São Paulo Metro ends magnetic paper ticket use after more than 50 years

According to g1 São Paulo, the Metrô de São Paulo will stop accepting the magnetic Edmonson ticket at its station turnstiles starting Sunday, November 1, 2026. The ticket has been used to enter stations since the system began commercial operation in 1974.

Until October 31

Until Saturday, October 31, magnetic tickets can still be used at the turnstiles of Lines 1-Azul, 2-Verde, 3-Vermelha and 15-Prata.

Exchanging tickets for QR Codes

Metrô estimates that about 1 million magnetic tickets are still in passengers' hands. From November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027, these tickets can be exchanged for QR Codes at two stations:

• Paraíso, on Lines 1-Azul and 2-Verde
• Tatuapé, on Line 3-Vermelha

The ticket offices at both stations operate from 6am to 10pm. Tickets must be valid and in good condition.

Passengers with up to 10 tickets can exchange them immediately. Those with more must leave them for analysis and validation, present an identification document, and provide an email address or phone number. After the check, the passenger is informed of the date to collect the QR Codes.

Other ways to pay

After magnetic tickets are withdrawn, passengers can pay with the Bilhete Único, the TOP card, and single-trip QR Code tickets, whether printed or digital. Payment is also possible at the turnstiles with physical or virtual credit and debit cards from the Elo, Mastercard and Visa networks.

Reasons for the change

According to the Metrô, as reported by g1 São Paulo, the magnetic tickets require specialized manufacturing, transport, secure storage, and distribution to stations. The company also cites the difficulty of maintaining the reading equipment and the costs of logistics, inventory control and equipment upkeep. The move is part of a shift toward digital, electronic and contactless payment methods.

A long-standing ticket

The model takes its name from Thomas Edmondson, a station master at the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway in England, who began a standardized system of pre-printed, numbered railway tickets in 1839. According to the report, the ticket was used by millions of passengers in São Paulo for decades.