Tender on for metro cash machines
Banks have until July 15 to submit their financial bids to the Athens metro operating company (AMEL) for the right to install their cash machines at stations. The highest bid will win the contract that will give one bank the right to install its automatic teller machines in train stations, in most cases next to the ticket booths and dispensers. Interest from banks has been considerable, as metro stations are viewed as a privileged location with hundreds of thousands of potential users passing through on a daily basis. On the other hand, stations with fewer passengers may actually generate no profits for the winning bank, as at least 15,000 transactions per day are required for an ATM to offer banks a profit, according to sector professionals. Until recently the available space had been occupied by National Bank of Greece cash machines, as the country’s biggest lender won a tender back in 2001. But that contract expired and all the ATMs were removed in February, to the dismay of passengers who had grown used to conducting their retail banking through the machines available at all stations. For months now the gap has remained unfilled. The other AMEL tender for the advertising boards at metro stations remains pending, due to a lack of interest. In contrast, there has been keen interest in the advertising space inside carriages.
