Contactless is the simplest way for most visitors to pay for Rio’s metro

For most visitors, the simplest option is to tap a contactless bank card or phone at a marked gate. There is no need to buy or preload a local transport card for an ordinary metro journey.

The standard fare is R$7.90 per journey as of 30 October 2026. It applies on MetrôRio’s Lines 1, 2 and 4, including trips between Copacabana, Ipanema and Centro. MetrôRio’s fare table says the regulated 2026 fare was set at R$8.20, but a state decree kept the fare charged to passengers at R$7.90.

The easiest option: contactless payment

At a gate with the contactless symbol, tap one of the following on the validator:

• a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Elo credit card;
• a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Elo debit card; or
• an NFC phone, watch or other supported device.

MetrôRio’s payment guidance lists Visa, Mastercard and Elo and says contactless cards and NFC devices can be used directly at the gates. Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay are also supported, according to ANPTrilhos’ report on MetrôRio contactless payments.

Wait for approval before walking through. MetrôRio does not add a contactless-payment fee, although a foreign card issuer may apply its usual exchange-rate or overseas-transaction charges.

For occasional journeys, tapping is usually more convenient than buying a transport card: there is no deposit, ticket queue or unused stored balance.

If contactless does not work

Try another contactless card or buy a single ticket at the station.

The physical Cartão Unitário covers one metro journey and has no expiry. If the fare increases after it is bought, the passenger must pay the difference before travelling. MetrôRio explains these conditions in its customer guide.

There is also a Bilhete Unitário QR Code, sold through the RecargaPay app and accredited sales points. A code bought in the app can be downloaded to the phone and used offline. Each code covers one journey at the fare in force and has no stated expiry, although MetrôRio recommends using a printed code within 72 hours. The operator’s QR ticket instructions contain the full rules.

For a visitor who simply needs a fallback at the station, the physical single ticket is the more straightforward choice.

When a Giro card makes sense

Giro is MetrôRio’s reloadable stored-value card. It may suit a longer stay, someone without a reliable contactless card or a traveller who wants to load a fixed transport budget.

The initial cost is R$11.90 at the current fare:

• R$4 refundable deposit;
• R$7.90 minimum initial credit, enough for one journey.

Giro is sold at station ticket offices and MetrôRio ticket machines. Later station reloads can range from R$5 to R$500. The MetrôRio customer guide confirms those prices and limits.

The deposit and remaining balance can be reclaimed when the card is returned. For a balance below R$10, go to an operating ticket office; larger refunds require an appointment through MetrôRio. A damaged or lost card does not qualify for return of the deposit.

Giro’s terms of use set out the refund rules and require a valid Brazilian CPF for online registration, making an online account less practical for many international visitors. The card itself can still be bought and reloaded at stations without creating that online account. A short-stay visitor with a working contactless card therefore gains little from Giro.

Do visitors need Jaé or Riocard Mais?

Not for a metro-only trip. MetrôRio accepts both cards, but they are mainly relevant when a journey combines the metro with another mode and qualifies for an integrated fare.

Under MetrôRio’s current integration rules:

• Jaé is required for metro integrations with BRT and vans, and can be used for listed municipal-bus integrations.
• Riocard Mais must be enabled for the state’s Bilhete Único Intermunicipal programme to receive eligible integrations with trains, ferries or intermunicipal buses. An eligible Riocard can also be used for listed municipal-bus integrations.

These benefits have eligibility, timing and card-configuration rules; owning the card does not by itself guarantee a discount. For a visitor travelling only between stations such as Cardeal Arcoverde in Copacabana, General Osório in Ipanema and Carioca/Centro, contactless payment is the cleaner choice.

Tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Elo card—or a supported NFC wallet—at a marked gate. Carry a second card as a fallback. If contactless fails, buy a physical single-journey ticket at the station. Consider Giro only if a reloadable metro card suits a longer stay, and look at Jaé or Riocard Mais only when an integrated journey makes their extra rules relevant.