Star Metro - Niterói Pilots Pix Payments on Municipal Bus Routes

The municipality of Niterói has initiated a trial allowing passengers on three municipal bus routes to pay fares using Pix, the Brazilian instant payment system. The Secretariat of Mobility and Infrastructure (Semobi) is coordinating the pilot alongside bus operators and Prodata Mais Mobi, the provider of the city's electronic ticketing system.

The test involves 11 buses operating on lines 61, 67, and 42. These routes connect neighborhoods in the Northern Zone to Icaraí and the city center. Line 61 runs from Venda da Cruz to Icaraí; line 67 connects Morro do Castro/Cova da Onça to the Center; and line 42 travels from Barreto to the Center.

Semobi stated that the new payment method serves as an alternative for passengers who lack cash or have insufficient funds on their transit cards. However, officials noted a distinction between paying the fare via Pix and reloading a RioCard. The benefits associated with Niterói’s Bilhete Único (BU) are linked to the passenger's card and CPF (individual taxpayer registry). It remains unclear whether fares paid through Pix will qualify for these existing discounts.

The pilot supports a broader municipal goal to fully automate bus payments. Currently, 90% of fare transactions in Niterói are electronic. The city administration aims to reach 100% automation by the end of the year, thereby eliminating cash handling on municipal buses.

S.Cloutier--SMC