During 2010, the city of Buenos Aires is implementing the use of an electronic card that will allow people to use the whole public transportation system. The name of the card is S.U.B.E. (Spanish acronym for Sistema Único de Boleto Electrónico which means Electronic Ticket Unique System) and it can be found in every subway station and other authorized points. Its implementation will be progressive until august 2010, when it should be completed and fully functional in every transport of this city and surroundings.
This kind of system (that already works in cities like Hong Kong, London, Madrid, New York, Paris and Sao Paulo, among others) reduces travel times, as well as contamination and traffic jams, relieves passengers from the need for coins, increases security as they won’t be carrying cash, it has no additional cost and coexist with other payment options.
Nowadays, it’s working in the whole subway system (where you can buy and recharge your S.U.B.E. Card), in the Urquiza and Belgrano Norte railroads (to get to the north zone of Buenos Aires) and the buses number 5, 6, 8, 12, 20, 23, 39, 50, 57, 61, 62, 86, 88, 101, 102, 129, 150, 151, 168, 194 and 195. In subways and railroads, the card must check in the entrance to the platforms. In buses, there are special checking machines located near the driver’s cabin.
The minimum charge amount is 2 argentine pesos (50 dollar cents) and the maximum is 100 pesos (25 dollars, approximately). It has “emergency trips”, up to 2 free tickets if you run out of credit unexpectedly. The card is personalized by a special number that allows to block it in case of loss.
More information: www.sube.gov.ar (only in Spanish)
No comments:
Post a Comment