How to Buy and Use the Mexico City Metro Card

The complete guide to buying, topping up, and using the Tarjeta de movilidad integrada (MI) on the Metro, Metrobús, and Cablebús in CDMX.

Post updated: August 2026

To use the public transport in Mexico City, you must purchase the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (commonly known as the Metro Card).

Despite being called the Metro Card, it is also valid for travel on the:

• Metrobús
• Xochimilco Light Rail
• Trolleybus
• RTP buses
• Cablebús
• El Insurgente Tren
• Tren Suburbano to the Felipe Ángeles Airport (AIFA)

..as well as the Metro.

The old paper tickets are no longer issued.

You can also pay for the Metro and Metrobús (but not for the Tren Ligero, Trolebús, or Cablébus) using your contactless credit/debit card, wherever you see these card readers:

​Where to buy the Mexico City Metro Card

You can buy your card from any Metro Station ticket office, or from the ticket machines found at the Metro Stations and sometimes on the Metrobús platforms or Cablebús stations. Some machines only accept cash, and they do occasionally run out of actual cards.

How much does the Mexico City Metro Card cost:

The actual cards cost 15 pesos, and then you have to top them up.

How to Top Up Your Mexico City Metro Card:

You can recharge your card at any Metro Station ticket office or machine (if they have one), Metrobús, or Cablebús station ticket machines, some of which only accept cash, and some which only accept coins. The top-up limit is 500 pesos.

Ticket machines at one of the Metrobús stations:

Buying and recharging machines on the Mexico City Cablebús, line 3:

There are no zones, like in London, so all rides are a flat fee, and therefore, you only need to touch in at the turnstiles or inside the bus. You do not have to touch out!

Can two people share a Mexico City Metro Card?

Yes. Since you don’t have to tap out, you can just pass your card to your buddy and let them use it. As long as there is enough credit on it, it works like a dream. This is very user-friendly!

Close-up of the ticket machine at one of the metro stations in Mexico City. This one accepts card payment:

Each network has a different fare. Check out my individual guides to the Metro, Metrobus, Trolebus, Cablebus and the Tren Ligero.

Trolleybus (Trolebús in Spanish) Línea 1 in Mexico City:

You can pay for the new Amajac Route to Mexico City International Airport (AICM) T1 and T2 with the Metro card, which costs 30 pesos:

You can also use your Metro Card to make use of the Ecobici Public Bicycles, which I haven’t written about yet.