Stricter fines for public transport fare evasion now in effect in Greece

New, stricter fines for fare evasion on public transport in Athens and Thessaloniki are now in effect as of Saturday, May 30. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport aims to curb ticketless travel with these increased penalties.

Passengers caught without a valid or validated ticket will now face a fine of 100 euros. For those eligible for reduced fares, the penalty is set at 50 euros. However, there is a provision for offenders to pay half the fine, amounting to 50 euros, if they purchase a monthly pass valid for at least 30 days within 10 days of the violation being recorded.

These new sanctions represent a significant increase compared to previous penalties, which stood at 72 euros for a standard ticket and 30 euros for a reduced fare. The relevant ministerial decision, activating Law 5290/2026 passed several months ago, was published in the Government Gazette on May 28 and became effective on May 30, 2026.

The implementation of these higher fines is expected to encourage greater compliance with ticketing regulations across the Greek public transportation system.