Beep! Card

The Tarjeta Bip! (or Beep! card in English) is used to pay for all public transportation that is part of the Transantiago network. Obviously the name come from the sound the scanner makes when you put your card against it to pay your fare. You can charge your card at every metro station, at most banks and at pay-your-bills-shops (don't ask). To get onto the metro platforms you use your card to open a turnstile (gate) and the fare is deducted. The fare only only depends on the hour you are traveling (rush hour is more expensive) and not on the distance. Inside micros (city buses) hang yellow boxes where you are supposed to put your card and have your fare deducted. If you have enough credit a singe "Beep!" sounds and a light turns green. If you don't have enough credit it goes "Beep! Beep! Beep!" and the light turns red. But since bus drivers have a fixed salary most of them couldn't care less. If you ask them in broken Spanish if you can pay him or where you can charge your card they will most likely wave you on without saying a word.

Needless to say that fare evasion is high on Transantiago micros. Some estimates are as high as 30%. That's why micros on some lines (the ones I have come across run along university campuses, coincidence?) have turnstiles inside the buses. Not that that works, because people just crouch underneath them. Some bus stops are gated and during rush hour they put up yellow boxes and have personnel that checks if you pay your fare.

Speaking of fare, every transfer to another bus is free within two hours (I think). If you travel by metro your connection to the micro is free and if you get on the metro after using the bus you only pay 60 pesos (the difference between metro and micro fare). You can't leave and get on the metro for free though. The system also provides an "emergency fare" where you can use the bus between 2100 and 0900 even if you have no credit on your card. Your fare will be deducted the next time your charge your card though. Now I know why people have negative credit on their card at times!