Seoul To Have River Bus Transportation Service In October, Connecting Magok With Jamsil

Illustration of water buses in Seoul, South Korea. (Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government)

JAKARTA - Seoul will have a river bus transportation service in October, connecting Magok in the northwestern part of the capital to Jamsil in the southeast along the Han River waterway, the city government said last month.

The plan is that this mode of transportation will charge a fare of 3,000 won for one trip. The city government will allow passengers who have a Climate Card to use river buses. The card is a Seoul infinite transit ticket that was launched recently.

"River bus will not only provide a pleasant journey for residents, but will also contribute to overcoming the climate crisis through environmentally friendly public transportation," said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, quoted from The Korea Times March 5.

In its operations, this mode of transportation will stop at seven piers for one trip, namely Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Jamwon, Oksu, Ttukseom and Jamsil.

The location of the dock was chosen based on comprehensive considerations of regional characteristics, such as housing, business, trade and tourism. Factors such as demand for transportation, connectivity with other public transportation and accessibility are also considered.

Furthermore, this mode of transportation will serve passengers from 06.30 to 22.30 local time on weekdays. And at 09:30 to 22:30 local time on weekends and holidays.

During weekdays, river bus services will operate with an interval of 15 minutes during peak hours, from 06.30 a.m. to 09.00 a.m. and 18.00 a.m. to 20:30 p.m. out of that time and the weekend, the interval is 30 minutes.

Later, the river bus will be equipped with a shelf to accommodate up to 22 bicycles and also have a special seat for wheelchairs. In addition, the river bus will also have an individual table for each seat, allowing passengers to work or eat. A roof on the plane and strategically placed windows allow passengers to enjoy the beautiful view of the Han River during their journey.

The special express lines, which only stop at Magok, Yeouido and Jamsil, will operate 16 times during travel hours, giving a faster travel time of 54 minutes, compared to general routes that take 75 minutes.

"This city intends to increase its competitiveness by utilizing river buses as attractive tourism assets," continued Mayor Se-hoon.

The city government said there were a total of eight environmentally friendly hybrid passenger ships, with each ship capable of carrying up to 199 passengers at once, with an average speed of 17 knots.

The city government intends to expand the route gradually, fostering cooperation with Gimpo, which was initially considered a departure point from Gabmun Sungai Ara Han pier.

The city government envisions river buses becoming an innovative mode of transportation that expands public services from land to water.

Stressing the potential for river buses outside of transportation, the city aims to integrate them with tourism resources.

Government officials estimate that the number of users will increase from 800,000 people next year to 2.5 million by 2030.