South Korea will sell new multiple-ride transit passes from December to foreigners visiting the capital area for their convenience, the government announced on Wednesday.

The plan was part of a set of measures jointly announced by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs to improve the nation‘s public transportation system through deregulation.

The transit pass, called “M (metropolitan)-Pass”, allows passengers of the mass transit system linking Seoul with adjacent cities to take a certain number of pre-purchased trips within a fixed period of time.

The pass would help save foreigners time and money, especially those making short-term trips, as it may offer varying discounts compared with trips that are purchased individually, officials said.

A one-day pass that allows 20 subway trips would be 10,000 won ($8.8), they said, adding that there will also be two-day, three-day and seven-day passes.

The passes currently are only for travel on subway lines and a railway linking Incheon International Airport to Seoul, but will later be expanded to include all regular buses in the capital area.

Discounts on admissions to royal palaces and other tourist destinations will also be given to foreigners with passes, they said. 

(Yonhap News)