[News Terms] Hangang Water Bus 'River Bus'

Scheduled to operate on the Han River at 50 km/h
Seoul City aims to launch service by September next year

'River Bus' is a water bus operating on the Han River. The water bus that Seoul City plans to introduce is a high-speed ferry with a capacity of 200 passengers, operating at a speed of 50 km/h.

London's River Bus is a major transportation means connecting the east and west of London. Each vessel accommodates 100 to 150 passengers, and the basic fare (one-way for adults) ranges from ?10.5 (17,400 KRW) to ?16.2 (26,900 KRW) depending on the area. The number of commuters using the River Bus has steadily increased, and it also serves as a sightseeing cruise to view nearby tourist attractions. In 2018, 10.4 million people used it, and it is expected that 12 million will use it by 2035.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (right) is giving a greeting at the joint cooperation agreement ceremony for the promotion of the Hangang Riververse project held at Seoul City Hall on the 4th. Behind Mayor Oh, a photo of the Riververse, which Seoul City plans to introduce, can be seen.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 4th, Seoul City announced that it signed a joint cooperation agreement with E-Land Group, which includes eCruise Co., Ltd., the operator of the Han River River Bus, and will actively promote the River Bus project aiming for operation in September next year.

The River Bus route promoted by Seoul City runs between Ara Hangang Gapmun Dock in Gaehwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, adjacent to Gimpo City, and Yeouido, taking about 30 minutes one way. It operates every 15 minutes during commuting hours, and along with the metropolitan route connecting Gimpo and Seoul, plans to operate routes connecting major residential, business, and tourist areas in Seoul such as Mapo, Yeouido, Jamwon, and Jamsil.

The fare will be paid by transportation card like public transportation, and transfer discounts will be negotiated with Incheon City and Gyeonggi Province. Seoul City will analyze dock locations, operation routes, operating hours, dock accessibility, demand, and fares to finalize the operation plan within this year and start infrastructure design and construction from January next year.

Seoul City attempted to introduce the River Bus six years ago but gave up. At that time, a feasibility study for deploying four 200-passenger high-speed ferries on three routes?Magok to Yeouido, Yeouido to Dongjak, and Magok to Dongjak?estimated an average daily ridership of only about 20 people, giving failing marks on both economic and financial aspects. However, it was somewhat recognized that if the River Bus were used for tourism, about 350,000 people would use it annually. The fare suggested in the report at that time was 15,000 KRW for adults.

The biggest challenge of the River Bus project is accessibility. Since passengers must go to the River Bus dock to board the boat and then transfer to other transportation at the dock upon arrival, it takes more time and costs more than existing subways or buses. This issue has been pointed out several times in previous feasibility study reports. As Seoul City reintroduces the River Bus, attention is focused on how they will solve the 'accessibility (transfer routes)' problem.

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