Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Seoul’s Hangang Bus ferry service expands route to serve garden expo crowds
A new Hangang Bus ferry stop at Seoul Forest / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Hoping to capitalize on a massive surge in public interest, Seoul officials said Friday that the city's newly rebooted river ferry service will add a critical new stop at Seoul Forest to bring visitors to the international garden exhibition.
Starting Monday, June 8, the Hangang Bus will stop at the newly minted Seoul Forest pier 16 times a day through the end of October. The addition alters the eastern corridor of the municipal ferry network between Jamsil and Yeouido, creating a scenic transit alternative for an event that has quickly captured the capital’s attention.
The Seoul International Garden Show, which opened May 1 on a sprawling 710,000-square-meter site in eastern Seoul, has cemented its status as one of the city's most successful public initiatives. After drawing over 10 million visitors last year, this year’s iteration crossed the one-million-visitor threshold just six days after opening.
To maintain safety and efficiency during the route expansion, the city is restructuring the eastern line to alternate stops between the Oksu and Apgujeong piers. Under this alternating system, a ferry departing Jamsil at 11:00 a.m. will stop at Oksu, while the 12:00 p.m. departure will dock at Apgujeong instead. Municipal planners have also extended daily operations by one hour in the evening, pushing final arrivals on the eastern line to 9:28 p.m. and offering passengers a front-row seat to twilight on the river.
Ahead of the rollout, maritime authorities widened navigating channels up to 100 meters and dredged the riverbed around the new dock to guarantee a 2.5-meter operating depth. Onshore infrastructure has also been upgraded, including new pedestrian walkways, public restrooms and a modernized elevator at the nearby Seongsu Cloud Bridge.
The route adjustment arrives as commuter and tourist demand for the Hangang Bus hits a record high. Since full operations resumed on March 1, ridership has steadily climbed, with May registering an all-time monthly high of 91,126 passengers — a 19 percent jump from April.
"We expect this to offer a distinct experience where citizens and tourists alike can enjoy the river’s nightscape and the grand garden expo simultaneously," said Park Jin-young, the director of project headquarters.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.