By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Bicycle lovers will be able to take their bikes onto subways using special bicycle compartments and bike-only gates on Sundays from October.
Seoul City announced its plan to allow bicycles on subways as part of its campaign to encourage bike riding.
The pilot operation will start on Oct. 4 and bike-only cars will be operating on Sundays and holidays until next April.
The city will fix problems found during the pilot operation and expand the service to Saturdays from next May. Ultimately, the bike compartments will be available on weekdays, except during rush hour, by 2012.
The special compartments, located in the front and rear cars, will have two bike racks instead of the standard seven-person chair.
Forty trains on subway lines no. 1-8 will have bike carriages by October, and a total of 359 trains will be equipped by next April.
Ramps for easy conveyance of bicycles and special gates for bike riders will be installed at 38 stations, including City Hall Station, by the end of the year.
Bicycle storage, which is currently installed only at Seokgye Station on line no. 6, will be expanded to include eight more stations including the Sports Complex Station on line no. 2 and Samgakji Station on line no. 4 and 6.
"This is the first attempt in the nation to allow bicycles on urban subways and it will encourage more people to ride bicycles," a city official said.