How can companies and schools reserve Hangang Bus group rides?

Organizations can use Naver Map or Naver Place to choose a dock, travel date, route, departure time and passenger count, then enter their details and pay the fare. The pilot initially covers weekday departures from Magok and Jamsil docks.

What are the group size, booking deadline and arrival requirements for Hangang Bus reservations?

Each departure accepts reservations for groups of 10 to 30 people. Bookings and refunds are available until 11:59 p.m. the day before travel, and reserved passengers must arrive at least 30 minutes before departure for booking verification and boarding registration.

Why is Seoul launching online group reservations for the Hangang Bus?

The system is designed to address the difficulty groups have faced securing seats under the dockside first-come, first-served system. Seoul also expects advance reservations to improve passenger estimates, boarding management, staff allocation and the predictability of weekday demand.

Seoul launches online group bookings for Hangang Bus ferry service

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Summary

Seoul will introduce online group reservations for its Hangang Bus ferry service starting Monday, with the first reserved trips available Tuesday at Magok and Jamsil docks. Companies, schools and other organizations will be able to book weekday rides through Naver Map and Naver Place instead of relying on dockside first-come, first-served tickets. The pilot is intended to ease group boarding and help the operator manage staffing and passenger demand.

Key Facts

Bookings will open at 10 a.m. Monday, and reservations and refunds will remain available until 11:59 p.m. the day before travel.
Each departure will accept reservations for groups of 10 to 30 people, and passengers must arrive at least 30 minutes before departure for verification and boarding registration.
Fares are 3,000 won for adults, 1,800 won for teenagers and 1,100 won for children.
Hangang Bus ridership reached 115,387 in September, while daily ridership set a record of 7,219 on Sept. 24.
Seoul officials will review the booking, payment and boarding processes and passenger feedback before deciding whether to continue or expand the pilot.

By Lee Kyung-min

Published Oct 14, 2026 3:03 pm KST

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.

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