Category:
Jaé begins exclusive operation for free public transport on July 5th
Published on 12/06/2025 - 11:37 | Updated on 12/06/2025 - 12:28
The new station will offer more comfort and a wider structure for card users - Conrado Portella/City Hall Rio's deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, and the municipal secretary of Transport, Maína Celidonio, presented this Thursday (12/06), at the Operations and Resilience Center (COR), the details about the start of the exclusive operation of the Jaé system in the city of Rio.
– The goal is to ensure that the City Hall has control over the data, information and ticketing operations. Jaé symbolizes this progress and the beginning of a new phase of management with public control. This is a historic demand from society and the control agencies, and Mayor Eduardo Paes made a point of consolidating this new moment – declared Vice Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere.
Starting July 5, Jaé will be the exclusive route for all free rides in the city of Rio. On August 2, the operation will become exclusive to all users of municipal public transportation: BRT, VLT, municipal buses, vans and the popular “cabritinhos”.
– It was a big fight against the interests of the businessmen who controlled Riocard. Rio City Hall is the first capital to have a transparent and auditable public ticketing system. July 5 and August 2 are the definitive deadlines for the change of the system. Riocard will no longer be valid. The black box in the ticketing system of the city of Rio will end – said Eduardo Cavaliere.
People aged 65 or over in the city of Rio have access to the free benefit, and can request – through the app – for the physical card to be delivered to their home, free of charge; people with disabilities (and their companions) and patients with chronic diseases (during the treatment period), linked to the city's health units; and students in the city's public elementary and high school system.
The benefit also extends to university students covered by Federal Government quota programs or the University for All Program (Prouni) of higher education institutions (IES) located in the city of Rio, in addition to students in a situation of socioeconomic vulnerability, as long as duly proven.
– We are setting different dates for different audiences precisely to ensure a smoother transition. Today, around 400 people use Jaé daily, an important advance, the result of careful work by the City Hall. I ask that people prepare themselves and use the digital version of Jaé, downloading the latest version of the app, which is more practical and avoids the need to go to the store and wait in lines – highlighted Secretary Maína Celidonio.
Starting August 2, Jaé will become the only ticketing system accepted on all modes of municipal public transportation in Rio. To continue using the transportation and fare integrations of the Bilhete Único Carioca (BUC), users will need to have the new Jaé card. The BUC allows up to three consecutive trips on municipal transportation modes within a period of up to three hours, as long as the trips follow the same direction and one of them is on the BRT. If the BRT is not used, the benefit is limited to two consecutive trips in the same direction.
Jaé, which is fully digital but also offers the option of a physical card, will be the payment method for these integrations. The City of Rio recommends that people avoid migrating to Jaé at the last minute and download the latest version of the app right away, which can be used to pay for tickets using a QR Code. Important: state transportation modes (intercity buses, Supervia, subway and ferries) will continue to use the Riocard system.
Intercity Single Ticket
For the Intermunicipal Single Ticket (BUI), the Riocard card will continue to be used on municipal transportation systems, using their own validators, exclusively by those who have access to the benefit. For trips that do not involve integration and that require separate payment, it will be necessary to use two cards: the Riocard for state transportation systems and the Jaé for the municipal system. The Intermunicipal Single Ticket represents a 2% share of the total number of users who use transportation systems in the city of Rio.
Transportation vouchers
For companies in Rio, it is essential to register their employees in Jaé immediately to obtain transportation vouchers. The hiring process is online, fast and free, available at https://www.jae.com.br/empresas. This new system simplifies the process, eliminating the need to unlink previous buyers or validate top-ups, allowing employees to access transportation voucher credits immediately.
In addition, Jaé allows users to accumulate credits from different employers on a single account or card. If the card is lost, users can continue using the transport voucher, via QR Code through the app, until a new card is issued.
About the new system
Passengers can pay for their fares using their cell phones, using a QR Code. Users can download the Jaé app or access the website to create an account. Through the app, available for both iOS and Android cell phones, it is possible to pay for their fares using a QR Code, check their balance, statement and top up, as well as request, block, cancel and request a duplicate of their card.
Credits can be purchased in the app using credit, Pix or bank slip and are available for use instantly. It is important to note that in this new system the balance does not expire.
Passengers who prefer a physical card can have two types of cards. The black card, which is requested via an app and is linked to a digital account. The green card is purchased at ATMs and can only be recharged at ATMs or ticket offices. Note: the yellow card is free.
How to Acquire Jaé
>>> General public
You can download the app from your mobile phone's online store, follow the registration instructions and start using Jaé virtually on your mobile phone. When you register, you can request a physical Visa card for free and pick it up at one of the service stores. Another option is to pay a fee of R$7,95 and have the card delivered to your home.
You can also purchase the card at the Self-Service Machines located at BRT stations and terminals, and get a separate card, which is a green card. This card cannot be associated with your account in the app.
>>> Elderly residents of the city of Rio
You can register using the Jaé app on your cell phone. Senior citizens can benefit from Jaé Gratuidade right after validating their biometric registration, by generating a QR Code through the app. However, if you wish to request a physical card, you can request home delivery, which is free.
If the elderly person is unable to register via the app, they must go to one of the Jaé stores or temporary service points.
>>> PWDs and chronically ill people undergoing treatment linked to health units in the city of Rio
People with disabilities or chronic illnesses, who benefit from free transport, are registered at the health units of the Municipal Health Department (SMS) directly in the Jaé system, to issue the free card.
After the granting, the beneficiary can request their free Jaé card through the app or at a Jaé service store. The card can be collected at the store of your choice free of charge or delivered to your home, upon payment of a convenience fee (R$7,95).
>> Students from municipal and state schools (linked to SEEDUC) in the city of Rio
At the beginning of the school year, the cards of enrolled students were sent to their respective schools for delivery to students. After this procedure was adopted for the return to classes in 2025, all schools were instructed to forward student registrations directly to Jaé, to issue the free card. The card request must be made by the student through the Jaé app or in person at one of the company's service points.
The same process was adopted for state schools linked to the Rio State Department of Education – SEEDUC, with the cards distributed to the Regional Administrative Directorates (Metropolitan) before being sent to the schools. Students can still request them via the app or at Jaé service points.
>>> Students from state schools (not linked to SEEDUC) and federal schools
The card must be requested directly by the student, using the Jaé app or by visiting one of the in-person service points. The card can be collected free of charge in the store or delivered to your home upon payment of a fee (R$7,95).
>>> University students from higher education institutions (IES) located in the City of Rio.
Higher education institutions in the city of Rio send the registrations of ProUni quota and scholarship students directly to the Jaé dealership, with a view to issuing the free card. After this procedure, the student must complete their registration through the app.
University students in a situation of low income (with a monthly per capita family income of up to one minimum wage) must upload the documents required by law through the Jaé Universitário website. Once the request is approved, the student must access the Jaé app to complete their registration.
Regardless of the university student's category, the card application process follows the same flow: the order must be made via the app, with the option of free collection in store or home delivery upon payment of a fee.
What are the addresses and opening hours of Jaé service points?
Botafogo (RioLuz headquarters) – R. Voluntários da Pátria, 169 – Botafogo (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 9 am to 18 pm
Campo Grande – Rua Aurélio de Figueiredo, 41, store D – Campo Grande (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8:20 am to 18:XNUMX pm
São Sebastião Administrative Center (City Hall) – Rua Ulysses Guimarães, 2-14 – Cidade Nova (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 9 am to 17 pm
BRT Alvorada Terminal – Av. das Américas, s/nº – Barra da Tijuca (prior booking required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8am to 18pm
BRT Jardim Oceânico Terminal – Av. Armando Lombardi, 705 – Barra da Tijuca (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 9am to 18pm
Paulo da Portela Madureira BRT Terminal – Rua Padre Manso, s/nº, EF 203 – Madureira (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 7am to 18pm
Santa Cruz BRT Terminal – Rua Felipe Cardoso, s/nº – Santa Cruz (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8am to 18pm
Deodoro BRT Terminal – Estr. do Camboatá, 46, Deodoro (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 7am to 18pm
Pingo D'Água Terminal – Estrada da Pedra Guaratiba (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8am to 18pm
Fundão BRT Terminal – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (prior appointment required)Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 9 am to 18 pmService temporarily suspended – carried out at Engenhão
Taquara – Av. Nelson Cardoso, 905 – store 107 Taquara (prior appointment required) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8am to 18pm
Gentileza Terminal – Avenida Francisco Bicalho, São Cristóvão, Store 32 (No card withdrawal for now) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 9 am to 18 pm
Estácio – Rua Ulysses Guimarães, 16, store A (in front of Estácio subway station) Cidade Nova (Service available: Collection of cards that were scheduled for the City Hall headquarters store – Cass) – Opening hours: Monday to Friday, except holidays – from 8 am to 18 pm
Temporary positions
Knowledge Ship Engenho de Dentro – Rua Arquias Cordeiro, 1516 (no prior appointment required) – Open from Monday to Friday, from 09 am to 18 pm, except holidays.
Nave do Conhecimento Padre Miguel – Rua Bom Sossego, 380 (no prior appointment required) – Open from Monday to Friday, from 09am to 18pm, except holidays. On Saturdays, from 09am to 13pm.
