Public transportation in Curitiba has reverted to accepting fare payments through the use of mobile phones and smartwatches. This change took effect on Sunday, marking the end of a suspension that began in April 2024. The acceptance of these forms of payment applies to both buses and tube stations in the city, providing residents with more flexible payment options for their commutes.

The newly implemented system uses virtual cards, which incurs an additional charge of R$ 0.13, bringing the total fare to R$ 6.13, the same rate charged for payments made via credit or debit cards. The previous suspension stemmed from a fraudulent scheme identified by the Urbanization of Curitiba (Urbs) and the Civil Police of Paraná, which revealed that over 200,000 transit tickets had been sold illegally through the exploitation of virtual cards.

Fraud was primarily facilitated by the delay between transaction execution and system verification, which allowed unauthorized sales to occur. The reintroduction of mobile payments is significant for the city’s public transport system, as it aims to enhance convenience while addressing past issues related to security and fraud prevention.