Taxis will cost more from June
Taxi fares are set to increase from June 1, two-and-a-half months before the opening of the Athens Olympics, the government said yesterday. The decision signed by the ministries of Economy and Transport allows for increases of up to 50 percent in certain categories of charges, but not on the actual fare per kilometer. The biggest hike will be in the airport charge, which is to rise from 2 to 3 euros for Athens Airport and from 2 to 2.50 euros for Thessaloniki Airport. The flag charge will not change, while the charge for waiting will rise from 7.10 to 7.50 euros per hour. Ordering a radio taxi will also become more expensive, with the charge increasing from 1.30 to 1.50 euros, while booking a taxi will cost 2.50 euros – up from the current 2.20. The decision came after months of pressure from taxi drivers, who complain that fares have remained unchanged for the past two years. Earlier this month, cabbies threatened to go on strike to secure a 50 percent hike in the basic charge per kilometer.
