'Automatic Just by Passing'... Gyeonggi-do Expands 'Contactless' Bus Fare Payment Implementation

'Contactless Payment System' Expanded to All Metropolitan Buses from the 2nd
Expected to Improve Convenience for Socially Transport-Disadvantaged Groups Including the Visually Impaired

Photo materials [Asia Economy DB]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Gyeonggi Province will expand the 'contactless (tagless) bus fare payment service,' which was applied to some metropolitan buses, to all metropolitan buses in the province starting January 2.

According to the province on the 2nd, the 'contactless (tagless) bus fare payment service' aims to reduce concerns about infectious disease damage such as COVID-19 originating from China caused by public transportation and to improve convenience for bus passengers.

After installing the 'Tagless Pay' app on a smartphone and registering a prepaid or postpaid transportation card, the passenger's smartphone Bluetooth signal communicates with the beacon (wireless) signal installed on the vehicle, enabling automatic boarding and alighting processing and payment without card contact (tagging).

iPhone users, who were previously unable to pay transportation fees via smartphone due to NFC payment restrictions, can use the service by purchasing a dedicated sticker at Cashbee shops and attaching it to their smartphones.

Starting from January last year in the Gimpo area, the province has been operating the contactless fare payment service on 1,789 metropolitan buses. With the additional expansion to 880 buses this time, the service will be available on all 2,669 metropolitan buses in the province.

The province expects that expanding the service to city buses and subways will also enhance convenience for socially transportation-vulnerable groups, including the visually impaired.

Accordingly, in collaboration with the service provider, a promotion plan is in place to provide dedicated stickers free of charge to the first 500 iPhone users, offer fare discounts when using tagless payment, and distribute coffee coupons.

Woo Byung-bae, Director of the Bus Policy Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, "The tagless service is essential for minimizing COVID-19 infection, shortening boarding and alighting times, reducing accidents inside buses, and supporting socially transportation-vulnerable groups. We plan to introduce the system to all transportation modes in Gyeonggi Province through system advancement."