K-Pass to offer greater bargain for public transit from 2026

Subway cars move over Dongjak Bridge in Seoul in this November 2024 photo. Korea Times file

The government will launch new features for K-Pass, a cash-back public transit pass, offering a greater bargain for bus and subway rides across Korea, starting next year.

The K-Pass was first introduced in May last year as a public transit card offering a monthly fare rebate ranging from 20 to 53 percent when using buses or subways at least 15 times a month.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on Friday, the new K-Pass will introduce a flat fee scheme to cut prices for each public transit ride.

By purchasing the new K-Pass for 62,000 won ($45) per month, users can enjoy free public bus and subway rides until accumulated fares reach 200,000 won, by getting refunded 138,000 won in following month. Transit fees spent beyond the mileage cap are not covered by the pass.

For teenagers, seniors, parents with three children or more and those living in financial poverty, the pass price is discounted to 55,000 won.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's 2024 promotional image of K-Pass / Courtesy of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

The new K-Pass will also offer a higher-priced option that includes GTX, a high-speed subway network for the country’s capital area, and buses connecting cities and regional areas. Using a mileage cap, the regular price for the higher-end pass is 100,000 won, while the discounted price for the same designated groups is 90,000 won.

The government said the new K-Pass returns a refund rate of 30 percent for senior patrons, higher than the existing version’s 20 percent. The new pass will offer the same refund rates from its current version for regular patrons at 20 percent, parents of three children or more at 50 percent and those from low-income households at 53 percent.

To introduce the new benefits, the transport ministry allocated 527 billion won for the K-Pass program next year, up from 237 billion won this year. Including the K-Pass budget, the government earmarked a record-high 62.4 trillion won for the transport ministry in 2026, up 4.2 trillion won from this year.