Cashless Bus Pilot Operation Commences in October for Seamless Public Transportation
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□ In October, Busan Metropolitan City rolls out a three-month trial of cashless buses amid the decreasing reliance on cash and the growing shift toward transit cards and other non-cash payment methods, while fostering a safe and accessible bus travel environment.
○ Despite the drop in cash transactions, maintaining fare boxes and counting cash revenue continue to require a considerable cost and personnel. Accordingly, there has been a need to enhance bus fare collection to better accommodate current conditions.
□ To this end, Busan selected seated-bus routes and regular bus routes with low cash usage and plans to carefully gather feedback and suggestions from the public.
○ The pilot covers 542 vehicles across 35 routes, representing approximately 20 percent of all city buses.
○ Busan will comprehensively analyze concerns among riders, alternative options preferred by those who typically pay in cash, opinions from drivers and service providers, and the nature of complaints. After making necessary improvements, the city government will expand the program citywide.
□ Busan especially prioritizes minimizing inconvenience for digitally vulnerable groups, including older adults, by supporting additional ways to pay and conducting advance publicity.
○ Under the ‘Board First, Pay Later’ policy, passengers carrying only cash may still get onboard and settle their fare via bank transfer.
○ The city also implements a transit card distribution campaign in traditional markets and areas with a substantial senior population and employs various media—materials inside and outside buses and newspapers—to ensure that citizens are fully aware of the designated routes and the applicable procedures.
○ Once a transit card-based fare framework is established, accurate ridership data can be obtained, facilitating more efficient and systematic management of bus routes in the future.
Cashless Bus Pilot Starts October 1, 2026
Without a dedicated transit card, electronic transfer is available.
Routes
Regular Bus 16, 29, 41, 57, 62, 73, 80, 82, 83, 83-1, 85, 88-1, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 124, 128-1, 184, 188, 190, 300, 583
Seated Bus 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 3001, 3002, 3003, 3005, 3006, 3007, 3008
