Южная Корея запустила бесконтактную оплату проезда без карт и смартфонов на линии метро Сеула

South Korean transportation payment operator Tmoney said Friday it had officially launched its tagless payment service across all 25 stations on the first section of Seoul Subway Line 9, from Gaehwa to Sinnonhyeon. The system allows passengers to enter and exit stations without tapping a transportation card or smartphone against a fare gate. Users who activate the tagless function on the Android-based Mobile Tmoney app can simply walk through designated gates, with rides automatically detected through smartphone sensors and Bluetooth Low Energy technology. The new system will operate alongside conventional tap-based payments. Passengers can continue using transportation cards at gates, stations or transfer sections where tagless equipment is unavailable. Tmoney said the service is expected to improve convenience during busy commuting hours and make travel easier for passengers carrying luggage or pushing strollers, as well as those using crutches or wheelchairs and elderly passengers. To promote the launch, users of the tagless service on Line 9 will receive 300 won ($0.21) in Tmoney mileage for each boarding from July 27 until further notice. Tmoney will also deploy staff at major stations to explain how the system works and assist passengers who may be less familiar with digital services. "The launch of the tagless service on Seoul Subway Line 9 marks an important step toward improving citizens' travel experience," Tmoney CEO Choi Moon-keun said. "We will continue expanding the service so that more people can experience the convenience of tagless payments and lead the development of next-generation transportation payment systems." Tmoney first introduced its tagless payment technology on Seoul's Ui-Sinseol Line in 2023 and has since expanded it to all stations on the Incheon subway system and selected Seoul city buses. The technology won top honors at the International Association of Public Transport awards in 2023 and the Transport Ticketing Global Awards in 2024. [email protected]