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Despite growing pains, Hangang Bus to resume regular service next month

Published: 23 Oct. 2025, 15:57 Updated: 23 Oct. 2025, 17:37

A Hangang Bus passes the Han River Railway Bridge near Nodeul Island in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 21. [NEWS1]

The Hangang Bus, which has been operating without passengers for testing, is set to resume regular service in November and expand its operating hours to include morning commutes starting next year, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Thursday.

During a parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, Oh responded to questions from Rep. Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party, saying, “To reassure citizens, the Hangang Bus will resume full operations in early November after completing its current pilot runs without passengers.”

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon listens during a parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee at City Hall in central Seoul on Oct. 23. [NEWS1]

Since Sept. 29, the Hangang Bus has been operating without passengers, running 14 round trips per day between Magok in western Seoul and Jamsil in southern Seoul — seven in each direction — to collect operational data and improve safety and performance under various weather conditions.

The service had officially launched on Sept. 18 but suspended passenger operations within less than a month, prompting criticism from lawmakers.

“I’m deeply disappointed that it went back to test operations so soon after launch,” Joo said. In response, Oh acknowledged, “We rushed the initial rollout and fell short in several areas, but we’ll resume operations in a much more stable and complete form.”

When the service launched, the Hangang Bus operated from 11 a.m. to 9:37 p.m., based on arrival times. The city had planned to expand the schedule to start at 7 a.m. beginning Oct. 11, after the Chuseok holidays, to accommodate commuters. However, that plan was postponed when Seoul decided to switch to passenger-free test runs.

Oh also addressed questions about when the postponed morning operations would begin. Responding to Rep. Park Jeong-hyeon of the Democratic Party (DP), who argued the route was unsuitable for commuting, Oh said, “Once all 12 vessels are delivered next spring, we’ll be able to start morning service, operating from 7 a.m. to around 10 p.m.”

A Hangang Bus is docked at the Magok Pier in Gangseo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 19. [NEWS1]

DP Rep. Yang Bu-nam criticized the vessels’ slower-than-expected speed, noting that “the Hangang Bus can’t reach 20 knots [37 kilometers per hour].”

“As a result, routes initially expected to take 75 minutes are now taking 127 minutes, while the express service that was supposed to take 54 minutes is actually taking 82,” he said, citing media reports.

Oh replied that the issue stemmed from the shipbuilder’s failure to meet contractual specifications.

“At the time, we spoke based on agreements with the design and construction firms, but those commitments weren’t fulfilled,” Oh said. “We have no choice but to pursue legal accountability, including warranty and penalty claims.”

A monitor behind Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon displays materials related to the Hangang Bus during a parliamentary audit of the Seoul Metropolitan Government by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee at City Hall in central Seoul on Oct. 23. [NEWS1]

A Seoul city official added that Hangang Bus, as the vessel owner, plans to impose damages on the shipbuilder for failing to meet speed requirements.

“There are still some differences of opinion regarding responsibility between the operator and the shipyard, but penalties will be imposed according to the contract,” the official said.

Addressing criticism that the service is too slow to function as public transport, Oh said, “While it can’t compete with the subway or buses in terms of speed, the Hangang Bus will serve as a bridge connecting transit blind spots along the river.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY MOON HEE-CHUL [[email protected]]