New early-morning Seoul bus route links residential northeast to major southern hub

Seoul's early-morning A148 bus / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul is expanding its autonomous bus network with a new early-morning route connecting the residential Sanggye district in the northeast to the Express Bus Terminal south of the Han River, the city government said Tuesday. The service is designed to provide a predawn transit link for commuters before regular subway operations begin.

The A148 bus route is scheduled to begin service at 3:30 a.m. Thursday, providing a new transit link across the city. The 22.1-kilometer line will connect residential neighborhoods in the northeast to commercial hubs south of the Han River, with stops at Mia Sageori and Gyeongdong Market before crossing into the Apgujeong district.

Operating as an express service, the bus will pick up and drop off passengers only at 41 high-demand stops along the existing No. 148 corridor, allowing riders to reach their destinations roughly 15 minutes faster than the regular route.

The route also extends service to the Sanggye Station-Suyu Station segment in northeastern Seoul not covered by the standard No. 148 line.

The A148 uses a Hyundai’s Elec City 31-seat electric bus equipped with autonomous driving software, which has previously run autonomous bus services at Cheong Wa Dae and on late-night routes in Seoul.

Safety features include real-time traffic signal data from the city covering 98 intersections along the route, supplementing onboard sensors to reduce sudden braking. The system also allows the bus to navigate GPS-shadowed underpasses near the Sanggye and Apgujeong stations using sensor-based signal detection.

Rides are free during a stabilization period, though passengers must tap their transit cards when boarding and alighting. Seating is limited to 31 and boarding is not permitted when the bus is full. Available seats can be checked via roadside bus information terminals or the LED display on the front of the vehicle.

The two existing early-morning autonomous lines — the A160, connecting the northern edge at Dobongsan to Yeongdeungpo, and the A741, running from Gupabal in the northwest to Yangjae — have transported over 29,500 passengers since their debut. Building on this momentum, the city plans to launch a fourth route in late April, the A504, which will link the southwestern district of Geumcheon-gu to the capital’s historic center at Gwanghwamun.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.