BA Gets Limited-Use Electronic Transit Card
The City of Buenos Aires on Friday will get a limited-use version of the electronic transit card system touted earlier this year by President Cristina Fernández.
The system, called SUBE (Sistema Único de Boleto Electrónico), will allow travelers to use the subway, and some trains and buses, by swiping a single, pre-paid electronic card.
One aim of the system is to free up coins for use by the general public, ending the country’s absurd coin shortage problem.
On Friday the government will distribute 50,000 cards around the city in a bid to get the system up and running, the Transportation Secretariat said in a statement. At first card holders will be able to use the card on a limited number of buses (including the 5, 8, 50 and 101 lines), as well as all subways and the Urquiza and Belgrano Norte train lines.
The card will be given away free through June 27 at the Retiro, Constitución and Once train stations, as well as at the corners of Cabildo and Juramento (in Belgrano), and Florida and Diagonal Norte (in the microcentro). To get the card, travelers will be asked for personal information aimed at preventing individuals from getting more than one card. The information will also be used to help travelers recover lost or stolen cards and any credit left on them. Travelers will be able to charge the cards using the same system used now for the so-called Monedero cards.
The government aims eventually to hand out 5 million cards, putting the city’s card system on par with that in cities like Hong Kong and Sao Paolo, Brazil, the Secretariat claims.
Critics say the government’s roll-out of the limited system is merely an attempt to buy votes before the upcoming June 28 election. Whatever the case, it’s overdue. President Fernández had promised to have the system in place by May.
Popularity: 8% [?]
YES! I wrote about this last week – I was so excited when I saw it. I’ve been using the Monedero system on my trips back and forth to San Telmo on the number 8 buses. It’s great!! I have photos of them on the bus if you want to use them on my flickr stream.
I just hope the 129 and the 338 (Southeast GBA – La Plata) get some sort of card, of course all lines with SUBE will be awesome, but i don’t see it happening, most of the lines (at least in my town) have their own card system.
Al fin querido!!!!! (its not too english, but it will work)
Last Monday I discovered that the #6 line running on Av. Entre Rios, down Corrientes to Retiro station was equipped with the Monedero system.
[...] up around the city. Here are three from the Partido Obrero. I like their slogan, let the ca… BA Gets Limited-Use Electronic Transit Card[The Argentine Post] The City of Buenos Aires on Friday will get a limited-use version of the [...]
yes, finally! Now maybe there will be some coins. Will this solve the problem with the general lack of change in the country? I hope so.