Travel Between Seoul and Goyang, Yongin, Pyeongtaek, Yangju Becomes More Convenient... Metropolitan Bus Service to Start Next Month

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Metropolitan Area Express Transit Committee announced on the 26th that four semi-public metropolitan bus routes connecting major hubs in Seoul from the outskirts of the metropolitan area will be operated sequentially starting from the 1st of next month.

These metropolitan buses run between Goyang and Yeongdeungpo, Yongin and Seoul Station, Pyeongtaek and Sadang Station, and Yangju and Jamsil Station. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expects that accessibility to Seoul will improve in areas previously considered blind spots for metropolitan buses.

A bus is entering the Myeongdong Entrance Station bus stop in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The semi-public metropolitan bus system is a scheme where bus operations are handled by private transportation companies, while the government and local governments hold the authority for route licensing and management, and financially support operational deficits. Previously, the Metropolitan Area Express Transit Committee selected 10 new semi-public routes last year after conducting local government demand surveys. Six route buses connecting Anseong, Osan, Gwangmyeong, Yangpyeong, Goyang, Hwaseong, and major areas in Seoul are planned.

Going forward, the usage status of each route will be monitored to adjust dispatch intervals, and if necessary, increase the number of buses or efficiently adjust routes. Kang Hee-up, Chairman of the Metropolitan Area Express Transit Committee, said, "We will continue to expand semi-public metropolitan bus routes focusing on metropolitan transportation blind spots and congested areas to strengthen metropolitan transportation services to a level that the public can feel."

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