Hangang Bus Draws 23,000 Passengers Over Five-Day Holiday

Daily Average of 4,689 Passengers as Outing Demand Surges
Record Single-Day Ridership of 5,584 on Labor Day
Seoul Designates Piers as Waterfront Hub Zones

During the holiday period from May 1 to May 5, the number of passengers on the Hangang bus exceeded 20,000. An average of about 4,689 people used the service per day, representing an 84% increase compared to the daily average of 2,550 in April.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on May 6, 23,443 people were counted as Hangang bus passengers from May 1 to May 5. In particular, on May 1, Labor Day, 5,584 people boarded the bus, setting a new single-day record since the Hangang bus began operations. More than 5,000 people also used the service on both May 2 and May 5, indicating a surge in spring outing demand.

Citizens riding the Hangang bus and gazing at the cityscape. Photo by Yonhap News

The Hangang bus, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government began operating on September 18 last year, operated only partially between Magok and Yeouido following a grounding accident in November. After completing safety measures, full operations resumed across the entire route in March of this year. In March, the first month of full-route service, there were 62,491 passengers, followed by 76,488 passengers in April, showing a steady increase in usage. The cumulative number of passengers since March is 162,422, and since the initial launch in September last year, the total has reached 267,357.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has added new viewing rest areas around Mangwon Pier and Ttukseom Pier. Within this month, six piers—Yeouido, Ttukseom, Jamsil, Apgujeong, Oksu, and Magok—will be designated as waterfront hub zones, where Riverview Gardens will be created and convenience facilities installed. In addition, a temporary pier will open in Seoul Forest, the main venue for the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo, and a special direct route between Yeouido and Seoul Forest will be operated.

Park Jinyoung, Director of the Future Hangang Headquarters at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "During the May holiday, we saw many citizens enjoying the Hangang bus, confirming its potential as a leisure-oriented mode of transportation," adding, "We will continue to enhance convenience and service quality so that citizens can use the Hangang bus more comfortably and safely."

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