Seoul Jung-gu Residents Take Monorail to Park

Monorail Opens on the 15th in the Hilly Area from Sindang Hyundai Apartment to Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park...Improved Park Accessibility for Mobility-Impaired, Regional Landmark Boosts Commercial Area...15-Seater, Free Operation Daily from 8 AM to 6 PM, 3-4 Minutes to Reach the Park...New Safe and Comfortable Transport Solves Residents' Longstanding Demand

From February 15, a monorail will operate in Donghwa-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Kim Gil-seong). This is the first time a monorail has been introduced as a means of transportation in Seoul.

The monorail runs back and forth along a 110m track from Sindang Hyundai Apartment to Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are three stations in total: the starting point, the end point, and a midpoint. The capacity is 15 people, and wheelchairs and strollers are also allowed on board.

The travel time from the departure point to the final destination is about 3 to 4 minutes (6 to 7 minutes round trip). It operates in an unmanned automatic driving mode that moves when the start button is pressed, and anyone can ride for free. The existing stone stairs have also been renovated to have a gentler slope.

Until now, to get to Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park, one had to climb up and down a steep staircase about 110 meters long. When it rained or snowed, slipping accidents on the stairs often occurred, making it very inconvenient for vulnerable pedestrians such as the elderly and disabled to use the park. Then, in 2020, the “Hill Area Mobility Improvement Project Resident Contest” hosted by Seoul City selected the “Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park Access Improvement Project,” resolving a long-standing concern of the district and residents. Since then, from May 2020, the basic plan was established, followed by basic and detailed design services, and construction of the monorail began in September 2022.

During construction, difficulties arose due to the steep and narrow terrain conditions on site. Since the monorail is adjacent to apartment buildings, complaints requesting privacy protection were also raised. The district actively accepted residents’ requests, such as covering the monorail windows.

Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park is located between Sindang-dong in Jung-gu and Geumho-dong in Seongdong-gu, spanning 75,570㎡ over the reservoir, featuring exercise facilities and green spaces. It is a popular spot for many citizens, with various sports facilities including a lawn plaza, multipurpose stadium, jogging track, badminton court, tennis court, and gateball court.

With the opening of the Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park monorail, local residents, including vulnerable pedestrians, are expected to use the park conveniently and safely.

Furthermore, the district expects that as the monorail rises as a local landmark, tourists visiting the nearby “Hipdang-dong (Hip Sindang-dong)” will extend their visits to Jungang Market, Baekhak Market, and Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park, positively impacting the local economy.

On the 15th, Jung-gu held an opening ceremony to widely announce the birth of this innovative transportation. Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, emphasized in his congratulatory speech, “Now, you no longer have to climb steep stairs to get to the park,” and added, “Jung-gu will continue to be the strong and reliable knees for its residents.”

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