



The incidents of vandalism of public transportation vehicles and ticket validation machines continues to occur in and around the city of Athens.

According to Kathimerini, on Monday at around 11:30 pm in the suburb of Vari on the 117 Glyfada-Vari city bus, three passengers allegedly threatened the bus driver with a sharp object and then smashed the screens of the newly installed electronic ticket validating screens on the bus.

There are no further details provided about the incident at this time.

This is one of several recent acts of vandalism by groups of young men who have been destroying the newly installed machines at stations and vandalizing public transport vehicles.

Data last month revealed that the acts of vandalism have resulted in over 130 machines — 80-plus new ticket validating machines, some 40 ticket barriers and around 6 ticket dispensers — which have all been destroyed in Athens since last summer when they were installed.

According to estimates, the cost to the public from people dodging fares for public transportation in Greece comes to an annual amount of 40 and 60 million euros — a statistic which has prompted authorities to install the new electronic ticket validating machines.



