"Youth Transportation Costs Will Be Reduced"… Seoul City Launches Climate Companion Card 'Youth Pass'

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon Meets with Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to Discuss Public Transportation Innovation
Seoul City Launches 'Climate Companion Card' Followed by 'K-Pass' and 'The Gyeonggi Pass'
Mayor Oh: "Public Transportation System Leap... Adding and Discovering Benefits for Better Mobility"

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the climate companion card "Youth Pass" for young people aged 19 to 34. This measure aims to alleviate their transportation costs and support active participation in social and economic activities. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon stated, "We will continue to add and discover benefits to provide citizens with a better mobility experience."

On the 22nd, Seoul announced that Mayor Oh met with Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo, and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, to discuss cooperation plans for innovating metropolitan public transportation services, including the climate companion card.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Park Sang-woo, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok (from left) joined hands at the joint briefing session on public transportation season tickets such as Climate Companion Card, K-Pass, The Gyeonggi Pass, and I-Pass held on the 22nd at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Starting with Seoul's "Climate Companion Card" in January, followed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "K-Pass" in May, Gyeonggi Province's "The Gyeonggi Pass," and Incheon City's "I-Pass," this meeting was held to strengthen cooperation among public transportation discount policies and to share information and technology.

Among these, Seoul's "Climate Companion Card" will be introduced first. It will be unveiled on the 27th as the nation's first unlimited transportation pass, allowing unlimited use of Seoul's subway, buses, and Ddareungi bike-sharing service for about 60,000 KRW per month. A Seoul city official said, "By expanding the unlimited usage method not only to existing public transportation such as subways and buses but also to next-generation transportation modes like Ddareungi and river buses, we expect to provide various transportation options and encourage private car users to switch to eco-friendly transportation. Furthermore, we plan to develop various option fare systems covering cultural and sports facilities to expand citizens' choices and provide more convenient services."

In particular, Seoul plans to launch the "Climate Companion Card" Youth Pass in the first half of the year. This support measure aims to reduce the economic burden on young people and enable active participation in social and economic activities. The target group is young people aged 19 to 34, who will be able to use the "Climate Companion Card" for about 58,000 KRW per month. Specific details such as the implementation schedule and application procedures will be announced later.

During the pilot project period, Seoul will also expand the service area to Gimpo and Incheon, providing nearby residents commuting to Seoul with the opportunity to experience the benefits of the "Climate Companion Card." To this end, Seoul plans to actively negotiate with local governments wishing to participate in the "Climate Companion Card."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that starting in May, the "K-Pass" will be launched, which refunds a certain percentage of expenses (20% for the general public, 30% for youth, and 53% for low-income groups) the following month when using public transportation such as city buses and subways regularly 15 times or more per month. Based on the "K-Pass," Gyeonggi Province's "The Gyeonggi Pass" and Incheon City's "I-Pass," which differentiate benefits according to regional characteristics, will also be operated. Mayor Oh expressed confidence, saying, "The year 2024 will be a year in which South Korea's public transportation takes a leap forward, with Seoul's 'Climate Companion Card' launching in January as the starting signal."