Overview
- Following Wednesday’s nationwide student marches, Indecopi reiterated that the half fare is a legal right and outlined how to report violations after hundreds of complaints since 2020.
- Law 26271 sets the fare at no more than 50% of the adult price on urban and interurban buses on working days from 5:00 a.m. to midnight, and it applies on any route.
- The benefit also covers technical institute students when programs last at least six semesters, which means three years of study under the rule.
- Indecopi says it can fine transport firms up to 450 UIT, or about S/2.475 million in 2026, and it is inspecting operators, including with undercover users, to check compliance.
- Students describe daily overcharging and mistreatment, with riders in Lima’s Los Olivos paying S/2.50 to S/3.00 and protesters in Arequipa reporting refusals to give change or being told to get off; in Cusco, protests secured a hold on the S/0.50 university fare while the general fare was set at S/1.20 and operators agreed to present a cost study in 15 days.