Bada Pass Allows Incheon Residents to Use Coastal Ferries for 1,500 Won
Number of Non-Incheon Passengers Increases by 44.8%
Difficulties Securing Tickets Due to Overlapping Peak Tourist Season
As Incheon City implements its passenger ferry fare reduction policy, known as the 'Incheon i Bada Pass,' the number of tourists visiting the islands has surged. However, as ferry tickets continue to sell out quickly, some island residents are experiencing inconvenience.
On the morning of the 18th, Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal in Jung-gu, Incheon, is bustling with tourists traveling to islands such as Baengnyeongdo. Yonhap News
According to Incheon City on May 19, a total of 86,849 Incheon residents used the Incheon coastal passenger ferries (across 14 routes) between January and March this year, an increase of 11% (from 78,266) compared to the same period last year. The number of users from other cities and provinces also rose by 44.8%, from 5,201 to 7,533.
The number of passengers using Incheon coastal ferries has increased significantly since the introduction of the Bada Pass earlier this year. The Bada Pass allows Incheon residents to use the Incheon coastal passenger ferries at a public transportation fare level of 1,500 won, while residents from other regions receive a 70% discount on ferry fares.
However, as the fare discounts coincide with the peak tourist season, some residents are finding it difficult to secure ferry tickets. While village residents can purchase tickets on-site that are reserved for them, they say it is hard to be certain whether tickets will be available, making it difficult to schedule appointments outside the island, such as hospital visits. There are also reports that the increase in tourists has led to water shortages on the islands, sometimes resulting in muddy water, with calls for an overall expansion of tourism infrastructure.
On the morning of the 18th, tourists traveling to islands such as Baengnyeongdo are moving to board passenger ships at the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal in Jung-gu, Incheon. Photo by Yonhap News
In fact, passenger ferries to Baengnyeongdo departing from Incheon Port at around 8:30 a.m. on May 24 and 25, which is this coming weekend, are already sold out on reservation websites. For the same route on May 31 at the same time, fewer than 10 first-class seats remain, with all other seats fully booked.
However, Korea Express Ferry, which operates six ferries on five routes including Incheon-Baengnyeongdo, said that it secures 60 resident-only seats per voyage for on-site ticketing and generally does not sell tickets to the general public until 30 minutes before departure, so residents should not have difficulty obtaining tickets. A Korea Express Ferry representative stated, "In May, there is always strong demand for ferry tickets regardless of the Bada Pass, so it is never easy to get tickets." The representative added, "Nevertheless, as long as residents arrive at least one hour before departure, they should have no trouble getting tickets."
Ongjin County, in cooperation with Korea Express Ferry, plans to operate a dedicated ticket counter for county residents at the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal and will also seek other measures to minimize inconvenience for residents.
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