According to Diário do Transporte, the CPTM (Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos) has announced the definitive end of Edmonson magnetic tickets on its rail network in Greater São Paulo. Passengers will have until 31 December 2026 to use the old paper tickets. From 1 January 2027, they will no longer be accepted at the turnstiles of the 97 stations in the system.

The change covers lines 7-Rubi, 8-Diamante, 9-Esmeralda, 10-Turquesa, 11-Coral, 12-Safira and 13-Jade, including the services run by private operators. The CPTM keeps central management of the ticketing system and of the gates across the network, so the decision also applies to the concessioned lines. According to the same report, TIC Trens operates Line 7, ViaMobilidade runs Lines 8 and 9, and Trivia Trens, part of Grupo Comporte, runs Lines 11, 12 and 13. Line 10 remains under direct CPTM operation.

The announcement follows the end of Edmonson tickets on the São Paulo Metro, where magnetic tickets stopped being accepted on lines 1-Azul, 2-Verde, 3-Vermelha and 15-Prata on 1 November 2026. According to Diário do Transporte, the CPTM presents the change as part of a modernization process that began in 2021.

Alternatives for passengers

The Bilhete Único, the TOP card and individual QR Code tickets will remain valid, whether printed or shown on a phone screen. Tickets can be bought in advance through the TOP app, the TOP Digital Wallet or the Webchat service. Passengers who prefer to buy in person can use station ticket offices and self-service machines, which sell QR Code tickets and accept Pix. Cash purchases are possible at more than 8,000 points of the TOP accredited network.

Contactless payment at the turnstiles is also accepted through NFC, with Elo, Mastercard and Visa credit and debit cards, physical or virtual, as well as compatible phones and smartwatches. This allows passengers to enter stations without buying a single-trip ticket in advance, as long as they use an enabled payment method.

What is still unclear

According to the report, the CPTM announcement does not say whether a replacement procedure, similar to the one set up by the Metro, will be offered for unused rail magnetic tickets after 31 December. Until that is clarified, the guidance is to use the magnetic tickets within the announced deadline.