Panama Metro and MiBus introduce new payment system, warn of recharge suspension

Users of Panama City's Metro and MiBus public transportation systems must prepare for a technological shift this weekend as the services transition to a new cloud-based payment platform. The upgrade, known as ABT, will move the system from associating balances with physical cards to storing them in a digital cloud account.

To facilitate this transition, the recharging of transport cards will be temporarily suspended. This suspension is scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, and will last until 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 30. The interruption will affect all recharge channels, including ticket offices, machines, retail outlets, and online banking.

Authorities are advising passengers to anticipate their needs and complete any necessary recharges before the Saturday evening deadline, especially those who plan to travel during the suspension period. While the Metro and MiBus will continue operating normally throughout the weekend, the temporary halt on recharges is a crucial point for commuters to note.

Following the transition, the first use of a card after August 30 may experience a slight delay of about one second as the validator updates the card to connect with the new cloud system. This is expected to be a one-time occurrence. Users will also be able to check their balances and transaction history online via Tarjetametrobus.com or the Sonda platform. The system assures that any delays in transaction reflection do not mean lost funds, as information will be processed and updated.