Yeongdeungpo~Dobongsan 'Autonomous Bus' to Operate... Service Starts from the 26th

'A160 with A indicating "Autonomous Driving"
Free operation during stabilization period'

The 'Early Morning Companion Autonomous Bus,' which will serve as a means of transportation for early morning workers such as sanitation workers and security guards, is set to begin operation. It will run on route A160, which is the existing route 160 between Dobongsan Station Wide-area Transfer Center and Yeongdeungpo Station, with the letter 'A' (Autonomous) indicating autonomous driving.

Seoul City announced on the 24th that the A160 bus service will start on the 26th. Initiated by Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s idea, the Early Morning Companion Autonomous Bus is part of an advanced transportation innovation policy embodying the city administration’s philosophy that "cutting-edge technology should be used first and foremost for the socially vulnerable."

Dawn Companion Autonomous Bus A160. Provided by Seoul City

Until now, although two buses on route 160 started operating relatively early compared to other buses, there were many requests to increase the number of buses or to advance the first departure time due to congestion caused by passing through business districts such as Jongno and Yeouido.

The A160 bus departs from Dobongsan Wide-area Transfer Center at 3:30 a.m. and travels 25.7 km to Yeongdeungpo Station. It operates only on weekdays, excluding weekends. The route is a shortened version of the existing route 160, running from Dobongsan Station Wide-area Transfer Center to Ssangmun Station, Mia Sageori, Jongno, Gongdeok Station, Yeouido Transfer Center, and Yeongdeungpo Station, stopping at 87 regular city bus stops. However, it does not stop at Park Win Tower and LG Twin Tower stops (19284) due to concerns about accidents caused by abrupt lane changes over short distances during autonomous driving.

The A160 bus provides real-time arrival information through bus information terminals (BIT) installed at stops, as well as information on available seats. By searching 'Early Morning A160' or 'A160' on platforms like Naver or Kakao, users can check real-time location, arrival times, and seat availability.

Standing passengers are prohibited for safety reasons. Passengers must check for available seats before boarding via the LED seat indicator on the front of the bus or the bus information terminal (BIT).

During the stabilization period, the A160 bus will operate free of charge, but passengers must tag their transportation cards to board, just like regular city buses. The city plans to introduce fares in the second half of next year after sufficient stabilization, with the fare expected to be 1,200 KRW applying an early morning discount. Climate Companion Cards and metropolitan area transfer discounts will also apply.

Yoon Jong-jang, Director of Seoul City Transportation Office, said, "We empathize with the difficulties faced by citizens who start their day earlier than anyone else in Seoul, and we plan to continue expanding the Early Morning Companion Autonomous Bus service for the socially vulnerable. We will focus our efforts to ensure that the benefits of advanced transportation technology first reach socially marginalized groups."

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