The Metropolitan Area faces challenges in its public transportation fare systems despite efforts like transfer discounts and local fare support programs such as Seoul’s "Climate Card," Incheon’s "I-Pass," and Gyeonggi-do’s "The Gyeonggi Pass." These fragmented policies create confusion and inefficiencies while struggling with financial sustainability and accessibility issues.
This study aims to propose an integrated public transportation fare support policy to alleviate user burdens, promote public transit use, and foster sustainable transportation systems. A collaborative research team conducted comprehensive data analysis and case reviews, leveraging socio-economic data, user patterns, and fare system performance. Scenario-based analyses tailored to regional characteristics were performed to evaluate the feasibility of short- and long-term strategies.
The findings suggest that Gyeonggi-do should focus on enhancing The Gyeonggi Pass, as it offers universal benefits to a large and diverse population, thereby increasing public transit usage and improving transportation welfare. For Incheon, I-Pass was identified as the most equitable and efficient option, benefiting the largest number of users while ensuring cost-effectiveness and operational stability without significant additional financial burdens. In Seoul, with its high public transit modal share and consistent fare system, expanding the Climate Card is recommended to further incentivize transit use and increase trip frequency per user.
In the long term, the establishment of a unified fare support system for the Metropolitan Area is essential. This includes designing a comprehensive fare support framework, building an administrative cooperation structure, and creating a unified settlement system based on integrated data. Such a system would minimize user confusion caused by reissued cards and data inconsistencies while unifying the region's fare systems for greater efficiency.
The study also emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and evaluation of public transportation fare policies to ensure their effectiveness. Additionally, fundamental improvements to infrastructure, including the expansion of subway and bus networks, the creation of additional dedicated bus lanes, and enhancements to public transportation information systems, are necessary to support increased public transit use and improve user experiences. These efforts will contribute to achieving a more sustainable and user-friendly transportation system across the Metropolitan Area.