Seoul Subway 'Ttota' App Surpasses 600,000 Downloads... Foreign Language Version to Launch by Year-End

Added Congestion Information by Train Car... Enhanced Basic Features Including Route Notifications

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul Metro's official smartphone subway information application, "Ttota Subway," has surpassed 600,000 downloads.

According to the corporation on the 4th, when the app was first launched in 2015, the number of downloads was only 36,000, but through continuous feature additions and convenience improvements, it increased to 300,000 in 2019. Since then, in 2020, during the COVID-19 situation, a feature allowing users to report passengers not wearing masks in the subway was added, causing a sharp increase in downloads, exceeding 600,000 by the end of last year.

The Ttota Subway app provides a "subway congestion information service." Through technology jointly developed with SK Telecom, users can check the congestion level of the train they will board in advance via the app. Currently, real-time congestion data is provided for Line 2 (except Seongsu Branch Line (Seongsu~Sinseol-dong) and Sinjeong Branch Line (Sindorim~Kkachisan)), while other lines provide predicted congestion information.

Various convenience features for transportation-vulnerable individuals are also noteworthy. Electric wheelchair users can check safe boarding and alighting locations at each station, and if necessary, request the installation of safety platforms by contacting the station through the app. The app also provides information on the locations of rapid chargers for electric wheelchairs installed at each station and a function to request assistance from station staff when using wheelchair lifts.

In case elevators at stations become unusable due to breakdowns or inspections, a breakdown notification service is also available through the app. If users register frequently used stations in advance, the app will notify them when elevator use is unavailable. The app also guides the locations where sign language video phones for the hearing impaired are available.

Using ICT technology, the app offers a service that allows transportation-vulnerable users to receive major information such as their current location within the train and station, and facilities like boarding convenience facilities, entrances, ticket gates, restrooms, and stairs in large text and voice. For example, when the app is turned on and the user moves near an elevator, it notifies them with text and voice saying, "There is an elevator nearby."

Through the complaint reporting function, users can quickly notify the corporation of issues such as temperature control, announcement broadcasts, and facility malfunctions inside the train, as well as emergencies like sexual harassment, violence incidents, and medical emergencies, requesting prompt action. A distinctive feature is the automatic recognition of the app user's location using beacons installed in trains and stations. Additionally, the app faithfully provides essential subway information functions such as ▲real-time train location guidance ▲route search for shortest time and minimum cost ▲notifications during subway delays caused by sudden protests or train malfunctions.

The corporation has planned to continue focusing on developing various additional features and improving the design so that the Ttota Subway app can firmly establish itself as a guide for subway use. By the end of this year, a foreign language version of the app (including English) will be developed and launched to allow foreigners to use the app conveniently.

Kim Jeong-man, head of the corporation's Information Operations Center, said, "We will continue to strive to add features so that the Ttota Subway app can provide more subway information," and added, "We hope customers will continue to inform us of any improvements needed so that the app can be convenient for everyone to use."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.