A passenger uses an all-inclusive transit pass service, named the Climate Card, at a subway station, in this file photo taken April 15, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jun. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — An all-inclusive monthly transit pass has proven successful during a four-month trial run and will go into full-fledged operations next month with more diverse choices for users, the Seoul city government said Wednesday.
The Climate Card went into service on Jan. 27 on a pilot basis as part of efforts to reduce transportation fees and tackle climate change. It has since positioned itself as one of the city’s landmark policies, exceeding the 1 million mark in cumulative sales in just 70 days of its launch, officials said.
An average of 540,000 people used the card daily on weekdays, and the users saved nearly 30,000 won in monthly average for their transit fares, according to data collected by the city government as of last month.
A survey conducted on 1,910 users showed 68 percent said their outdoor activities increased by 1.3 times a week after using the pass, and they instead increased their spending in dining out and shopping, amounting to nearly 80.2 billion won in economic effects across all industries over the four months, officials said.
Of the respondents, 37.6 percent said they have cut down on driving by about 11.8 times a month.
(Yonhap)
