Page 113 - O Οργανισμός Αστικών Συγκοινωνιών Θεσσαλονίκης από το 1957 μέχρι σήμερα | The Organisation of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki from 1957 to the present day

Innovation and social responsibility
names (“dinosaurs”, “Alexanders”). They also remember with nostalgia the ticket collectors who used to be on the buses. A strong memory –even for younger people– is the 78N, the city bus that connected the KTEL bus sta- tion with Macedonia Airport during the night, a legen- dary bus that brought together a diverse group of peo- ple and many stories.
Towards a new,
more environmental-friendly era
OASTH keeps abreast of technological and environmen- tal developments, and so recently, in early 2024, the first electric buses arrived, with their numbers constantly in- creasing. These buses are quiet and less disruptive, while also emitting fewer pollutants, improving their environ- mental footprint. At the same time, hydrogen buses have also appeared. In addition, upgraded and new telemat- ics screens have been installed in many city buses, while photovoltaic panels have been installed at bus stops.
The new metro reality
The launch of the Thessaloniki Metro on November 30, 2024, was a milestone in the city’s public transport system, as for the first time since 1957, two land-based modes of mass transport coexist in the co-capital. In this new re- ality, OASTH is pursuing a policy of cooperation with the metro, having made significant changes to bus routes and schedules with the aim of serving passengers but also to provide coverage and smooth connections for those
who want to travel to one of the metro stations. This is why the new “Nea Elvetia” terminal station was created, where the metro terminates in the east, and existing bus routes were redesigned.
As part of this new era, new electronic and recharge- able tickets were introduced, along with new ticket ma- chines both inside and outside buses, near major sta- tions, with the option of payment by bank card or con- tactless transaction with NFC. The old paper tickets have not yet been abolished during this transitional period but are used alongside the new ones. The single ticket intro- duced in 2005 was abolished again af ter two zones were introduced, along with some ‘special’ lines (airport bus- es, Cultural Route).
In the new reality of Thessaloniki, with the popularity of the new means of transport, the relative decongestion ofthecitycentrefromtraffic,andtheemergenceofnew archaeological sites and points of interest, the OASTH has not lost its importance. On the contrary, it remains an integral part of urban transport, as it continues to be the only source of connection to the city centre for most districts and suburbs. In reality, there is no competition between the OASTH and the metro (such as the compe- tition between buses and trams in the 1950s), but rather cooperation and mutual coverage with the sole aim of improving urban transport in the co-capital, within the framework of broader discussions on the creation of oth- er means of mass transport (trams, maritime transport) or infrastructure projects (Fly Over).
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