Public transport

The issue of first-aid services is threatening to further delay the delivery date of 14 regional airports to contractor Fraport Greece, currently set for mid-March.

Four Athens metro stations will remain closed over the weekend as part of ongoing work to install turnstiles throughout the system.

The stations that will be closed to the public on Saturday and Sunday are Omonia, Neos Cosmos, Elaionas and Holargos; trains will pass through them without stopping.

Public transport buses will be free in Skopje starting Tuesday as a result of high levels of air pollution, authorities say.

The measure will be in force until pollution is reduced to normal values, state-run agency MIA quotes Mayor Kotse Trajanovski as saying.

Trajanovski himself intends on using public transport instead of his own car.

A group of around 40 vandals barged onto four buses parked at a depot in Zografou, eastern Athens, on Wednesday morning.

The attackers forced the drivers off the vehicles and proceeded to remove a total of 14 new and seven old ticket machines with electronic screwdrivers.

The Athens metro stations of Omonia (Line 1 and 2), Larissis Station and Dafni (Line 2) will be closed over the weekend as transport authorities install turnstiles to prevent fare dodging.

Trains will pass through the stations but without stopping.

Four stations on the Athens metro will remain closed on Saturday and Sunday as crews are to install turnstiles as part of a government plan to crack down on fare dodging, which is depriving state coffers of millions of euros.

The stations are Sepolia and Metaxourgio on Line 2 and Evangelismos and Katechaki on Line 3.

The penalty fee for travelling in public transport without a valid travel pass or ticket may now vary between BGN 10 and BGN 50. The Municipal Council of each municipality may now determine the exact amount of the penalty fee, stipulated amendments to the Law on Automobile Transportation adopted by Parliament at second reading.

A major change in the organization of intra-city transport in Istanbul will be introduced in which bus operations will be transferred from the Istanbul Electric Tramway and Tunnel Company (İETT) to the Istanbul Municipality. 

Forecast snowfall and cold weather have badly affected Istanbul's rush-hour traffic, increasing the traffic density to up to 90 percent. 

Breakdowns and small-scale accidents brought traffic to a near halt while a number of cars were slowed to a crawl on major highways. 

The snowfall is forecast to last all night as well as Saturday.

The Panormou and Syngrou/Fix metro stations in Athens will be closed at the weekend due to work to install turnstiles at entry points.

Trains running through will not stop at the stations.

As part of the effort to crack down on fare dodgers, the Athens transport authority, OASA, is moving ahead with its installation of turnstiles at metro and ISAP stations.