– Automatic payment if you pass by without contacting your transportation card… City successfully commercializes public transportation for the first time in the world
– First implemented on Ui Sinseol Line from September 9th, expected to be a hands-free smart transportation payment service
– After installing the ‘T-money app’, pass through the dedicated ticket gate and you are done… Effect of improving convenience and congestion for the transportation vulnerable
– Promoting service expansion through Seoul subway and autonomous driving, implementing global transportation services
□ Seoul City is launching the ‘non-contact public transportation payment (tagless) system,’ the world’s first successful commercialization of public transportation. As service begins on the Ui Sinseol Line from Wednesday, September 9, the convenience of using the subway is expected to further increase.
□ The non-contact transportation payment system, which allows payment by simply passing through the ticket gate without the need to swipe a transportation card, is called ‘tagless payment’ and has been highly anticipated as a major service representing the next-generation transportation environment. As the city of Seoul has successfully commercialized the transportation card system since 2004, it is expected to bring innovation to public transportation services once again for the first time in about 20 years.
□ The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been making all-out efforts to prepare a next-generation payment system suitable for the future mobility environment based on the transportation card usage environment that has been successfully established with T-Money Co., Ltd. As a result of continuous on-site pre-inspection testing such as automatic payment and Bluetooth signal response through a pilot project lasting about a year at four stations, including Samyang Intersection Station on the Ui Sinseol Line, the company succeeded in commercializing the station linkage and automatic payment system.
○ T-Money Co., Ltd.'s tagless service, which will be opened on the Ui Sinseol Line this time, won the 'New Technology Innovation Category Grand Prize' at the UITP (23 World Association of Public Transport General Assembly) Awards held in Barcelona in June 6.
※ World Association of Public Transport (UITP: Headquarters Brussels, Belgium): The largest international organization in the world of public transport, established in 1885 to share experiences between cities around the world and develop sustainable public transport, with more than 100 organizations in over 1,900 countries. Participate as a member of this company
□ The payment principle is centered around the recognition of Bluetooth signals, which are long-distance signals. When a transportation card signal linked to the 'T-money app' is received via Bluetooth at a dedicated gate capable of wireless signal recognition, payment is made automatically. It has become possible to implement a smart payment system by introducing the BLE method, which recognizes a wide area based on Bluetooth, from the NFC method, which allows short-distance contact of about 20cm.
○ Currently, transportation cards and transportation card payment apps are based on NFC technology that recognizes signals at distances of 20 cm or less, requiring direct contact with the card terminal. However, the next-generation payment system is a BLE method that can recognize signals from a short distance to a distance of about 10 meters. By applying , it will be possible to introduce a smart payment system that frees both hands.
□ The expected effects of the service are also very diverse. Anyone accompanying an infant or a disabled person or a wheelchair user can pass through the ticket gate as if walking on the street. Even if they have heavy luggage or objects in their hands, no separate payment is required, which will enable the implementation of borderless and uninterrupted transportation services for all transportation vulnerable people. It is expected. Since there is no need to prepare in advance to take out a card or mobile app and stop, waiting lines for ticket gate payments and congestion at stations can be reduced.
□ How to use: Install the ‘Mobile T-Money app’ on your smartphone, turn on the Bluetooth function, and pass through the ticket gate to automatically pay the fee. As the service began on September 9, it is expected that citizens will be able to use it conveniently.
○ Service will be launched for 12 stations and 13 passageways of Ui Sinseol Line.
□ In addition, on subway lines other than the Ui Sinseol Line, where tagless payment is not possible, contact-based NFC payment is possible as before, so you can use your transportation card, and integrated transfer in the metropolitan area will also be maintained, improving safety and convenience.
○ As the new payment method is expected to coexist with the existing transportation card payment system until full commercialization, it allows users to use existing transportation cards as is, but also allows users to exit the ticket gate by swiping their transportation card even if contactless payment fails. Both tag and tagless two-way payment methods are maintained.
□ Meanwhile, Seoul City plans to continuously expand the non-contact public transportation payment system to various means such as the Seoul subway and self-driving buses, and actively promote innovation in public transportation payment methods and mobility linkage.
□ Jong-jang Yoon, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban Transportation Department, said, “We will further raise the level of Seoul’s public transportation service to the highest level in the world through the commercialization of the non-contact public transportation payment system.” He added, “As an innovative technology for all users, it is an innovative transportation project that accompanies the vulnerable.” “We will do our best to implement citizen-centered transportation services so that it can become a model example,” he said.