South Korea extends public transport commuter incentives through year-end

public transportation incentives commuter subsidies K-Pass traffic congestion relief transportation policy

The South Korean government has announced the extension of the staggered commuting incentive program for the ‘Everyone’s Card’ (K-Pass fixed-rate type) through the end of the year. The Metropolitan Transport Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated that the program, which increases the refund rate by 30 percentage points for public transport users during specific off-peak hours, will continue to help alleviate congestion.

Data shows that since the introduction of the incentive, the average daily trips by K-Pass users increased by 25.4%, with off-peak commuting trips rising by 20.7%. The average monthly refund per user also doubled, increasing from 20,700 won to 41,300 won. The government has included funding for these incentives in next year's budget proposal to ensure continuity.

Separately, the ‘Half-price Everyone’s Card’ program, which lowered the refund threshold for metropolitan users, will conclude as originally scheduled at the end of September.