Medellín Metro adds bank card, phone and smartwatch payment on Lines A and B

Passengers of the Medellín Metro will soon be able to pay their fare without a paper ticket or a single-trip pass. According to El Colombiano, the transport system announced on Wednesday that it will accept payment with debit and credit cards, as well as with mobile phones and smartwatches. The new option starts on Lines A and B.

How the new payment works

The payment method is the result of an agreement with Visa, Mastercard and Bancolombia. According to El Colombiano, passengers do not need to register or fill in any forms. A contactless card, a digital payment app or a linked wearable device that is already active can be used directly at the turnstile.

The traditional Cívica card will keep working, so existing users do not need to change it. Staff from the transport company will remain in the stations to guide passengers and help them top up their cards.

Expansion and tourists

The general manager of the Metro company, Tomás Elejalde, told El Colombiano that the system will be extended gradually to the rest of the network. This includes the metrocables and the integrated bus services. The company also presented the option as a way to serve the millions of tourists who visit the city, who will be able to ride the metro by paying with their own cards.

Elejalde said the system is designed to reduce queues and save travel time. He noted that similar payment systems are already used in large cities around the world.

Local government position

Medellín mayor Federico Gutiérrez welcomed the change, according to El Colombiano. He asked the Metro management to explain the new method widely, since most users belong to socioeconomic strata 1, 2 and 3. The mayor also said that automation will not lead to mass layoffs and that staff will stay in the stations to help users recharge their cards.

Adaptation period

According to the company's management, adopting the new tools will take an adaptation period with support and education campaigns. These campaigns will explain how the system works and answer questions from people who start using it.