Seoul to Add 1,000 Taxis for Late-Night Year-End Travel... Last Bus Departures Extended

Collaboration with Taxi and Platform Companies
Temporary Taxi Stands in Gangnam, Jongno, and Hongdae
Last Bus Departures Extended at 11 Major Locations

In preparation for the increased nighttime travel during the year-end season, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is implementing transportation measures. An additional 1,000 taxis will be deployed during late-night hours, and the last bus departure times will be extended.

On December 3, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has established and will immediately implement the "Year-End Taxi and Bus Supply Expansion Plan" to ensure that citizens do not experience inconvenience when traveling late at night throughout this month.

Passengers are getting off taxis near Seoul Station. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

The city plans to add 1,000 taxis during late-night hours in collaboration with the taxi industry and platform companies. Temporary taxi stands will be set up in four areas with high demand for late-night rides, including Gangnam, Jongno, and Hongdae Entrance. Taxis and passengers will be matched one-to-one to encourage orderly boarding.

The individual taxi sector will be encouraged to operate late at night on Thursdays and Fridays, when demand is high. The corporate taxi sector will prioritize assigning night shifts when organizing work teams. These measures are intended to increase the supply of late-night taxis.

The temporary taxi stands will operate mainly on Fridays. From December 12 to 18, as well as on the 19th and 24th, they will be available from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Around 160 members of the "Late-Night Boarding Support Team," composed of city employees and taxi industry workers, will be deployed.

Taxi platform companies will also work to expand supply by encouraging late-night operations and offering incentives. Participants include UT, Onda, Tada, and I.M. Taxi.

Additionally, from December 15 to 31, the last bus departure times at 11 major locations in Seoul will be extended to 1:00 a.m. from Monday to Saturday. The affected areas are Hongdae Entrance, Gangnam Station, Jongno 2-ga, Yeongdeungpo, Sinchon, Yeoksam, Yeouido, Konkuk University Entrance, Seoul Station, Myeong-dong, and Guro Station.

From December 17 to 31, the number of "Owl Buses," which are late-night city buses, will be increased by 28, bringing the total to 168 buses operating from Tuesday to Saturday.

Yeo Jangkwon, Director of Transportation at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "We have decided to work closely with the transportation industry to minimize inconvenience for citizens returning home late at night during the year-end season, when the use of taxis and last buses increases. We will continue to do our best to enhance transportation convenience so that citizens can travel more quickly and comfortably."

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