The above was stated by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Staikouras, in response to a topical question from the Member of Parliament for Drama of PASOK – KINAL, Anastasios Nikolaidis, in the Hellenic Parliament.
As the Minister mentioned, the employees of the contractors who would be affected if the relevant decision is implemented, have never had an employment relationship with the Company. According to the information provided by the Company, the closure of ticket offices is planned only in seven stations, prior to the expiration of the contract with the respective contractor.
For the remaining stations, the Company intends not to renew the contract beyond its expiration date.
Regarding more specific issues raised:
People with Disabilities (PWD): At the initiative of the Company, lifting equipment was transferred to the stations of Thiva and Oinoi on February 1st, ensuring that the necessary equipment is available at all points along the central Athens-Thessaloniki corridor. Even if some stations along the corridor are closed, the Company is committed to continuing to ensure proper service for PWDs.
Public Information: On February 4th, the Company implemented a passenger information page on its website, providing updates on the status of train schedules, as received from the infrastructure manager. Through this page, passengers can select their station of interest and receive updates on arrivals and departures. Additionally, according to the update, the Company plans to implement a live information system on its website, providing continuous updates to passengers regarding delays, route cancellations, bus substitutions, etc.
Compensation: Through the new commercial platform, passengers can manage their bookings independently for changes, compensations, etc. Alternatively, passengers can perform these actions at any open ticket office or contact the trained Passenger Service team.
Alternative Ticket Purchase Methods: After the activation of phone sales on February 1st, the Company now offers the ability to purchase tickets through five alternative channels. Specifically, passengers can use a comprehensive reservation system via the Hellenic Train mobile app, the website www.hellenictrain.gr (web ticketing), available ticket offices, the new Customer Service Center 14511 (phone sales), as well as onboard sales through Hellenic Train staff. Moreover, with the aim of serving special categories of passengers who may have difficulty using digital tools for ticket issuance, such as passengers over 65 years old, the Company provides these categories with the ability to purchase discounted tickets on the train. It should be noted that the ability to purchase tickets onboard is already available, and the use of cards is among the Company’s immediate plans.
Multi-ride Cards: Data shows that the vast majority of multi-ride card purchases on routes where Hellenic Train offers this option are for 30-day, 15-day, and 6-day cards. Consequently, the Company has focused on selling these cards while maintaining all applicable discounts for various categories of passengers. In fact, in January, 15-day and 6-day cards were introduced on the Piraeus – Kiato route, a previously unavailable option for passengers.
