2009 June Living, Working, Musing & Misadventures in Greece

Living, Working, Musing & Misadventures in Greece

A practical guide to moving, living, working & traveling in Greece, plus tips and narratives from an American in Athens

Archive for June, 2009

Three-day ticket for unlimited tourist travel in Athens

June 29, 2009 at 17:30 · Filed under Public Transportation

athensbus

Planning to spend a few days sightseeing in Athens?

Tourists and residents can purchase a three-day ticket for only 15 euros, which is valid for unlimited travel in Athens on the suburban railway (proastiakos), metro, and ‘X’ buses to/from the airport, the Athens Sightseeing Bus in the city center (line 400) and all lines of the metro, tram, trolley and bus.

A three-day ticket is perfect for those who plan to see the town and may be on their way to another destination within Greece, or are coming from a Greek island by ferry and want to spend a couple of days in Athens before heading to the airport.

The 24-hour (€3) and weekly tickets (€10) do not include the Athens Sightseeing Bus (€5) or transport to/from the airport (round trip €6.40-12.00). So the three-day ticket is versatile and convenient but may no longer be cost-efficient now that the Athens Sightseeing Bus 400 has been permanently discontinued as of June 1, 2010. It depends on your needs.

*Article updated June 1, 2010

Where to buy tickets

Tickets are available at locations, where visitors to Athens are most likely to begin their travels, including:

1. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport of Athens: Airport ‘X’ buses or nearby kiosk

2. Suburban Railway (Proastiakos) Stations, “Larissis” and “Piraeus”

3. Athens Metro Station “Syntagma”

4. Athens Metro Stations (Green Line or ISAP) “Piraeus” and “Omonia”

More locations to be added as the program becomes more widespread.

© Copyrighted image from Greece: Instructions for Use

How to use it

As with all public transport tickets, the three-day ticket must be validated in a brightly colored machine at the entrance or platform of the metro, suburban railway or tram, or upon boarding a bus or trolley. The 72-hour countdown begins once the ticket is stamped, and there is no need to validate it again.

All passengers must have their tickets handy for random checks by agents. Those who cannot show a valid ticket will be requested to disembark and receive a fine.

Need more information?

The Athens Urban Transport Authority is distributing brochures from four information stands in the Arrivals Hall of the Athens airport and a booth in suburban railway stations, where tourists are most likely to start their travels in Athens.

Sources

“Από 1η Ιουλίου το νέο τριήμερο τουριστικό εισιτήριο του ΟΑΣΑ”
“Organismos Astikon Sygkoinonion Athinon/Athens Urban Transport Authority“

Screen capture from ETHEL.gr
Validation machine from my personal collection

http://bit.ly/ATHticket

Comments (9)

Greek tax office requires 500,000 homeowners to correct E9 form

June 25, 2009 at 19:00 · Filed under News

A half million homeowners in Greece were originally told to correct “serious errors” on E9 forms filed between 2005-2008 within 10-15 days or else receive a fine. However, the deadline was extended to December 22, 2009 after the new government took power in October.

The General Secretariat of Information Systems (GSIS) sent 300,000 letters from the Ministry of Finance and then the remaining 200,000 at the end of June, which notify taxpayers of errors or omissions and what actions are necessary to correct them. Letters also contain a special code assigned to the case for identification purposes.

To ensure quick and efficient service, taxpayers should have:
a) The relevant AFM,
b) special identification code from the letter,
c) “Αριθ. Ειδ/σης” from the ekkatharistiko, or Greek ID or passport number if for some reason the ekkatharistiko does not exist or is misplaced.

Those opting to make corrections by phone or through the Internet will receive amended statements by mail.

The June 22 circular initially said that residents could only submit corrections by phone (conversations are recorded) or online, but complaints from those without Internet access forced the government to allow in-person service at the eforia (DOY).

Special note

– Should you receive a letter after the deadline, or on a date that doesn’t give you 10-15 days, keep the outer envelope with the postmark as proof. It will be difficult to avoid a fine for appearing late, if you don’t.

– All corrections should be reviewed for accuracy, as they are final and binding.

– Homeowners living outside Greece should use the online system or take necessary measures, if mail is not delivered directly abroad.

– It is unnecessary to hire a lawyer. Most corrections can be amended by the homeowner or, at most, an accountant who is more adept with tax terminology and working the system, online or in person.

Contact information

Phone: 801 111 2277 — Monday to Friday, 8:00-18:00 (Only accessible from within Greece)

websites: www.e-9.gr (to submit corrections) | www.gsis.gr/E9 (to view statements) *No longer available.

In person: Find an office nearest you in English, “DOY/eforia (Greek tax office) locations”

* KEP (Citizen Service Centre) is currently not authorized to assist with E9 corrections, nor are Greek Consulates or Greek Embassies.

“How to get an AFM”
“Who must file taxes in Greece?”

Sources

“Ειδοποιητήρια για λάθη σε 500.000 δηλώσεις Ε9” — Eleftheros Tipos
“Ξανά στην Εφορία 500.000 ιδιοκτήτες ακινήτων” — Ta Nea
“Και μέσω εφοριών η διόρθωση λαθών στο Ε9” — Eleftherotypia
“Odyssey of correcting E9” — Eleftherotypia
“Πως θα διορθώσετε τα λάθη στο Ε9 – How to correct errors on the E9 form” – Eleftherotypia

Screen capture from www.e-9.gr

* Article updated December 6, 2009

http://bit.ly/e9Greece

Comments (16)

Greece says goodbye to Eleftheros Typos

June 22, 2009 at 20:00 · Filed under News

Greek daily Eleftheros Typos shut down just before noon today and said a heartfelt thank you to its readers after 26 years.

Stakeholders voted unanimously in a June 19 meeting to cease operations of Eleftheros Typos and e-tipos.com due to continued losses and poor industry outlook, ending an attempt to modernize public debate and revive the newspaper’s former glory achieved by founders Aris and Lilian Boudouris. For shipping magnate Theodoris Angelopoulos and former Athens 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, it also marked the power couple’s exit from the media business.

Various Greek news sources reported that between 300-450 journalists and administrative support staff lost their jobs.

Though it had been losing readership to left-leaning competitors, the once popular newspaper of the eighties retained its influence and had a historically significant name that Angelopoulos felt was worth saving in 2006 and could be used as a vehicle to diversify news. Eleftheros Typos means Free Press in English. However, the next year, a much-needed makeover more than doubled debts to €34 million.

The Journalists Union of Athens Daily Newspapers called a 24-hour strike of print, digital and broadcast media starting today at 17:00 local Greek time to protest the closure of ET and highlight issues of transparency, redundancy and unpaid workers in the media industry.

My connection

Less than five months after starting livingingreece.gr, which was then called An American in Athens, Marios Rozakos was kind enough to include this website/blog in an article called “Kαθρέφτης της πόλης το Διαδίκτυο – Η Αθήνα με τα μάτια Ελλήνων και ξένων bloggers” or “Reflections of a city on the Internet — Athens through the eyes of Greek and foreign bloggers.”

It was the first time the Greek media took notice of this website and did not plagiarize me, and I am humbled and grateful there have been others since. But you never forget your first.

The sudden death of Free Press is somehow symbolic of the times we live in, and I can’t help but wonder if its demise is an indication of what’s ahead in Greece’s uncertain future.

“American in Athens in Eleftheros Typos”
“Greek media, now with less racism”
“The government must stop media favoritism” — Kathimerini
“Eleftheros Typos wins Best Designed European Newspaper Award” — Editors Weblog