8th International Congress on Transport Research

The Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Institute for Sustainable Mobility and Transport Networks are co-organizing the 8th International Congress on Transport Research, focused on “The future of transportation in Greece: visions for 2030”. The congress will be held at the premises of the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas, Thermi, Thessaloniki, on the 28th and 29th of September, 2017.

The Congress aims at presenting the recent research activity in the field of transportation nationally and internationally, at correlating the research with the transport policies, at exchanging opinions and finally at determining the best ideas for the future of transportation and its infrastructures in Greece.

All interested parties are invited to submit their abstracts (in English or Greek) no later than December 15th, 2016.

For more information: click here.

Greece 2017: a transport paradise

The transformation of the Greek intercity highways into a transport paradise is about to commence on 2017. Until March, multiple sections of the Greek highways will be delivered and, up to August, a total of 2.500 km of the road network will be ready.
The improved road network is expected to change the existing transport habits on human transportation and on logistics, while it will also affect the country’s tourism.

Automatic Ticketing System in public transport

The president of OASA (Athens Urban Transport Organisation), Tassos Tastanis, has given an interesting interview regarding the “smart” cards that are expected to replace the regular paper tickets in public transport. The project “Automatic System for Ticket Validation” is expected to be implemented in all means of public transportation after the end of 2016.

The “smart” card will be personalized and will be loaded with an amount of money which will be decreased every time the passenger uses the card to the new validation devices. The new system will give the opportunity to issue a single ticket for all means of public transportation. It will be more fair since new charging policies will be applied depending on the travelling distance, while it is also expected to reduce the phenomenon of fare evasion.

For more information, click here.

Tram extension in Piraeus

Attica’s public transport network is enhanced by the tram’s extension. In specific, extension works take place from Neo Faliro to the centre and the port of Piraeus. Two tramways have already been completed across Mikras Asias and Grigoriou Labraki streets, while tramway constructions are being continued on other roads as well.

For more informatio, click here.

Extension of the trans-European Transport Network

The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks, Mr. Christos Spirtzis has, along with six other ministers, signed a declaration for the Railway Freight Path ORIENT/EAST MED during the trans-European Transport Network session – TEN-T Days, that took place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on June 20th-22nd, 2016.

OASA Telematics – Information about public transport in real time

Real time information about public transport is important in urban areas where thousands of citizens travel by means of transport and especially when the congestion on roads can affect their transportations and consequently every planned activity. Therefore, taking into account this urgent need of accurate and direct information of passengers about means of transport, OASA developed the OASA Telematics application, which provides real time information about the city buses of Attica prefecture.

ENGATIA ODOS measures the environmental pollution

“EGNATIA ODOS S.A.” aiming to prevent and minimize the environmental and health impact will implement a new set of measurements related to environmental pollution using two mobile Air Quality Monitoring Stations in North Greece during June. Simultaneously, the company is trying to develop and implement a simulation model for the calculation of carbon footprint which takes into account the contribution of the road axis as a linear emission source. For more information click here.

Telematics Systems: The case of Larissa

LARISSA URBAN KTEL S.A., the transportation provider of the city of Larissa, is on the side of passengers for more than 50 years, contributing to the improvement of urban transportations and the substantial prosperity of the city. Since 1939, when the first effort was made with only two buses of 19 seats, until today, the corporation has made remarkable actions in order to provide the best services. The extensions of lines and the creation of new one, the installation of wireless communication systems in buses, the placement of ticket issuing machines at key points, the function of a touristic train, the increase and the renovation of bus fleet considering the needs of people with disabilities and the successful contribution to the transportations of the Olympic Family to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games are some of its main significant achievements.

Intelligent Transport Systems: The National Strategy of Greece, 2015-2025

   The Greek Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Marine & Tourism published in 2015 the National Strategy of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) of Greece for the period 2015-2025. The Strategy was generated in compliance to the National Action Plan (ITS Action Plan 2012) and the Presidential Decree 50/2012, both of which harmonized Greece with the EU Directive 2010/40/EU. The National Strategy focuses on the development of a modern network of combined transportations with undisturbed flow and real time information for the whole country.