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| Foreign tourists pose at a subway station in Seoul in this undated photo. Courtesy of Seoul Metro |
By Jun Ji-hye
Seoul Metro, the operator of the Seoul subway system, will issue new travel passes offering unlimited subway access for a short period of time in a bid to offer more convenience to an increasing number of foreign tourists, the company said Sunday.
The firm, owned by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said it is putting a priority on issuing one-day and three-day travel passes, considering that 36.8 percent of foreign tourists visiting the capital stay in the city for four to seven days on average.
The new travel passes are expected to be issued within the second half of the year, while the prices will be set at 5,600 won ($4) for a one-day pass and 11,800 won for a three-day pass.
The plan is one of the three creative ideas awarded at a presentation hosted by the city government last month.
The other two are the simultaneous dialog interpretation service and the same-day luggage delivery service called T-luggage.
The simultaneous dialog interpretation service uses a two-way transparent display that offers simultaneous interpretation while a subway station staffer and a foreign tourist speak in their own languages.
The service will begin in November at Myeong-dong Station on Line No. 4, as the area is a famous shopping district frequently visited by foreign tourists.
The service will cover 13 languages, which will be expanded to five other stations including Seoul and Itaewon stations next year.
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| Seoul Metro's T-luggage service offers same-day luggage delivery between Incheon and Gimpo International Airports and subway stations. Courtesy of Seoul Metro |
The T-luggage service, which already began in May at four stations including Myeong-dong Station, is a same-day luggage delivery service between subway stations and Incheon and Gimpo international airports.
"We have prepared policies to enhance travel convenience, as the number of foreign tourists visiting Seoul has increased following the easing of restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," Seoul Metro CEO Baek Ho said.
"We will continue to release a variety of creative services."
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