The price of public transport fares is once again a topic of conversation in São Paulo, especially for those who travel through the city frequently. That’s because the mayor’s office of Brazil’s largest city announced on Monday that public transportation fares will be readjusted in 2026 .
As of January 6, subway and train fares will rise from R$5.20 to R$5.40, while bus fares will rise from R$5 to R$5.30 – an increase of 3.85% and 6%, respectively.
City Hall had signaled a fare increase
The mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), had already signaled the possibility of increasing bus fares in the capital. In an interview published by Agência Brasil on December 17, Nunes said that there could be an increase within the accumulated inflation for the period.
According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), accumulated inflation over the last 12 months is 4.5%. Although the mayor did not previously mention the increase in train and metro fares, the increase of R$0.20 is below the official inflation index and therefore within what was reported.
On the other hand, the bus fare, which has risen by 6%, is above the index. According to the management, the amount is in line with the Fipe Transport Consumer Price Index (IPC), which calculates 6.5% inflation over the last 12 months. In addition, the increase would be necessary to contain the rising costs of the system, whose fare without municipal subsidies would reach R$9.
