Travel
Seoul’s Hangang River Bus fully resumes service March 1 after safety upgrades
Haps Magazine Korea
February 27, 2026
(Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Government/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)
The Hangang River Bus will resume full-route operations on March 1 following the completion of comprehensive safety measures implemented after a grounding incident on November 15 last year.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, dredging work has been completed along sections where water depth was insufficient, particularly across an 8.9-kilometer stretch near the northern end of Hannam Bridge between Apgujeong and Jamsil docks. Authorities also removed underwater debris and installed a navigation deviation prevention system that triggers an alarm if vessels stray from designated routes.
In addition, buoys in the accident-prone area were replaced with taller, more visible structures, increasing from 1.4 meters to 4.5 meters to improve nighttime navigation safety.
Routes will now be divided into two lines centered on Yeouido, the busiest dock: an eastern line (Jamsil–Yeouido) and a western line (Magok–Yeouido).
Each line will operate 16 round trips daily at roughly one-hour intervals, totaling 32 services per day.
The eastern route’s first departure from Jamsil is at 10:00 a.m., with the last arrival at 8:27 p.m.
The western route begins at 10:20 a.m. from Magok, with the final arrival at 7:32 p.m.
Passengers transferring between eastern and western lines at Yeouido will not be charged an additional fare. The city also plans to expand waiting and convenience areas around Yeouido Hangang Park to accommodate increased passenger flow.
Starting in April, an express service connecting Jamsil, Yeouido, and Magok without transfers will be introduced during commuting hours.
In May, a temporary dock at Seoul Forest will operate during the garden expo period.
To enhance the overall experience, the city will continue developing River View Gardens near seven docks and install scenic rest areas at Mangwon, Apgujeong, and Ttukseom.
From March 3 to 13, passengers aged 65 and older can ride free on weekdays as part of a service improvement survey event, excluding weekends to ensure safety and manage crowd levels.