The government plans to introduce a commuter pass that can be used on both buses and subways.
The transport ministry’s Metropolitan Transport Commission announced on Wednesday that it is seeking to introduce the integrated pass from next year after holding consultations with local governments and railway transport agencies.
Currently, commuter passes for subways are available in the Seoul metro area and some other regions, offering a fixed number of trips for a set period.
Calls for an integrated pass were made after many commuters using both the subway and the bus complained of not being able to get transfer discounts and having to pay for additional fares when using the bus.
The commission’s announcement comes a day after related government agencies held a meeting on the envisioned integrated pass system. The meeting saw the participation of the transport ministry, Seoul Metro, the Korea Railroad Corporation and the governments of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.
The transport ministry estimates that if such a system were to be introduced, the public would enjoy a reduction of up to 38 percent in their public transportation costs.
Source: KBS World Radio