Argentines face another blow to their pockets with an increase in subway fares

The neighbors of Buenos Aires suffer from this Friday another blow to their pockets with the sharp increase in the passage of the metro in a context of economic recession and annual inflation of 289%.

The ticket went from costing 125 pesos (13 cents at the official exchange rate) 574 pesos (63 cents on the dollar), an increase of 360% and the first of the three planned until August in the new tariff schedule of the company Subterráneos de Buenos Aires. The metro currently transports about 900,000 passengers a day.

Bus and urban train companies have also carried out strong increases in tickets that they had been postponing within the framework of the adjustment plan implemented by the government of Javier Milei who, since he took office in December, freed up prices and reduced subsidies in various sectors such as public transport.

The new subway fare came into effect after the day before a Buenos Aires judge lifted a previously applied measure that had stopped the increase after a judicial presentation made by a leftist deputy.

The magistrate enabled the new tariff schedule after receiving documentation that she had requested from the capital’s mayor’s office and the service concessionaire company.

The national deputy of the Left Front, Myriam Bregman, and capital legislators presented a judicial protection days ago, describing the increase as scandalous and questioning the calculation of the rate and the removal of most of the subsidy by the government of the city of Buenos Aires. Aires.

Bregman also criticized the three-tier increase scheme. “This is an increase of more than 500% in two months when the ticket will cost 757 pesos (84 cents),” the legislator pointed out.

Sofia Acosta, 35, told The Associated Press that her pocketbook will suffer from the increase because she uses the subway every day to go to work and return home, and she noted that “The most worrying thing is that the rate increases and that is not replicated in the service.”

“The worst thing behind the increase is that there have been no investments in the subte (underground train). In fact, there are lines that connect the city center with neighborhoods further north that are in better condition than others that connect with the Constitución train station (to the south). “People travel very badly, in terrible conditions, we all travel cramped,” Acosta said.

According to the concessionaire company, the increase in the ticket is necessary to compensate for the effect of inflation on operating expenses.

The original version of the tariff schedule was modified and the implementation of the third tranche of increase will begin on August 1.

Retirees, pensioners, people with disabilities and primary and secondary students will continue to travel for free and frequent passengers will continue to benefit from discounts.

It may interest you

• Milei awakens mortgage market in Argentina; his ‘chainsaw’ stops inflation
• Signs of setbacks for the LGBTQ community under the Milei government
• Second general strike in Argentina with empty streets against the Milei adjustment