Subway fares to rise from Saturday, first hike in eight years

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Subway fares to rise from Saturday, first hike in eight years

Published: 03 Oct. 2023, 16:08 Updated: 03 Oct. 2023, 16:56

CHO JUNG-WOO
cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr

Passengers pass through subway turnstiles at Gwanghwamun Station in central Seoul on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Subway fares in the greater Seoul area, including Incheon and Gyeonggi, will rise 150 won ($0.11) starting this Saturday.

This marks the first subway fare hike in eight years, which comes after the Seoul Metropolitan Government raised bus fares by at least 300 won in August.

Adults traveling on subways in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi will need to pay 1,400 won, up from the current 1,250 won.

Subway fares for children and teenagers will rise for the first time in 16 years.

Starting Saturday, subway fares for riders between the ages of 6 and 12 will be upped from 450 won to 500 won and those for riders between the ages of 13 and 18 from 720 won to 800 won.

Prices for single-ride tickets and monthly passes for subways will also be affected by the price hike.

The price for a single-ride pass will increase from 1,350 won to 1,500 won. These passes have cost 100 won more to cover costs such as the operation of ticketing machines at platforms.

The base fare for a 60-ride monthly pass will increase from 55,000 won to 61,600 won. These monthly passes are sold at 18 different prices depending on distances. The cheapest option, which costs 55,000 won right now, allows passengers to travel up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) using the pass.

But users who have topped up these passes before Oct. 7 will be able to use them for the current base fare until they use up the money.

Transportation discount systems, including the early morning discounts and transfer systems, will now be discounted based on the higher base fare.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been planning to increase subway fares this year due to the lingering financial burden posed by metro operators.

According to the city government, the accumulated debt of Seoul subways amounted to some 17.7 trillion won last year.

Scrapping its initial plan to increase fares by 300 won this year, the metropolitan government decided to gradually increase the fare with plans to raise them another 150 won next year.

The gradual increase was partly decided due to inflation and the Yoon government's announced freeze of public utility charges earlier in the year.

The subway fare hike comes amid the city government’s plan to introduce a transportation card called the “climate companion card” that allows unlimited public transportation rides in Seoul.

The pass will allow citizens to take unlimited rides on buses, subways, public bicycles and even water buses if they pay 65,000 won ($49) per month.

The city government is currently in talks with the governments of neighboring Incheon and Gyeonggi to expand the use of the pass.

The card will be released in January for a five-month trial and will only be able to be used in the city of Seoul if other local governments refuse to join. But Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon believes the other regions will “ultimately agree and adopt the new system.”

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]