The Thessaly Evros Pass 2026 comes into operation today, Thursday, September 24, through vouchers.gov.gr.

The relevant Joint Ministerial Decision was co-signed by Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Dimitris Papastergiou, Alternate Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papanathanasis, and Deputy Ministers of National Economy and Finance Dimitris Markopoulos, Interior Minister Vassilis Spanakis and Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Konstantinos Katsafados.

The initiative aims to support domestic tourism and economic activity in the areas of Thessaly affected by the floods of September 2023, as well as areas of Evros affected by the wildfires of summer 2023.

The vouchers.gov.gr platform will remain open for applications until Friday, September 28 (11:59 p.m.).

It should be noted that the initiative has no income criteria and will enable 8,900 citizens to use a digital prepaid debit card for accommodation, dining and local transport expenses in the affected areas. Total public expenditure amounts to €2,050,000.

The program is divided into two destinations (Thessaly and Evros) and two calendar phases (September–October, November–December 2026).

Specifically, the following will be issued:

• 7,500 cards worth €200 for the Thessaly Pass (Phase A: 3,750, Phase B: 3,750) and

• 1,400 cards worth €250 for the Evros Pass (Phase A: 700, Phase B: 700)

The destinations cover the following areas:

• Thessaly Pass: Municipality of South Pelion, Municipality of Zagora-Mouresi, Municipality of Volos, Municipality of Agia, Municipality of Tempi, Municipality of Lake Plastiras, Municipality of Mouzaki, Municipality of Pyli (excluding the Municipal Units of Gomfoi and Pialeia), Municipality of Meteora.

• Evros Pass: Municipality of Soufli, Feres Municipal Unit of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis.

Citizens who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply for the Thessaly Evros Pass 2026:

• They are tax residents of Greece, based on their latest assessed personal income tax return for the 2025 tax year,

• Neither they nor their beneficiaries have their primary residence in the selected destinations, as shown by their latest assessed personal income tax return for the 2025 tax year, and

• They are not beneficiaries under:

o the Public Employment Service (DYPA) Social Tourism program for the 2025–2026 period, or those selected as beneficiaries of the Public Employment Service Social Tourism program for the 2026–2027 period, regardless of whether the above benefits are ultimately used or not, and

o a similar benefit from any other body for the same period.

It is clarified that permanent residents of the eligible destinations cannot use the digital prepaid debit card.

Application Process:

The platform is particularly easy to use, as each citizen only needs their Taxisnet credentials and confirmation of a mobile phone number and an email address to submit an application.

All other information is retrieved automatically through the Interoperability Center of the General Secretariat for Information Systems and Digital Governance of the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence.

• Citizens log into the platform using their Taxisnet credentials.

• They then enter their contact details, namely their email address and mobile phone number, which they subsequently verify via a hyperlink and a one-time password (OTP), respectively. It is noted that if citizens have already registered the relevant details in the National Communications Registry (E.M.Ep.) of the General Secretariat for Information Systems and Digital Governance, the information is retrieved automatically and no further verification is required.

• They then select their preferred destination, between Thessaly and Evros, as well as the phase or phases they wish to participate in (September–October, November–December).

• Finally, citizens declare under their own responsibility that they do not fall into any of the non-eligible categories of beneficiaries under the initiative and select “Submit,” completing the application process.

The process can also be completed through Citizen Service Centers (KEP).

The final beneficiaries will be selected by lottery conducted by the implementing body once the application period has been completed, while the results will be posted on the program’s website.

For beneficiaries, the process of issuing the digital prepaid debit card will begin within two working days before the start of each phase.

Once the card has been issued, the Payment Services Provider will inform the beneficiary of the procedure to follow to activate the card.

In addition, storing the digital prepaid debit card requires a suitable smartphone that supports NFC technology for contactless transactions. Finally, after the deadline has passed, applications cannot be withdrawn and new applications cannot be created.

The Thessaly Evros Pass 2026 is implemented by the National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET), an entity of the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, and is funded by the Public Investment Program.