Korea's Altool Traffic Card → K-Pass Transition Guide (2026)

South Korea's Altool Traffic Card closed April 30, 2024. This Korean-only guide explains how existing Korean riders move to K-Pass, settle remaining Korean mileage, and re-enroll for 2026 refunds.

🔄Open Korean MOLIT K-Pass — official transition noticeOpen K-Pass ↗
📢 Korean TL;DR
South Korea's Altool Traffic Card (알뜰교통카드) ended new enrollments and service on April 30, 2024, replaced by the Korean MOLIT K-Pass from May 1, 2024. Existing Korean Altool users do not auto-migrate — you must re-enroll in Korean K-Pass (korea-pass.kr). Any remaining Korean Altool mileage was settled to your Korean bank account by the Korean issuer during H1 2024. As of 2026, no separate Korean Altool program exists — K-Pass is the single national Korean rebate.

📊 Korean Altool vs K-Pass (2026)

AttributeKorean Altool (ended)Korean K-Pass (current)
Korean operationJun 2019 – Apr 30, 2024May 1, 2024 – now
Korean rebate mechanismGPS walking/biking distance mileage15–60 trips/mo × fare refund %
Korean general rateUp to 250 KRW/trip mileage20% of Korean fare
Korean youth rateUp to 350 KRW/trip30% of Korean fare (19–34)
Korean low-income rateUp to 650 KRW/trip53.3% of Korean fare
Korean GPS trackingRequired (Korean app)Not required — card usage only
Korean municipalities176189 (expanding)
Korean card issuers6 (Shinhan/Woori/Hana/KB/BC/DGB)11 (Shinhan/Woori/Hana/KB/BC/IBK/NH/Samsung/Hyundai/Lotte/etc.)
※ Korean Altool required GPS steps to earn mileage; Korean K-Pass relies purely on Korean card swipes, with higher rates (Korean 20% / 30% / 53%).

📝 5 Steps to Migrate (Korea)

  1. ① Check Korean Altool mileage history — via the Korean Altool app (ended) or your Korean issuer (settled in H1 2024)
  2. ② Ask your Korean Altool issuer to convert to K-Pass (or re-enroll) — via Korean card app or customer center
  3. ③ Sign up on Korean K-Pass (korea-pass.kr) — Korean address / residence verification required
  4. ④ Re-upload Korean proofs (low-income, multi-child) in the Korean K-Pass app — Altool proofs do not carry over
  5. ⑤ Dispose the Korean Altool card or keep it if your Korean issuer auto-converted it to K-Pass (check per Korean card)

💰 Remaining Korean Altool Mileage

Before Apr 30, 2024Settled to your Korean bank account by the Korean issuer during H1 2024
Uncollected Korean mileageAfter Korean app/site shutdown, confirm with your Korean issuer's customer center
Transfer to Korean K-Pass?No. Korean Altool mileage was paid in cash and closed out — not carried to Korean K-Pass
Korean questionsKorean issuer customer center or K-Pass 1644-2828 (Altool center is closed)

⚠️ Migration Watch-outs (Korea)

  • ① Korean Altool purchases after Apr 30, 2024 accrue no mileage.
  • ② If you skip Korean K-Pass enrollment, Korean transit usage receives no refund.
  • ③ Korean youth/low-income proofs must be resubmitted in Korean K-Pass.
  • ④ GPS distance-based Korean Altool mileage does not transfer — Korean K-Pass counts only card swipes.
  • ⑤ Korean Altool apps and chatbots were retired through 2024; by 2026 the Korean service is fully closed.

📞 Contact (Korea)

Korean K-Pass call center1644-2828
Korean MOLIT civil affairs1599-0001
Korean card issuer customer centerSee the issuer's site
Korean Altool centerClosed — redirected to Korean K-Pass

This South Korea–only summary follows Korea's MOLIT and Metropolitan Transport Commission notices and the K-Pass Korean portal guidance (as of April 2026). Korean Altool was closed to new enrollments on April 30, 2024 and merged into Korean K-Pass on May 1, 2024. Korean Altool mileage was settled by Korean issuers during H1 2024. As of 2026, Korean Altool no longer operates. Auto-migration is not guaranteed — Korean users must actively enroll in K-Pass and re-submit Korean eligibility proofs. Confirm final Korean steps with korea-pass.kr and your Korean issuer; this is a non-binding reference with no legal effect.

Why did Korea retire Altool?

South Korea's Altool Traffic Card (알뜰교통카드), run by Korean MOLIT and the Korean Transportation Safety Authority from June 2019, awarded Korean riders mileage (up to 250 / 350 / 650 KRW per trip by Korean tier) based on GPS-measured walking or biking distance to Korean transit stops. Complaints about GPS burden, Korean app friction, low adoption, and small perceived savings led Korea to replace the scheme with the Korean K-Pass on May 1, 2024. Korean K-Pass gives 20% (general), 30% (Korean youth 19–34), 53.3% (Korean low-income), 30–50% (Korean multi-child) refunds on Korean fares for 15–60 trips per Korean month, without GPS tracking. Korean municipalities grew from 176 to 189 and Korean issuers from 6 to 11. No Korean Altool revival is planned for 2026 — K-Pass is the only Korean national transit rebate program.

Are Korean Altool users auto-migrated?

No. Korean issuers contact users about conversion, but you must enroll in Korean K-Pass (korea-pass.kr) separately to receive refunds. A few Korean issuers offer auto-conversion for convenience, but manual re-enrollment is standard.

What about remaining Korean Altool mileage?

Settled in cash to your Korean bank account during H1 2024 by your Korean issuer. If uncollected, contact your Korean issuer — the amount does not migrate to Korean K-Pass.

Can I keep using Korean Altool?

No. Korean Altool fare payments after Apr 30, 2024 no longer accrue mileage. Enroll in Korean K-Pass and use a partnered Korean card to receive Korean refunds.

Does the Korean Altool GPS app still work?

Korean Altool apps were retired through 2024 and are not operable in 2026. Korean K-Pass removes GPS — just pay with a Korean partnered card.

Must I re-submit Korean youth/low-income proofs?

Yes. Korean Altool proofs do not transfer. Re-upload them in the Korean K-Pass app under 'Eligibility Apply' to receive the Korean youth / low-income / multi-child rate.

How is it different from the Korean Climate Card?

Korean K-Pass is a national 189-municipality post-pay refund; the Korean Climate Card is a Seoul-centric monthly pass. They cannot stack. Heavy Korean Seoul-only riders often prefer Climate Card; Korean regional commuters prefer K-Pass. See our 'Korean K-Pass & Climate Card' comparison page.

Korea Altool → K-Pass Migration (2026) — How Korean Users Re-enroll

South Korea's Altool Traffic Card (알뜰교통카드), operated by MOLIT and the Korean Transportation Safety Authority since June 2019, closed new enrollments and service on April 30, 2024 and merged into Korean MOLIT's K-Pass from May 1, 2024. As of 2026, Korea does not run Altool separately — K-Pass is the only national Korean transit rebate. Korean Altool users are not auto-migrated; they must enroll on korea-pass.kr. Remaining Korean Altool mileage was settled to Korean bank accounts by the Korean issuers during H1 2024, with uncollected amounts handled by the Korean issuer customer center. Korean K-Pass refunds 20% general / 30% Korean youth 19–34 / 53.3% Korean low-income / 30–50% Korean multi-child on 15–60 Korean monthly trips, and unlike Korean Altool does not require GPS — Korean card swipes are the only input. Korean municipalities expanded from 176 to 189 and Korean card issuers from 6 to 11. Korean eligibility proofs (low-income, multi-child) must be re-uploaded in the Korean K-Pass app. Korean contact: K-Pass 1644-2828 or your Korean issuer.

All calculators and tools on this site are based on the laws, tax rates, and policies of the Republic of Korea.

This calculator is provided for informational purposes only.

Results are estimates and may differ from actual amounts.

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