A crackdown on fare dodging on public transport appears to have contributed to a 9 percent increase in ticket purchases, bringing in nearly 300,000 euros in revenue in just three weeks, Kathimerini understands.

Ticket inspectors issued 3,341 fines to fare dodgers between September 24 and October 14, netting 272,580 euros, according to the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA). If the collection of fines continues at this rate, OASA could be raising an additional 25 million euros annually, according to estimates.

Of the fare dodgers stopped during the three-week period, only 4 percent paid on the spot, with the remainder settling their penalty later. Six in 10 did not have a validated ticket while 19 percent could not produce a special discount pass issued to pensioners and the unemployed.

The drive by OASA to crack down on fare dodging is aimed at averting an increase in the price of tickets for public transport early next year.