Seoul Metro operates 29 park-and-ride facilities with 6,500 spaces across 27 stations on subway lines 1–8; commuters who park and ride can receive a 50% discount on hourly parking fees if they settle within 30 minutes of exiting the subway.
Seoul Metro said commuters who park at a park-and-ride facility near a subway station and continue their journey by subway can receive a 50% discount on hourly parking fees.
The park-and-ride system lets drivers cut parking costs while avoiding downtown traffic congestion and traveling more conveniently.
The program allows drivers to park near a subway station and transfer to the subway, with parking fees reduced as an incentive. As of the end of September, 29 park-and-ride facilities with a combined 6,500 spaces were in operation across 27 stations on lines 1 through 8, located at major stations including Sadang, Jamsillaru, Suseo, Gupabal, Cheonho, Dobongsan, Cheonwang and Bokjeong.
By line, the facilities break down as follows: six locations on line 2 (627 spaces), three on line 3 (1,027 spaces), one on line 4 (106 spaces), eight on line 5 (2,368 spaces), three on line 6 (330 spaces), five on line 7 (1,098 spaces) and three on line 8 (944 spaces). The largest single facility is the Cheonho Station park-and-ride on line 5, with 1,431 spaces.
Users receive a 50% discount on the standard hourly parking rate. The process differs depending on the type of facility. At unmanned, card-only lots, license plates are read automatically so no paper ticket is needed. After riding the subway with a T-money card or a credit card that doubles as a transit card, drivers tap the same card on a pre-payment kiosk before exiting, confirm the discounted amount and pay.
At staffed lots, riders obtain a "subway use confirmation slip" — stamped with the exit time and a stationmaster's verification seal — after alighting, and present it when leaving the lot. Under both methods, payment must be settled within 30 minutes of exiting the subway to qualify for the discount.
To raise public awareness of the program, Seoul Metro plans to hold a joint campaign with the Seoul Facilities Corporation at the Cheonho Station park-and-ride on line 5, starting at 4 p.m. on Oct. 21.
At the event, banners will be displayed and informational pamphlets explaining how to use the park-and-ride facilities — along with pens featuring Seoul Metro's mascot "Ddota" — will be distributed to users on a first-come, first-served basis.
Building on the campaign, Seoul Metro and the Seoul Facilities Corporation plan to jointly promote park-and-ride benefits through each organization's social media channels and newsletters, and to maintain ongoing cooperation.
Ma Hae-geun, head of Seoul Metro's business division, said the park-and-ride facilities allow commuters to cut parking costs and travel conveniently by subway while also helping ease downtown traffic congestion and advance carbon neutrality. "We hope this campaign will help more residents learn about the benefits of park-and-ride facilities and make them a regular part of their daily commute," he said.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
