Athens Metro Fine

September 27, 2009 by host

On my way out of Athens, I decided to take the metro from Omonia station to the airport. The automated ticket machine offered only two options for tickets: a €.50 ticket, or a €1 ticket. This seemed a tad too good to be true, so I walked to another ticket machine to see if it offered more information, but nada.

I walked around the ticket area for a while looking for an information booth, but none were to be found. Eventually I purchased a €1 ticket and thought it was just another great deal the Greeks were offering to help their own citizens afford public transportation.

All was fine until the train pulled out of the stop just before the airport. About 30 seconds before the train reached the airport, two fare-control officers entered the car and began checking for tickets. One of the officers issued a ticket to a tourist a few seats ahead of me. The other officer walked up to me and asked to see my ticket. I handed it to him; he quickly scanned it and informed me that the fare for the airport was €6 – which I hadn’t paid — and that the fine for not paying was €60.

Admittedly, I’m the type of person who will bend a rule to it’s breaking point, but I never steal or cheat, and I lie only to protect feelings or to make people feel better about their disastrous decisions (i.e. “Love your new haircut.”). I consider it an act of kindness.

I explained to the officer that I’d seen only two options as far as metro tickets went. He explained that the €1 ticket was valid only as far as the station immediately preceeding the airport. The other €5 were for the 60 second ride from that station to the airport.

The other fare officer began issuing tickets to three English girls in the rear of the car. The girls looked really honest, with their healthy milk-fed complexions and no-nonsense khakis. I thought the officer would surely believe them, even if he didn’t believe me.

The officer and I went back and forth for a while. He’d obviously heard it before. He told me that I didn’t have to pay the fare right then and that I should send an e-mail to the Athens metro when I returned home, explaining that I was a tourist and that I wasn’t aware of the fare.

Every tourist in the car got a ticket.

When I got back to the States, I sent the required e-mail, explaining the situation. This is what I got back from “Passanger Communication and Service Department”:

Dear Madam,

in response to your e-mail we would like to inform you that the €1 ticket you demonstrated during you trip to the Athens airport, was valid for a single trip for Lines 1, 2 & 3 up to Koropi station. The section Koropi – Airport is not covered by the subject ticket as it is clearly indicated on the top (there is an information table about the tickets) or on the screen (a special button with an airplane is displayed) of the Automatic Ticket Issuing Machines. A single ticket to the airport cost 6 euros and is valid for a single trip to or from the airport from any station of Metro Network.

Despite of this, we would like to inform you that your e-mail itself was considered as the No 909889 Applications of XX.09.2009, for cancellation of the fine issued to you on September XX, 2009. The application will be examined by the relevant committee and we will inform you about the final results.

The procedure lasts about 2 months. Until then, you have no obligation concerning your fines. Be sure that you will be informed (via e-mail) about the final results of the applications.

Thank you for communicating with us.

Metro Fine Collection Office

One guess on what the final result of my application will be.