tickets

The benefits for the passenger are many, while OASA would also benefit by limiting the use of “traditional” paper tickets, which are also particularly expensive as they include enhanced security to prevent counterfeiting.

Where else are electronic payment systems used in transport.

After 120 years, the Paris metro is gradually phasing out paper tickets. This comes 20 years after the New York City Underground began using these payment methods, and more than a decade after the London Underground went almost completely paperless. Some, however, are glad that Paris is not in a hurry with this innovation.

Disadvantages and risks

It is worth noting that the so-called. Ath ena Card, personalized plastic cards that can be topped up at machines located at metro or tram stations. Read more about the map in the publication E-ticket for public transport in Athens.

They got used to the card, more than a million residents of the capital use it. However, the transition to payment through applications or credit cards will not be to everyone’s liking. First, many residents of Greece do not have credit or debit cards as a matter of principle. Partly it’s fears of technology, and for others it’s religious restrictions (there are quite a few of them, if anything. Editor’s note), against also various supporters of anarchist movements who are afraid that they will be followed.

This fear is quite logical, since the personalization of payment, namely this is supposed to be through the introduction of payment through bank cards and smartphones, provides the authorities with an additional opportunity to spy on the population. Calculate the movement of citizens who previously avoided such tracking.

And finally, there is still a certain category of residents of the capital who do not have bank accounts at all or live illegally, this is only in Athens, tens of thousands of people. For them, such an innovation will be a problem, at least in the subway.

Another disadvantage is the additional risk of hackers hacking the system, which can lead to leakage of personal data or theft of money from citizens’ accounts. However, the latter is already a problem for banks, on whose side the money will be debited from the accounts.

Source link