Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Mon, December 4, 2023 | 15:24

Society

Public transit fares to increase in Seoul and Busan this week

Posted : 2023-10-03 16:02

Updated : 2023-10-04 15:38

Commuters pay for a ride at a subway station in Seoul, Tuesday. Newsis

By Jung Da-hyun

Basic fares for public transportation in Seoul and Busan are set to increase later this week.

Subway fares in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon will go up by 150 won ($0.11) on Saturday, while city bus fares and subway fares in Busan will increase by 350 won and 150 won, respectively, Friday.

The basic fare for the subway in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon currently stands at 1,250 won if paid by credit or transportation card and 1,350 won by cash.

Fares for teenagers and children will also increase for the first time since 2007. The fare for teenagers will rise to 800 won from 720 won, while the children's fare will increase to 500 won from 450 won.

Current discount policies will remain unchanged. These include fee reductions before 6:30 a.m. and the integrated transfer discount, which charges the basic fee and an additional 100 won per 5 kilometers if the total distance exceeds 10 kilometers.

In Busan, the regular city bus fare will increase from 1,200 won to 1,550 won. The express city bus fare will rise from 1,700 won to 2,050 won, according to Busan Metropolitan City.

For the subway, the fare will be 1,450 won for trips of up to 10 kilometers, or 1,650 won for longer trips. An additional 100 won will be charged for cash payments.

In Busan, there will be no fare increase for teenagers for either buses or subways. Additionally, children under 12 will be able to use public transportation for free when using transportation cards.

Although a 300 won increase was initially reviewed by the local governments, it has been reduced by half due to cost of living pressures. Seoul plans to implement an additional 150 won increase in the second half of next year, while Busan also intends to increase fares by the same amount on May 3 next year.

dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr

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