South Korea. Seoul continues to blend technological development with comfort this year as ‘Quick Response (QR) Codes’ are installed at every major bus station across the city. Helping to take the guesswork out of bus routes, the new system provides the information visitors need in a language they are comfortable with, making Seoul’s buses an essential tool for the business tourist.
The special codes, when scanned by the traveler’s smart phone, provides them with a wealth of essential transport information, including the expected arrival time of the next bus and other tourism-related facts about the city. To make use of the new service, users simply scan the QR Code (pictured) onto their mobile devices, which will instantly inform them when the next bus will arrive.
The revolution in real-time transport information makes the city’s extensive bus network ideal for the visiting business traveler on a tight schedule, underscoring Seoul’s commitment to becoming the world’s most advanced meetings venue.
Seoul’s major bus stops already use electronic signage to convey expected arrival times, but the QR Code provides information via smartphones in three key languages, including English, Japanese and Chinese at 6,300 stops across the city. In addition, smartphone users can take advantage of the information service provided to access important travel information on key attractions, travel tips, local attractions, popular travel destinations and current events of potential interest.
Smartphone users also have the advantage of accessing iTour Seoul – developed by the Seoul Tourism Organization – a special app that provides geocoded real-time information about their present location on a variety of categories, from coffee shops to palaces.
To make things even easier, those with internet access can utilize the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Transport System Guide, a bus finder service that can be used in English. Visitors simply input their departure point and destination, with the service then calculating the quickest route and displaying bus routes and numbers.
