Seoul launches online group bookings for Hangang Bus ferry service
A Hangang Bus departs from the docks at Yeouido in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, March 1. Korea Times file
Seoul will introduce online group reservations for its Hangang Bus ferry service starting Monday, allowing companies, schools and other organizations to book rides in advance instead of relying on tickets distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at docks.
The pilot service, operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will initially cover Magok and Jamsil docks on weekdays, with the first reserved trips available Tuesday.
Bookings will open at 10 a.m. Monday through Naver Map and Naver Place, where users can select a dock, travel date, route, departure time and passenger count before entering their details and paying the fare.
Each departure will accept reservations for groups of 10 to 30 people, with bookings and refunds available until 11:59 p.m. the day before travel.
Fares are 3,000 won ($2.20) for adults, 1,800 won for teenagers and 1,100 won for children.
Passengers with reservations must arrive at their selected dock at least 30 minutes before departure to verify their booking, complete boarding registration and follow instructions from safety personnel.
The new system aims to address a longstanding challenge for groups, which have struggled to secure seats in advance under the existing on-site system of first come, first served ticket distribution.
Demand for the river service has grown, with ridership reaching 115,387 in September, according to the city.
Daily ridership hit a record 7,219 on Sept. 24.
The operator expects advance reservations to help it estimate passenger numbers, manage boarding procedures and allocate staff more efficiently while making weekday demand more predictable.
“We introduced this online group reservation system on a trial basis to resolve the boarding inconveniences weekdays group passengers have faced and to make using the Hangang Bus more convenient,” said Park Jin-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Project Headquarters. “Based on the results of this pilot run and feedback from users, we will refine the service and strive to meet the needs of even more citizens.”
City officials said they will assess the pilot program’s booking process, payment system, boarding procedures and passenger feedback before deciding whether to continue the service or extend it to additional docks.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.