Use Seoul Subway Station Vacant Store as Personal Storage for 79,000 KRW per Month

Seoul Metro Launches 'Ttota Storage' Service at Dapsimni, Isu, and Garak Market Stations from the 23rd
Long-Term Storage Available for Hobby Items to One-Room Moving Goods... Equipped with Heating, Moisture Control, and CCTV

'Dottastorage' Created by Renovating Vacant Commercial Space at Dapsimni Station

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Personal storage units where you can store items ranging from camping and skiing gear that you don't use immediately to small furniture or one-room moving belongings without any time limit will be established inside subway stations near your home.

Seoul Metro announced that starting from the 23rd, it will launch the 'Tota Storage' service, which rents out personal storage units by converting vacant commercial spaces and idle areas within subway stations into storage spaces, allowing citizens to store their belongings for medium to long-term periods. The strategy aims to enhance citizen convenience by creating personal storage units in subway stations within residential areas, while also improving space efficiency in subway stations and generating new revenue.

Accordingly, the Tota Storage operation will first begin at Dapsimni Station (Line 5), Isu Station (Lines 4 and 7), and Garak Market Station (Lines 3 and 8), areas expected to have high demand due to the high residential rate of single-person and four-person households aged 20 to 39.

This service operates with a 100% contactless unmanned system. From storage application to payment and access, everything can be done in one stop through the dedicated Seoul Metro unmanned locker app, 'T-locker Tota Locker.' Users select their desired station, storage unit, and usage period, pay the fee, complete user authentication, and receive access permission. The service is available during Seoul Metro operating hours (5 a.m. to midnight).

There are two types of storage units: cabinet type and room type. The cabinet type (79,000 KRW per month) is about the size of 10 Korea Post size 5 boxes (48 cm wide × 38 cm deep × 34 cm high), suitable for storing belongings from one-room moves without furniture, hobby items, or collectibles. The room type (131,000 KRW per month) can hold about 35 to 45 Korea Post size 5 boxes and is ideal for storing small furniture or one-room moving belongings.

The interior of the storage units is fully equipped with insulation and humidity control facilities to keep items in optimal condition. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) records the interior in real time for safety. Through business liability insurance, compensation of up to 1 million KRW is provided in case of issues with stored items. To celebrate the launch of the service, a 20% discount on fees will be offered for one month.

This Tota Storage service is part of the 'Living Logistics Center' project announced by the corporation in June. It is the second new directly operated logistics business following the launch of the 'Tota Luggage Base' service at four locations including Hongdae Entrance Station, which stores tourists' suitcases and delivers them to the airport. This project is also included in Seoul City's 'Plan to Secure Living Logistics Facilities Utilizing Urban Railway Facilities' and will receive up to 1.64 billion KRW in investment funds from Seoul City.

The corporation plans to establish up to 50 centers by 2022, starting with nine living logistics centers including Tota Luggage Base and Tota Storage this year.