After a 34-day suspension for no-passenger test runs, the Han River Bus service resumed operations at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 1.

At the first departure points in Jamsil and Magok, 41 and 26 passengers boarded respectively, many of whom had arrived early in the morning to catch the long-awaited first bus.

Originally scheduled to start at 11 a.m., the first trip was moved up two hours earlier, drawing citizens eager to experience the reopening.

The biggest change after the relaunch was the improvement in punctuality. The first vessel, departing Jamsil at 9 a.m., arrived at Oksu at 9:37 a.m. and departed precisely at 9:39 a.m.

After picking up passengers at Yeouido Pier, it left for Mangwon at 10:23 a.m. exactly on schedule. The enhanced reliability allowed passengers to plan meetups and schedules more confidently, with many seen calling friends to coordinate arrival times.

The improved timeliness came from a month of trial operations that enhanced docking accuracy and crew coordination. The captains demonstrated smoother berthing maneuvers, entering and departing piers in straight alignment like city buses, which reduced waiting and docking times.

Crew proficiency also increased significantly, improving safety checks, boarding procedures, and onboard announcements, all of which boosted passenger satisfaction.

Although a small protest group appeared at the reopening, attention quickly shifted to the enthusiastic passengers who had waited weeks for the service to return. Some even cycled to the piers and boarded the ferry with their bikes.

With clear autumn skies, both the boarding areas and nearby cafés — including the Starbucks by the pier — were filled with visitors enjoying the day.

The Han River Bus now operates daily between Jamsil and Magok piers from 9 a.m. to 9:37 p.m.

USAG Yongsan

Camp Casey