The free ride period for the regional call bus service has ended. Starting in March, passengers will need to pay a fare to use the regional call bus.
The regional call bus project is a national initiative by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport aimed at providing service in areas of the metropolitan area where public transport is limited. This project began in September of last year with a free trial service launched in collaboration with Kakao Mobility and five transportation companies based in Gyeonggi Province.
Named for its ability to allow users to check remaining seats and reserve seats for buses at their desired times via a smartphone app, the call bus system has emerged as a crucial transport option. Previously, passengers were unable to board a bus if it was full due to the no-standing rule, but with the call bus implementation, reservations can be made in advance.
Although the service has been free so far, fares will begin to be charged starting in March. Routes from Sadang Station to Hwaseong, Suwon, and Siheung, as well as from Seocho District Office to Yongin and Gwangju, will all have a standardized fare of 2,800 KRW, regardless of distance, similar to regular metropolitan bus routes.
To use the regional call bus, passengers need to reserve the number of people traveling on the desired date and time and register their commonly used transportation card. Before boarding, the registered transportation card should be tapped on the card terminal at the designated location, confirming the reservation and completing the payment. Additionally, tapping the card upon disembarkation and transferring to another mode of transport will allow passengers to benefit from integrated transfer discounts for public transport.
The regional call bus operates in five areas: Suwon, Siheung, Yongin, Hwaseong, and Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. Suwon utilizes the Yongnam Express Bus line, Yongin utilizes Kyungnam Passenger Service, Siheung operates with Kyungwon Passenger Service, Gwangju uses Gyeonggi Express, and Hwaseong is served by Hwaseong Passenger Service.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr