Public transportation to raise fares

In the heels of a recent hike of bus fare, fares for the nation`s trains and expressway buses are expected to go up by an average of 9 to 10 percent starting 25, the Ministry of Construction and Transportation and the National Railway Administration yesterday said on July 14.

The hike will raise the expressway bus fare from Seoul to Pusan to 17,100 from the current 15,700, and that of Seoul-Kwangju to 13,000 from the 11,900, marking an average 9 percent rise. Outer-city bus fares traveling Seoul to Chunchon will rise to 5,900 from the current 5,400, and Seoul to Chungju will rise to 6,100 won from the current 5,500, marking an average 10 percent hike.

The weekend and holiday fare for Mugunhwa Train linking Seoul-Pusan will rise to 21,000 from the current 19,900. Rates for Monday and Friday will rise to 20,000 won, up from 18,100; the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday rates to rise to 17,9000 from the current 16,300.

To set off the fare hike, the National Railway Administration said that it has applied a five percent discount for Monday and Friday rates, and a 15 percent discount for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday rates. The NRA said that it will also raise the discount rate for those with non-seat tickets up to 15 to 30 percent for the Mugunhwa Trains from the current 10 percent.

Ministry officials said that the fare hikes were unavoidable as the railways fare only represent 60.9 percent of the cost, while the outer-city and expressway buses 90 percent of the cost.