'Incheon I-Pass' Subscribers Surpass 200,000... Average Monthly Refund of 17,000 Won

The cumulative number of subscribers to the 'Incheon I-Pass,' which offers discounts on public transportation fares such as buses and subways, has surpassed 200,000, with an average monthly refund of about 17,400 KRW per person.

Since May, Incheon City has been implementing the I-Pass program in connection with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s public transportation support project, K-Pass. If users take public transportation more than 15 times a month, they receive a refund of a certain percentage of their expenses (20% for general users, 30% for youth and seniors, and 53% for low-income groups). The I-Pass removes the K-Pass’s monthly usage limit of 60 rides, offering unlimited discounts, and expands the age range eligible for youth benefits from 19?34 years to 19?39 years.

Monthly Subscriber Trends of Incheon I-Pass [Provided by Incheon City]

As of the 25th of last month, just five months after its launch, the cumulative number of Incheon I-Pass subscribers exceeded 200,000. By age group, youth accounted for 61.6%, general users 30.8%, low-income groups 4.8%, and seniors 2.8%. The average monthly refund per person from May to July was 17,467 KRW, which translates to an annual public transportation cost saving of approximately 209,600 KRW.

In a satisfaction survey, 91% of the 1,088 respondents evaluated the Incheon I-Pass program as helpful in revitalizing public transportation, showing positive responses due to the wide range of benefits and significant transportation cost savings.

Additionally, 56.4% of users reported that their frequency of using public transportation increased after subscribing to the I-Pass, and 90.3% expressed overall satisfaction with the program, demonstrating a strong sense of impact among citizens.

Users cited expanded benefits compared to other cities and provinces, convenient usage methods, and simple application procedures as advantages of the Incheon I-Pass. On the other hand, areas needing improvement included increasing the refund rate, unifying refund rates across different groups, and strengthening promotion and guidance for digitally vulnerable populations. Some respondents also suggested that minors should be eligible for public transportation fare benefits.

An official from Incheon City stated, "We plan to gradually increase the refund rate for seniors aged 65 and over to 50%," adding, "We will continue to develop and implement various policies to make public transportation more convenient for citizens."