Transport authorities announced yesterday that an 80-cent ticket will be introduced on all modes of public transport and that the cost of monthly travel cards will be cut in a bid to tempt more Athenians onto trains, trams and buses.

A bi-ministerial committee decided that the simplification of ticket prices on Athens’s public transport system would help boost passenger numbers.

At present, ticket prices on the metro, Athens-Piraeus electric railway, buses, trolley buses and tram are all different.

There is a 1-euro ticket that allows passengers to use any form of transport in a 90-minute period.

As of May 1, however, this ticket will be priced at 80 cents and all other tickets will no longer be issued.

This will represent a 60 percent rise for passengers who use just buses or trolley buses. Tram riders will be forced to fork out 33 percent more and electric railway passengers will cough up 14 percent more. There will be no change for metro passengers.

However, transport officials believe that more passengers will benefit from the fact that they will be able to use more than one form of public transport for 90 minutes and only pay 80 cents.

The prices of monthly travel cards will also be cut with the aim of offering better value for the money to commuters. A monthlong ticket that can be used on the entire public transport network will cost 35 euros, instead of 38, from May 1. The price of a monthly pass for buses and trolley buses will be reduced from 17.50 to 15 euros. These adjustments are the latest in a series of measures to encourage wider use of public transport in Athens. Another scheme, the extension of the hours of service on the electric railway and metro until after 2 a.m. on weekends, is due to begin tonight.