The city of Valparaíso has become a pioneer in the modernization of public transportation in Latin America. It was the first in Chile and the entire southern part of the continent to implement a contactless open payment system across four modes of transportation – electric buses, trolleybuses, elevators and the Limache–Puerto commuter train.

Thanks to this innovation, passengers can easily pay fares using credit, debit, and prepaid cards or via QR codes, significantly enhancing travel comfort. The project was developed in cooperation between the state railway company EFE (Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado), and companies Mastercard, SONDA, and Switchio, with Switchio playing a key role in technological integration.

The introduction of this technology brings a number of benefits:

• Faster boarding, improving the overall efficiency of transport

• Greater safety through reduced cash handling

• Increased accessibility and inclusivity thanks to diverse payment options

• Environmental benefits through reduced cash usage and plastic waste

The system also includes integrated fares, allowing cost-effective transfers between different modes of transport. For example, a combination of train and electric bus costs only 90 CLP, while a train and trolleybus combination costs 210 CLP.

Expansion into the Biobío Region

The success in Valparaíso was followed by the expansion of the project to the Biobío region, where the contactless payment system was introduced at 26 stations of the Biotrén railway network across 8 cities. With the installation of 244 new payment terminals, the possibility of fast and secure payments in public transport is becoming a reality for thousands more passengers

Eduardo Vejarano, Switchio’s Project Manager for Latin America, commented on the project:

“This project is a testament to the dedication and innovative spirit of our team. Thanks to our collaboration with EFE, Mastercard, and SONDA, we have helped position Chile as a leader in transport technology across Latin America. We are delivering convenient, secure, and integrated payment solutions to Valparaíso and Biobío, helping to redefine public transportation in the region. And this is only the beginning—our goal is to expand these solutions nationwide and beyond.”

The introduction of a contactless payment system marks a significant step toward modern, safe, and accessible public transportation. Valparaíso and the Biobío region thus reaffirm Chile’s leadership in passenger-focused transport innovation.