Efforts are increasing so that users of public transport in Mexico City, especially Metrobús, use less cash to pay for their tickets or recharge their Integrated Mobility (MI) cards, and instead do so with cards both debit and credit, CoDi, electronic wallets and contactless technology, which facilitates operations and saves time.
Cash, however, is still the preferred method for Mexicans to make purchases. The most recent National Survey of Financial Inclusion (ENIF) revealed that around 90% of the adult population prefers this payment method for amounts equal to or less than 500 pesos.
But a recent study by Visa indicates that contactless technology allows paying for transportation in almost half the time, so users reduce waiting times and avoid using cash.
In this framework, institutions such as Santander Bank, American Express, master card, Visaand others, in recent months have put into operation initiatives that allow users of the Mexico City Metrobus to pay with alternatives other than cash.
just this tuesday Santander Bankjointly with American Express, Mastercard and the Government of Mexico City, announced that the Metrobus Line 4, adds to contactless payments with bank cards and digital wallets. In September 2021, it was announced that users of this transport system could pay in this way on lines 1, 2 and 3.
In this way users can not only load their MI card with cards, CoDielectronic wallets and other gadgets, but they can even pay their ticket just by approaching the debit and/or credit cards to the terminals of these four lines, as long as the plastics have contactless technology.
Santander Mexico stressed that the expansion to the 37 stations and stops of the Metrobus Line 4 -which goes from Buenavista to Alameda Oriente-, is possible due to the participation of Mastercard and American Express which, added to the technology of Getnet (the bank’s payment platform), have provided the necessary toll infrastructure for the agile processing and payment insurance, directly at the station access turnstiles, facilitating the flow of passengers and promoting financial inclusion.
In this way, the users of this line (as well as those of lines 1, 2 and 3) will be able to access the Metrobus just by bringing the card close to the turnstile sensors, or recharging your MI card at the equipment in each station. Those who prefer to pay with a smartphone or smart watch that has an electronic wallet can do so on the digital reader, and in the specific case of Line 4, it is also worth noting that passengers can make the payment directly on the devices that the units have in their inside.
With these, there are already almost 160 stations of such Metrobus stations, which have the technology for card payments, CoDi, electronic wallets and other devices, and with this try to reduce the use of cash.
Another alternative other than cash that users have, although here it is only to recharge MI cards, is Mercado Pago, which has been in operation since last March.
To do this, it is necessary to have the Mercado Pago application on the cell phone, and if the mobile device has contactless payment technology, it is scanned, the amount to be paid is selected and paid with the accepted means (cards and electronic wallets). .
However, since Payment Market you have the alternative of recharging the MI card, but still with cash, at the establishments associated with the institution.
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