Passengers travelling on the Buenos Aires City’s underground metro service, which celebrates its 111th birthday this Sunday, will soon be able to pay with mobile phones, credit and debit cards for journeys.
The capital’s underground network was the first in South America, but despite its age, those running the service are keen to innovate: hence the introduction of a new multi-payment system.
Adhering to suggestions from the more than 700,000 passengers that use the Subte underground and Pre-metro rail services every day, City Hall is expanding payment options.
Fares will be able to be paid by phones, debit and credit cards that use NFC technology, starting Monday, simply by tapping on the turnstile.
The opening of contactless payment methods represents a significant step forward for the digitisation of the local transport system.
Multi-payment turnstiles will be in force at 81 of the 90 stations on the two services and will be clearly marked, said City Hall authorities.
The system will also be available shortly on the 31 bus lines whose control was recently passed from the national to City government, they added.
Mayor Jorge Macri said this latest move would deliver greater “comfort and facilities” to passengers.
“During my [election] campaign, I said that in my administration we were going to change the way of paying on the underground, so that the SUBE would not be the only way,” said the mayor.
Up until now, travel on the Subte metro service has only been enabled with the use of a SUBE card, which passengers top-up with credit. The card, which has been used for more than a decade, will remain in use.
“We are putting an end to the SUBE monopoly and opening the game up to private companies so that they can compete and improve the service,” said Macri.
“Competition always generates opportunities and there are already offers and promotions from the cards, banks that give you free trips. This is very good for the user because it makes it cheaper to travel with their cards than with the SUBE, without a higher subsidy and without a higher cost to the state,” he added.
Buenos Aires City is the first in the country to implement a multi-payment system for passenger transport and one of the first in Latin America to adopt it, putting it on a par with cities like New York, London, Rome and Rio de Janeiro, which already use it.
The system was tested this week at stations Loria (Line A), Juan Manuel de Rosas (Line B), Retiro (Line E), Congreso de Tucumán (Line D) and Facultad de Derecho (Line H).
What you need to know
Will it be possible to use cards from all banks?
Initially, Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards from all banks or cards associated with virtual wallets can be used. Also devices with NFC technology with cards enabled by each bank for this use, with any compatible wallet, such as Gpay, ApplePay, MODO, among others.
Is any prior procedure or registration required?
No. It is not necessary to carry out any formalities, only to use the turnstiles exclusively for the use of these new means of payment.
Is the ticket price the same regardless of the payment method used?
You pay the full fare, currently 757 pesos. With new means of payment, it will also be possible to access the benefit of a staggered fare for frequent underground passengers, with discounts of 20 percent, 30 percent and 40 percent, after 20, 30 and 40 trips respectively, as long as the same card and form of payment (digital or physical) is used. In addition, banks and virtual wallets will offer promotions.
How do you validate that the payment has been made?
Everything works offline as well as on, and in less than two seconds, the validator makes the payment. The user will see total consumption on their card at the end of the day.
Can passes and subscriptions be added?
No. Benefits and special fares will only be available on the beneficiary's SUBE card.
Can banks apply their own promotions outside the accumulation of journeys?
Yes, banks and virtual wallets can apply their own promotions according to their commercial policies.
Can I pay for several trips at the same time with the same card?
You can pay for 10 trips per day and up to 4 trips per hour with the same card.
Can payments be made with cards issued outside Argentina?
Yes, as long as they are the brands mentioned above.
Are the SUBE network discounts still valid?
Yes, passengers will be able to use the SUBE card to access the benefits of the SUBE network (with discounts for journeys made within two hours: 50 percent on the second ticket and 75 percent from the third). This benefit will not work with new means of payment.
Can the SUBE be used at the multi-payment turnstiles?
No, the SUBE can only be used at regular turnstiles that do not support multi-payment.
– TIMES/NA
