"The First Bus for Commuters Leaves at 11 a.m.?... Mixed Reactions to Oh Sehoon's Hangang Bus"

On the 18th, when the Hangang Bus officially began operation, citizens were waiting to board at the Jamsil Dock in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On the 17th, at the Han River Bus Pier in Yeouido, Seoul, key attendees including Mayor Oh Sehoon participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the launch of the Han River Bus. The Han River Bus is a new mode of transportation in Seoul, operating between seven piers: Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Oksu, Apgujeong, Ttukseom, and Jamsil, covering a distance of 28.9 km. The fare is 3,000 won per ride, and using the Climate Companion Card allows unlimited rides without restrictions, along with public transportation transfer discounts. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The Hangang Bus continued to operate at full capacity on its first official day of service on the 18th. Around 4,000 citizens boarded the bus, reflecting its popularity, but unexpected issues also arose, such as a restroom blockage that made the facilities unusable.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 19th, the total number of passengers on the Hangang Bus, which began operations the previous day, was tallied at 4,361. The average number of passengers per section was 152.5, and the average seat occupancy rate was 80.3%.

Oh Sehoon: "A Healing Experience Not Found in Other Modes of Transportation"

On the morning of the 18th, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon is waiting for the Han River bus at the Yeouido dock on the Han River. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The Hangang Bus officially began operations on the 18th. Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon personally rode the Hangang Bus and emphasized its unique "healing" function, which distinguishes it from other forms of transportation. On the morning of the 18th, at 11 a.m., Mayor Oh inspected the pier for the first official service and took a ride on the Hangang Bus. The bus operates between seven piers, from Magok to Jamsil, and after the Chuseok holiday, express services for commuting will be added.

While on board, Mayor Oh stated, "This mode of transportation has a unique character not found in others," and described it as providing "healing and a sense of freedom from the stress and pressure of urban life."

On the 18th, the Hangang Bus, which began its trial operation, is passing through the Banpo area in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The fare for a single ride on the Hangang Bus is 3,000 won, and by adding 5,000 won for the Climate Companion Card, unlimited rides are available. Like regular public transportation, passengers tag their transportation cards at the terminal upon boarding, and transfer discounts with other public transit such as buses and subways also apply. Paper tickets can be issued at kiosks. However, cash payments are not accepted.

In Response to Criticism: "One Hour Slower and Noisier Than the Subway"

On the 18th, the Hangang Bus, which began full-scale operation, is passing over Dongjak Bridge in Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The city left room for improvement in Hangang Bus operations based on citizen feedback. Mayor Oh said, "There are concerns that it is slower than expected, but everything depends on the evaluation and response of Seoul citizens. If there is a strong demand to upgrade it into a faster public transportation option, we will do so. If the focus is on maintaining it as a cost-effective means of comfort, we will prepare accordingly."

The Hangang Bus took its first steps amid various controversies. Issues arose regarding the selection of the shipbuilder, delays in the project schedule, and after the vessels were unveiled, noise problems were pointed out. There are also many challenges to address, such as responding to severe weather. At the launch ceremony the previous day, a trial ride was scheduled but was canceled due to heavy rain. The city explained, "Visibility was less than 1 km, making operation difficult." In addition, operations are suspended when the discharge volume from the Paldang Dam exceeds 3,000 tons. This means that service could be halted for about 20 days a year.

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The travel time also increased during the trial operation phase. The regular route from Magok to Jamsil takes 2 hours and 7 minutes, while the express route takes 1 hour and 22 minutes. It takes about an hour longer than the subway, raising questions about its viability as a public transportation option. A city official explained, "Since trial runs began in February, we found that the water depth of the Han River is shallower than the sea, limiting speed, and considering various safety factors, the travel time was set at 127 minutes."

Still, No Seats Left

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On the 18th, the first buses departing from both ends of the route-Magok and Jamsil-at 11 a.m. were fully booked in both directions. There are 14 trips in total, with seven in each direction, and most of the remaining trips also operated at full capacity. For the Jamsil-bound route, the first trip was fully booked between Magok and Apgujeong, and the third trip was fully booked from Yeouido. For the Magok-bound route, the first trip was full from Jamsil to Ttukseom, and the third trip was full from Oksu to Apgujeong.

As it was the first day of operation, crowds gathered at the Hangang Bus piers, leading to the distribution of "waiting tickets." The number of people allowed on board is 145 or 199, depending on the vessel, but more citizens gathered than could be accommodated. At the piers, citizens began issuing tickets and exploring the facilities about 30 minutes before the first departure.

Real-time seat availability for the Hangang Bus can be checked through the "information displays" at nearby subway stations. It is also possible to check by searching for "Hangang Bus" on Naver Map or Kakao Map. As of the previous afternoon, most routes showed either zero or fewer than ten available seats online. A city official explained, "The seat availability is updated the moment a boarding pass is tagged at the pier, and once the crew confirms and inputs the final count, the information is displayed on the monitor. Arrival times can also be checked."

Restroom Issues

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Restroom problems also occurred on the first day of operation. According to the city, at around 4:30 p.m. the previous day, the restroom inside the Hangang Bus became clogged and unusable. Although only one stall was affected, all restrooms became unavailable because the wastewater pipes are interconnected. A city official said, "It appears the blockage was caused by excessive disposal of wet wipes and similar items. The restroom system on ships is different from those in regular buildings, so it cannot be resolved immediately, but we will address it as quickly as possible." For now, the vessel will continue operating with restroom use restricted.