Starting in July, Jeju Island will implement a cashless system for all bus services. Foreign tourists planning to visit the resort island are required to purchase and load money onto a transportation card to access its bus network.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Friday, the pilot program for cashless buses will be implemented on all 218 routes across the province from July 1 until the end of September. The initiative aims to streamline operation costs, enhance service quality and mitigate safety risks.
The decision has been made based on the declining usage of cash for bus rides on the island.
According to the province, card payments dominated bus transactions last year, accounting for 53.68 million people, or 90.2 percent of total passengers. Conversely, cash payments were utilized by 9.8 percent of passengers, totaling 5.77 million individuals.
Despite this low usage, an annual expenditure of 105 million won ($75,758) is allocated for managing cash transactions. This move toward cashless transactions is seen as a strategic response to optimize efficiency and financial resources within the public transportation system.
Bus passengers can pay by using a transportation card, a mobile transportation payment via a QR code or transferring bus fares to an account specified in the fare payment guide.
Some point out potential challenges for foreign tourists and elderly passengers who may face inconvenience due to unfamiliarity with transportation card transactions or difficulty in navigating account transfers.
A provincial official addressed the issue of cashless bus usage among foreign tourists, emphasizing that a significant portion of foreign 추천 tourists are Chinese, who frequently rely on Alipay for transactions. In response to this, the province is actively exploring opportunities to expand the integration of Zero Pay into the system.
Following a three-month pilot phase, Jeju Island will decide whether to extend the program or fully implement the operation of cashless buses.
