Trying to figure out if buses and metros in Greece take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
The inconsistency was annoying. In Athens, things worked smoothly with the electronic card system. But in Crete, when I tried to catch a bus from Heraklion to Rethymno, the driver insisted on exact cash and refused bigger notes. It felt inconvenient as a traveler, especially after the ease of Athens’ ticket machines. For a country with so many tourists, it’s frustrating that the payment system changes so drastically once you leave the capital.
I liked how Athens’ metro and bus system felt organized and tourist-friendly. Buying tickets at the machines in Syntagma was quick, and the fact they took cards was a relief. Using one card across buses, trams, and metro simplified everything. On the islands, paying cash was easy too since fares were cheap, just a couple of euros per ride. It was nice not overthinking ticketing once I got into the rhythm. Both systems worked in their own way.
I bought an ATH.ENA card at Monastiraki station with my Visa and used it across metro lines, trams, and buses without problems. But when I went to Santorini, the public buses from Fira to Oia only accepted cash. The driver gave me a hard look when I tried to pay with a €20 bill, so I had to keep change ready. The contrast between Athens’ modern system and the island buses was pretty stark, so plan for both situations.
In Athens, the metro, buses, and trams use a unified ticketing system. You don’t pay the driver directly with cash or card. Instead, you buy a paper ticket or rechargeable ATH.ENA card from vending machines at metro stations. These machines accept both coins and bank cards, so you can choose whichever is easier. Outside Athens, especially on islands like Santorini or Crete, buses are still cash-only, and drivers expect small euro notes or coins.