Rio de Janeiro transport: TrensRJ expands Pix payments amid bus ticketing disputes

Public transportation in Rio de Janeiro is experiencing shifts in both payment technology and ticketing integration. TrensRJ has completed the expansion of Pix payments across all stations in its railway network. Since taking over the service in late May, the operator has recorded over 657,000 Pix transactions, averaging approximately 10,000 transactions on business days. Passengers can pay via Pix at ticket offices to receive a single ticket or a QR code for turnstile access.

Simultaneously, new bus lines in Rio's West Zone, specifically in Campo Grande, are operating exclusively with the municipal Jaé electronic ticketing system. This has created challenges for commuters because these vehicles lack Riocard validators, which are necessary to access the Bilhete Único Intermunicipal (BUI) discount. Without this integration, passengers traveling between municipal buses and trains or the metro face higher costs, with individual fares increasing the total trip cost by more than R$ 3. The State Secretariat of Transport and Mobility (Setam) is currently negotiating with the Rio de Janeiro City Hall to implement the necessary validators.