SUBE Card: Where to Buy and How to Use It for Traveling in Argentina

If you're visiting Argentina, you'll need a SUBE card. Here's everything you need to know to use it during your stay and travel on public transportation. A step-by-step guide to getting one.

The SUBE card is essential for using public transportation in Argentina, whether it's buses, subways, trains, trolleybuses, or ferries. The system covers the City and Greater Buenos Aires along with over 60 towns across the country like Bariloche, Ushuaia, and Mendoza.


If you're a tourist and have never used it before, the SUBE card serves as a pre-loadable wallet from which your fare will be deducted when using different modes of public transport by tapping it on terminals or turnstiles.


Here's how to buy and use the SUBE card to make your trip more comfortable, economical, and efficient.


Where to Buy the SUBE Card


The easiest way to buy the SUBE card is online from the official website www.argentina.gob.ar/sube, and it costs $880 (Argentine pesos).


  • Fill out the form with your personal details on the website.


  • Choose where to receive it. You can opt for free delivery to a SUBE Customer Service Center or receive it at a post office for a cost of $189, or at your home for $310.


  • Make the payment electronically.


  • You'll receive an email confirming your purchase along with the electronic invoice.


  • Go pick it up or receive it at the agreed-upon location.

The SUBE Customer Service Centers in Buenos Aires City are located in Retiro, Constitución, Villa Soldati, and Saavedra, while in the province of Buenos Aires, they are in the towns of Ezeiza, La Plata, Adrogué, Florencio Varela, Mercedes, Pilar, Quilmes, San Miguel, Moreno, Luján, Vicente López, Carmen de Areco, Lobos, Navarro, Bahía Blanca, Zárate, and Pergamino. In the rest of the country, there are also centers in the city of Paraná (Entre Ríos) and in the city of Santa Fe.


The SUBE card can also be purchased through the WhatsApp virtual assistant, the SUBI chatbot (+54 9 11 6677-7823). You can also check available balance, deactivate it, recover your PIN in case you forget it, and report issues or other inquiries.


For further inquiries, you can refer to these frequently asked questions. You can also contact SUBE through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or call 0800-777-SUBE (7823).


How to Top Up Balance on the SUBE Card


The SUBE card has a maximum limit of $6,600, meaning you cannot load more money than that amount. Additionally, the card allows up to $1,080 in negative balance, equivalent to the price of four minimum bus fares. Thus, even if your balance is $0, you can still take 4 buses.


Once you have your SUBE card, you first need to load credit.


Loading balance online


One way is online and only with your cell phone:


Deposit money through Mercado Pago, PagoMisCuentas, online banking, ATMs, or bank debit.


With the Carga SUBE app, credit the load and check your balance in real-time, all from your cell phone. Your phone must have NFC reader enabled. You can also credit the load by tapping your card on the SUBE automatic terminal readers found at train and subway stations.

Loading balance in person


Top up your SUBE card balance at kiosks or train and subway ticket offices using cash. When you load at these places, the balance is automatically credited and ready to use.

These SUBE points are also enabled for loading.


How to Use the SUBE Card for the First Time


For those visiting Argentina, using the SUBE card for the first time might be a new experience. Therefore, we summarize the key steps in a small practical usage guide.

Get a SUBE card (see Where to Buy the SUBE).

- Load balance (See How to Top Up Balance on the SUBE Card).


- Register the card online at this link. This step is optional but will allow you to pay a lower fare and protect your balance in case of loss.


- Use the card: When boarding public transportation, simply tap your SUBE card on the SUBE reader located at the bus entrance or subway turnstiles. If you're on a bus, you must tell the driver your destination for them to calculate your fare, which will be displayed on the screen. Upon tapping your SUBE, you'll hear a sound and see a green light if the transaction was successful. The deducted amount and your remaining balance will appear.


- Tap the SUBE again when exiting (trains only): When traveling on various urban train lines, you must tap the SUBE card on turnstiles when entering the station and when exiting at your destination. The payment will be deducted only upon exit based on the distance (if you don't tap out, the maximum fare will be deducted).


- Check your balance: To ensure you have enough money for future trips, check your balance at automatic machines, at some subway stations, or at SUBE Customer Service Centers or through the Carga SUBE app.


- Regularly reload your SUBE card: Make sure to reload your SUBE to avoid running out of balance at night or in areas without loading points.

If you still have doubts, consult these frequently asked questions. You can also contact SUBE through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or call 0800-777-SUBE (7823).


Enjoy your trip to Argentina! 🙂