Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

Paper subway tickets are on the outs
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2903934

April 23, 2009
Say goodbye to the little paper subway ticket.

Seoul Metropolitan Government will begin phasing in plastic cards on May 1 for one-way travel on subways in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi, with the eventual goal of eliminating paper tickets altogether.

The move will help the government cut down on paper use, increase the efficiency of its subway staff and - in the long run - save money, Kim Kyung-ho, director general of the Transportation Policy Bureau, said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

The initial investment, however, is quite pricey.

The city spends about 3.1 billion won ($2.3 million) annually to produce more than 450 million paper tickets - each good for just one trip. The project to replace them with plastic cards and install new vending machines, however, will cost 67.9 billion won - meaning it could take more than two decades to recoup the investment.

Over time, though, the city expects to save on an annual basis, as the cards are reusable up to 1,000 times. The city also won�t need as many staff manning ticket counters, although it will have workers stationed near the subway entries to help out travelers.

Under the new system, passengers wanting one-way tickets will have to visit a new type of vending machine, where they�ll pay for the fare and put down a 500 won deposit. They�ll then be issued a plastic card used to access the subway. At their destination, they�ll then return the card at a �deposit refund device� to get back their 500 won.

Kim said both paper and plastic tickets will be used temporarily until the public gets used to the new system. Kim, however, noted that the new Seoul subway line No. 9 and Incheon subway line No. 1 (the Songdo extension line) will not take paper tickets, as the gates were designed for the new system. Those lines are set to open in May.

Unlike transportation cards such as T-money, which also can be used for buses and taxis, the new tickets can only be used in subways.

Senior citizens over 65, disabled people and military veterans can still ride for free but must put down the 500 won deposit by using their identification cards at the machines.

Each machine features English and Korean service, and the city plans to add Chinese and Japanese service by year�s end. T-money users also can use the machines to reload their cards.


By Kim Mi-ju [[email protected]]

[I'm no Picasso]

This has already started popping up. Although it pissed me off, when I first got into the station and realized whatever was going on (all signs in Korean only), it was going to make me late, and then I had to have a somewhat humiliating experience with a (very kind) young station agent who assumed it was my first day in SK, and "helped" in the appropriately detailed manner, it's ultimately a good thing as it forced me to seek out one of those t money cards Koreans are always telling you should get and then sucking on their teeth when you ask them "where?" because they just use their ID and have no idea.

PS -- "Where?" is apparently right in the station. And it's so much easier than dealing with the paper tickets....

[OneWayTraffic]

If you have a Korean credit card, just use that.


From a financial point of view a $2m a year savings isn't enough to justify a $60m investment. They'd be better off putting it in the bank.

[Robot_Teacher]

It would be good to have cards and new vending machines as often every single vending machine in a station will be broken, causing a long delay to purchase at the window. Also, the paper tickets so small and easily misplaced causing a snafu when trying to exit at your destination. Also, Many vending machines won't accept paper chun won notes.

[itaewonguy]

ouch... I bet the company which was producing the tickets is pissed!
not to mention the company who was supplying the paper..

wonder of if the new company who will be making the cards gave a nice fat white envelope to someone for this contract??


senior citizens can just use their ID cards and ride free??

emm I guess a lot of koreans will be using their gradfathers card and riding free..

[Draz]

[Demonicat]

I don't like it. Adding a 500 won deposit that you get back after the ride, by visiting a special machine (of which there will inevitable be one, all in Korean). It sounds to me, like the subway is going to be getting 500won more expensive, as no one will be bothered/able to use the damn refund machine. This is no doubt on purpose. I've been to subways where the plastic card, generally there is no deposit because the machine collects the chit when done.

[Robot_Teacher]

[Bibbitybop]

Can I just use my T-Money card as I use it now? If so, then no big deal.

[Milwaukiedave]

BB,

Yes, if you use a T-money card there is no difference at all. One of the nice things about having the card.

[Jane]

I think Taipei had a good system. There, you could get a plastic card with an amount on that you wanted (e.g., $5 or $10), and then continue topping it up as you wish. When you don't need the card anymore, you can refund the difference and get back the small deposit.

The difference here, is that in Korea, riders have to buy their own cards and there is no deposit. Now, the K gov't is buying additional cards to be used for for single journeys. I guess Korea wants to keep the T money cards because they are accepted in taxis, etc.

[Captain Corea]

[ChinaBoy]

Isn't every man a military veteran in Korea? Thought it was mandatory.

[wylies99]

[tzechuk]