The government redefines public transport costs in the AMBA region and focuses on subsidies.

Thenational government officially announced a new resolution this Friday that redefines the calculation criteria for operating costs for public passenger transportation in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region (AMBA) . This is a key measure that will impact subsidy policy and future discussions on fares.

Through Resolution 36/2025 of the Ministry of Economy —more precisely from the Secretariat of Transportation— the new values ​​corresponding to the Costs and Average Income of Urban and Suburban Passenger Transportation Services were approved, valid for the months of July, August, September and October 2025 .

The update seeks to more accurately reflect the evolution of the actual operating costs of the motor transport system in the AMBA region, where dozens of bus lines operate, moving millions of people every day.

While the resolution does not directly modify fares , it does indirectly affect the amount of fare compensation —that is, the subsidies that the national government and the province of Buenos Aires provide to companies . These contributions are key to avoiding a sharp increase in ticket prices.

According to the Transportation Department, this is a measure "necessary to guarantee the continuity of service" and "preserve the system's accessibility for the most vulnerable sectors," amidst high accumulated inflation and pressure on public finances.

The resolution, NA reported, is based on an "Operating Cost Calculation Methodology" designed for passenger transportation by motor vehicle under national jurisdiction. The framework considers key variables such as fuel, salaries, maintenance, insurance, and fleet depreciation , among other operational elements.

The new criteria introduce more dynamic and realistic adjustments that take into account increases in essential inputs and reflect companies' true expenditures, at a time when demand is in tension with the sustainability of the system .

Although the text does not mention increases in the short term, this update could be the first step toward a possible tariff review , should the government choose to reduce subsidies or move toward a rate closer to the "real cost" of the service .

In this regard, sources close to the sector warn that the discussion on ticket prices will return to the agenda in the last quarter of the year, especially if the fiscal adjustment continues and a reduction in public spending is sought.

For now, the government maintains that its main objective is to maintain the economic balance of the system , while still ensuring access to transportation for users in Greater Buenos Aires, one of the areas most dependent on buses as a means of daily transportation.