The next governor of Rio de Janeiro will face rail-based public transportation as one of the main challenges, which confronts the most expensive subway fare in the country and a precarious train system. The need for investments is evidenced by the numbers: until the Covid-19 pandemic, subways and trains received approximately 34 million passengers monthly, while in the first quarter of this year, combined, both modes transport close to 23 million people per month.
The two main candidates for state government, Eduardo Paes (PSD) and Douglas Ruas (PL), agree that subway expansion is necessary, but diverge on construction timelines. Both promise to increase transparency of resources that will be subsidized starting from a new electronic ticketing system, which however depends on court authorization to become reality.
A study recently released by BNDES and the Ministry of Cities mapped 15 priority mobility projects for Rio, with estimated investment of R$ 68 billion. The research indicates priorities for the sector, but implementation faces challenges related to court authorization for electronic ticketing and divergences between candidates on schedules.
