Pass for foreign visitors combines transit and tourism benefits

40% discount on metropolitan transport to Busan

Free admission to one major tourist attraction included

Additional discounts at 50 affiliated merchants

Easy purchase and booking available through online travel agencies

An image of the K-Tour Pass [Korea Tourism Organization]
An image of the K-Tour Pass [Korea Tourism Organization]

South Korea is introducing an integrated pass designed to ease travel costs for foreign independent tourists and improve access to regional attractions, combining metropolitan transit discounts and free admission to major paid tourist sites into a single card.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization launched a pilot of the "K-Tour Pass" — an exclusive pass for foreign tourists that bundles transit payments and tourism discounts — in Busan on Thursday. The pilot targets the growing preference among foreign visitors for Free Independent Travel, aiming to improve mobility within the region and boost overall satisfaction with local tourism.

Offered for the first time this year, the K-Tour Pass focuses on Busan, the most popular destination among foreign tourists outside Seoul. It comes in two versions: a single-day pass for travel to Busan (Pass 1), and a period pass (Pass 2) linked to a Korail Pass valid for two to five days.

According to the ministry's 2025 Foreign Tourist Survey, Busan was the second most visited destination in 2025 after Seoul, with 15.7 percent of foreign tourists visiting the city, followed by Gyeonggi Province at 11.2 percent and Jeju at 9.7 percent. Seoul led with 76.8 percent.

Both passes are priced at 15,000 won ($11). The single-day pass offers a percentage discount on one-way fares for metropolitan transit and Airport Railroad Express trains, while the period pass provides a discount when purchasing a two- to five-day Korail Pass. Both versions include free admission to one of 35 affiliated paid tourist attractions in Busan, along with additional discounts at 50 partner merchants covering experiences, sightseeing and cafes.

The K-Tour Pass is available through online travel agencies Klook and Webtour (Hop & Hop) via their apps and websites. Buyers receive a 40 percent discount when booking metropolitan transport to Busan and can use a generated barcode for free admission and discounts at major tourist sites. A physical card with public transit payment and Korean won debit functions is available as an optional add-on. The card can be picked up free of charge at kiosks in major airports — Incheon, Gimpo and Gimhae — and at railway stations in Seoul and Busan, where it can be topped up with cash or a foreign credit card. Online top-ups accept foreign credit cards only.

Kang Jeong-won, director general of tourism policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the pilot aims to let foreign tourists "enjoy transportation payments and tourist site visits conveniently and without burden." Kang added that the ministry plans to use data gathered during the pilot to improve service quality, and has earmarked 9 billion won in its 2027 budget proposal — roughly three times this year's allocation — to expand transit and tourism benefits in connection with five regional tourism zones centered on regional airports and draw more visitors outside the capital.


terry@heraldcorp.com