The popular service to pay for transport in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, the UP cardIt has been around for more than ten years. This single ticket system, which also administers a differential rate for retirees, ex-combatants, plan beneficiaries and domestic workers, is missing.
The coronavirus pandemic also punished the plastic station (Nación Servicios) that stopped issuing them due to the shortage of NFC chips -the wireless technology used by cell phones and posnet, among others- and processors worldwide, had to slow down local production and therefore, they did not manage to cover all the local demand.
This also caused the little remnant of SUBE that remained to become so expensive that some distribution points sold it for between 500 and 600 pesos. An exponential jump in price if taken as a reference to January, when Clarion first reported the problem.
In order not to fall into any surcharge, users can have access to the card through the official “SUBE” app, on an Android cell phone and enter the “UP Point” section.
There, you will be able to meet all the kiosks, lotteries, subway stations and trains that have direct supply from the Nación Servicio card issuer, therefore, there are more possibilities that there will be stock.
Points to get the UP. Photo upload
You can also enter by clicking here.
Also: where to load it
Currently, there are different options to add balance to the SUBE card without having to go to a loading point. The first is to go to a kiosk or store and pay with cash and then receive the digital balance; and the second is to deposit pesos in the plastic through a mobile app such as Mercado Pago or Ualá, or from the homebanking of a bank.
This last option, unlike the first, is not automatic and you have to go to a cargo terminal to credit the balance yes or yes.
However, now this load can also be credited with the same cell phone that was used to deposit the money.
Once downloaded, download the “Carga SUBE” mobile app, available on an Android cell phone, you must activate the NFC option in the mobile device menu.
Next, enter the “Carga SUBE” app and click on “Carga tu SUBE”.
Finally, it will only be necessary to support the card on the back of the cell phone in the same way as with the reader of the turnstile or the bus to credit the balance automatically.
In addition to crediting money on the SUBE card, the “LOAD SUBE” application provides information on the balance in real time (just by attaching the card to the phone) and you can check how much money any card has just by supporting it on the device.
If this procedure did not work, you have to look for an automatic charging terminal on the SUBE official site (at this link) or through the SUBE Load app in the section “Accredit your charge in an automatic terminal”.
There is also the option of being able to do so through a SUBE portable terminal. This small device connects to the computer via a USB cable and performs the same function as the media reader. This option is useful for those who do not have a cell phone with NFC wireless technology.