Daegu to Ban Cash Payments on All City Buses Starting April 1...Pilot Program Began Last July

"Saving Over 820 Million KRW in Management Costs"
Potential Inconvenience for Foreigners and Tourists Expected

Starting April 1, Daegu City will fully implement a 'cashless city bus' system, removing cash boxes from all city buses and accepting only transportation cards for fare payment.

Although the number of passengers paying cash on city buses has steadily decreased due to the wider use of transportation cards, the annual cost of managing cash revenue, including labor expenses, still amounts to 820 million KRW.

A poster announcing the full implementation of 'Cashless City Buses'.

Concerns over delays in operation time and safety risks caused by checking cash and returning change during service led to the introduction of a 'cashless city bus' pilot program in July last year to address these issues.

After three phases of pilot operations?98 buses on 5 routes in the first phase, 583 buses on 40 routes in the second, and 1,034 buses on 77 routes in the third?the proportion of passengers paying cash on Daegu city buses dropped significantly from 2.2% in 2023 to 0.5% as of the end of February 2025. Thanks to sufficient prior publicity and the courteous response of on-site transportation staff, there were no notable complaints during the pilot period.

As a result, starting April 1, Daegu City will fully implement the 'cashless city bus' system across all 127 city bus routes and 1,566 buses, enhancing operational efficiency through cost reduction and shorter operation times.

Citizens can enjoy benefits such as fare discounts, free transfers, and K-Pass card discounts by using transportation cards.

The 'cashless city bus' system can be used not only with physical prepaid or postpaid transportation cards but also with mobile transportation cards. Passengers without a transportation card can obtain a mobile transportation card via the QR code posted at bus stops or receive a fare payment guide on the bus to pay later by bank transfer.

In particular, thanks to the distribution of the 'Senior Integrated Free Transportation Card,' introduced for the first time in Korea, and the gradual expansion of the eligible age group, it has been found that even elderly passengers can use the 'cashless city bus' system without significant inconvenience.

Heo Junseok, Director of the Daegu City Transportation Bureau, stated, "Even after the full implementation of the 'cashless city bus' system, we will continue to monitor operations and address any inconveniences to provide more convenient and efficient public transportation services."