Paju City Launches "Paju-Style Autonomous Driving" Linked to GTX-A... Filling the Unjeong-Geumchon Transportation Gap

Paju City to Launch Autonomous Vehicles in the Second Half of the Year

Operator Selection in the First Half, Service Begins in the Second Half

Designated as Pilot Operation Zone and Enacted Related Ordinance

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province has newly allocated a budget for the introduction of autonomous vehicles in the first supplementary budget for 2026, accelerating the implementation of future mobility services.

Paju City, Smooth Sailing in Autonomous Vehicle Introduction. Photo by Paju City

After being newly designated as an "autonomous vehicle pilot operation zone" by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in December of last year, the city also enacted the "Ordinance on the Operation and Support of Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Operation Zone Services in Paju City" in February of this year. With the completion of the budget allocation this April, Paju City has now established both administrative and financial foundations for the project.

With this budget secured as a starting point, Paju City will accelerate the introduction of autonomous vehicle services centered around Unjeong Jungang Station on the GTX-A line. In particular, during the daytime, the city plans to strengthen short-distance connections between Unjeong and Gyoha to enhance convenience for citizens. At night, the city will address gaps in public transportation during vulnerable hours—especially after the last GTX train—by providing service between Unjeong and Geumchon, aiming to deliver citizen-centric, "lifestyle-oriented" transportation services.

In the first half of this year, the city will select an operator for the autonomous vehicle service and build the necessary infrastructure. After verifying safety through test runs, full-scale autonomous vehicle services for citizens are scheduled to begin in the second half of the year.

Cho Chundong, Director of Road and Traffic, stated, "Securing this budget has provided Paju City with the momentum to become a leading city in future mobility. We will make every effort to ensure that citizens can use autonomous vehicle services safely and conveniently through thorough preparation."

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