First E-ticket Test Run at Greek Sites on May 20

Lindos, Rhodes island.

Starting May 20, and phased out in June, a much-awaited e-ticketing system allowing admission to Greek museums and sites will take effect, the culture ministry recently informed tourism professionals.

In the meantime, tourism professionals and tourist groups will be issued paper tickets for admission until the system is fully operational across all sites in Greece, with the ultimate aim to boost security and keep count of visitors.

Archaeological site of Akrotiri on Santorini. Photo @ GTP

The upgrade, which includes the installation of baffle gates at key sites and museums, is being funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the National Bank of Greece.

Tickets purchased recently should be replaced or used by May 20.

In the meantime, employees at sites and museums across Greece are being trained in the new e-ticket application, which will launch from the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens this weekend.

According to Cosmote, which was selected by tender to run the project, the e-ticketing system will be gradually implemented in three regions of Greece, and by June 20 at the Acropolis, Knossos on Crete, Delos, the Palace of the Grand Master, Lindos, the Archaeological Museum on Rhodes, the Thera Museum and Akrotiri, Asklepieion of Kos, and Hadrian’s Library.