Cuenca Tram Card Shortage Could Last Several More Weeks

Cuenca's tram card shortage is not just a one-day annoyance. The city says the problem has already lasted several weeks, and a new emergency purchase could take about four more weeks to arrive.

What Happened

Tram cards were being sold normally through May 2026. Then a problem in a public-procurement process left the system with very little stock.

According to the city's mobility coordinator, the system sold 1,900 cards last month and then had to keep the remaining stock for people in vulnerable situations.

The city had started a process to buy about 25,000 cards, but that process is suspended in the national public-procurement system because one supplier did not meet the requested value-added requirement.

The Temporary Fix

Because of the delay, the city planned an emergency small purchase for 5,800 cards. That purchase is expected to take about four weeks, with delivery coming progressively so sales can restart at authorized points.

In the meantime, riders without a card have three main options:

• Pay $1 per trip
• Use mobile apps linked to bank operators
• Buy a ticket from machines at the 27 tram stations

What This Means For Riders

If you use the tram regularly and do not already have a card, budget for the higher cash fare until new cards return. One operator at El Arenal said cards are expected to be available again next month, in August, at all points.