The South Korean government has begun reviewing a system to allow foreign tourists to use buses and subways with overseas-issued credit cards. This initiative aims to address the inconvenience faced by visitors who currently must purchase and top up transportation cards with cash or buy foreigner-specific prepaid cards. The study will estimate the required budget and determine who should bear the costs.
The South Korean government has recently launched a bid to commission a study on introducing an open-loop public transportation payment system to enhance convenience for foreign tourists. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans for the study to run from this month through the end of next year, exploring ways to enable direct fare payments using international credit cards. Currently, visitors face inconvenience by having to purchase and top up transportation cards with cash or buy prepaid cards designed specifically for foreigners.
The number of foreign visitors rose 15.2 percent year-on-year to 15.82 million from January to October this year, heightening the need for improvements. Major global cities, including New York and London, have already implemented systems allowing passengers to use their own credit cards for public transit.
"It would be difficult to roll out the system nationwide over a short period, so the government is likely to adopt a phased expansion in consultation with local governments and public transportation operators," a government official said. If the study leads to a decision to introduce the system, actual implementation could begin as early as 2027. The study will focus on estimating the budget required and determining who should bear the related costs.
