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Visitors may be able to use overseas cards to tap into public transport, per gov't plan

Published: 14 Dec. 2025, 14:03

Commuters hurry to work using the subway at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Dec. 1. [NEWS1]

The government is moving to let foreign tourists directly pay for buses and subways with overseas credit cards, without having to purchase a local pass, a shift officials say would remove a longstanding hassle for visitors.

Most foreign-issued cards do not work on Korea’s transit fare system. Travelers typically must buy a transportation card and keep it topped up, or purchase a prepaid option.

However, the government wants overseas visitors to ride public transit the way local residents do — by just tapping a card at the gate.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has started a bidding process to choose a contractor for a study on a new payment system, according to transportation industry officials on Sunday. The study is set to begin this month and run through the end of 2026.

The research will focus on developing a plan to introduce an open-loop payment system that allows foreign passengers to pay fares using globally accepted credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Open-loop systems enable riders to tap their own payment cards directly at transit gates, without the need for a separate transportation card.

The ministry plans to use the study to estimate the budget required for implementation and determine how costs should be allocated. Introducing the system would require replacing domestically standardized terminals with globally compatible devices, and installing card authentication modules and payment servers. Industry observers estimate the total cost could exceed several trillion won.

As officials acknowledge that rolling out the system nationwide over a short period would prove difficult, the ministry plans to consult with regional transit operators and local governments and consider a phased rollout tied to existing terminal replacement schedules.

The study will also examine whether an open-loop system can integrate with Korea’s existing integrated fare transfer system, which allows passengers to transfer between buses and subways within a set time limit without paying an additional base fare.

The ministry will additionally review how major overseas cities operate transportation cards alongside open-loop systems and assess differences between Korea’s transfer discount policies and those used abroad.

Following the study, if the government decides to proceed, authorities expect actual implementation to begin as early as 2027.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN, YONHAP [[email protected]]