Seoul subway's 15-minute free re-entry to expand to Korail lines

South Korea is expanding a "15-minute free re-entry" system to Korail-operated lines in the Seoul metropolitan area starting November 20. This policy allows passengers who briefly exit through a ticket gate, for reasons such as using a restroom or making a directional mistake, to re-enter within 15 minutes without incurring an additional basic fare. This system has already been implemented on lines operated by Seoul Metro since 2023. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced that Korail's lines, including the Seoul Subway Lines 1, 3, and 4, as well as the Suin-Bundang, Gyeongui-Jungang, Gyeonggang, and Seohae lines, will now adopt the same policy. Previously, passengers on these Korail lines had to contact staff and use an emergency gate if they needed to exit and re-enter, often leading to confusion and inconvenience. The Ministry stated that the decision to introduce the system widely was in response to significant public complaints about the previous inconvenience. The benefit applies to transportation card users who re-enter within 15 minutes at the same station and gate on the same Korail-managed metropolitan subway or metropolitan railway line after exiting. However, this one-time basic fare exemption does not apply to single-journey tickets or commuter passes, which will continue to require staff assistance via emergency gates. Korail operates sections of Seoul Subway Lines 1 (Yeoncheon-Hoegi, Namyeong-Sinchang, Guro-Incheon), 3 (Daehwa-Jichuk), and 4 (Namtaeryeong-Oido). The Ministry anticipates that this nationwide implementation will result in annual savings for passengers totaling approximately 5.6 billion won (about 6.04 million cases). However, privately operated lines such as the Airport Railroad, Shinbundang Line, Gimpo Goldline, Uijeongbu and Yongin Light Rail, as well as lines operated by the Incheon Transportation Corporation (Incheon Lines 1 & 2, Line 7's Kkachiul-Seongnam), are excluded from this new policy. Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Kim Hyun-deok stated, "We will continue to innovate railway services in line with the public's expectations and create a more convenient railway environment."

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We will continue to innovate railway services in line with the public's expectations and create a more convenient railway environment.