Seoul to raise free subway age to 70, offer bus fare support for seniors

Seoul plans to raise the age for free subway rides from 65 to 70, with the savings redirected to cover bus fares for residents aged 70 and older.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it received an official letter from the Seoul chapter of the Korea Senior Citizens Association proposing a public hearing on transit policy for elderly residents.

The association said it has long called for expanded public transit support to promote the health and welfare of older residents. "We welcome the campaign pledge by the ninth-term Seoul mayor to waive bus fares for seniors aged 70 and older for fewer than 15 rides per month, and we urge its swift implementation," the group said.

To deepen discussion on senior transit welfare policy, the city arranged a meeting between Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the association's Seoul chapter president on June 19.

At that meeting, participants exchanged views on raising the free subway age to 70 and fully subsidizing bus fares for seniors aged 70 and older who use public transit fewer than 15 times a month and therefore do not qualify for discounts under the K-Pass program.

The senior transit subsidy is one of the key transportation campaign pledges for the ninth-term Seoul mayor. Under current law, seniors are entitled to free subway rides, but those who do not live near a subway station have limited access to that benefit.

A related legislative push is also underway. On June 9, Seoul city council member Lee Byeong-yun, chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's transportation committee, introduced an ordinance bill to subsidize bus fares for seniors aged 70 and older.

The bill would allow the city to cover part or all of the transit costs — within its budget — for residents aged 70 and older who are registered in Seoul and meet criteria set by the mayor. The bill cleared its standing committee and is scheduled to go before the full council on Wednesday.

The city said it plans to gather input from seniors, experts and the general public to build social consensus and develop a sustainable policy that strengthens meaningful transit welfare for older residents.

The plan calls for raising the free subway age from 65 to 70 to reduce the urban rail deficit, then using the resulting savings to subsidize bus fares for seniors aged 70 and older. In practice, older residents tend to prefer buses for short-distance trips such as hospital visits and grocery runs, yet transit welfare has historically centered on the subway — leaving a gap between policy and actual need.

By funding new welfare services through reallocated savings rather than additional spending, the city aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of its senior transit policy.

Seniors who use public transit 15 or more times a month already receive discounts through the K-Pass program, so the city is considering a fare-reimbursement scheme targeting those who ride fewer than 15 times a month.

The city plans to work with the Korea Senior Citizens Association's Seoul chapter and other relevant bodies to conduct a broad public consultation and establish new standards for senior transit support. A public hearing on elderly public transit policy will be co-hosted by the association's Seoul chapter and the city government.

"Senior transit welfare is not simply a subsidy — it is an important policy that supports healthy daily life and social participation," Mayor Oh Se-hoon said. "Seoul will develop transit policies for seniors grounded in thorough public input and broad social consensus."