The Cabinet Council of Panama approved this Tuesday the resolution project 146-25, which authorizes the direct and exceptional contracting with the company Sonda to update the payment system of the Panama Metro. The contract will have a term of 38 months and a cost of 11 million 85 thousand 673 balboas with 14 cents, with the objective of guaranteeing the availability and proper functioning of the fare system until April 2027, especially on Line 1, whose turnstiles and equipment installed since 2003 are obsolete. Among the improvements to be implemented are: Complete renewal of station equipment. Modernization of electronic card validators. Possibility of reloading and paying the fare with a mobile phone, credit cards, and online top-ups. Engineer César Filson, in charge of technical supervision, explained that this procedure will allow the service to continue while the next public tender, which will have a 10-year term, is being prepared. 'The goal is not only to maintain the service, but to update all the technology to offer greater comfort to users,' Filson highlighted. With this update, it is sought that Panama Metro users can enjoy a more efficient, secure, and modern payment system adapted to new payment technologies.
