Increased Bus and Subway Services in Seoul on Suneung Day Morning... Government Office Work Hours Delayed by One Hour

Taxi restrictions lifted from 4 AM to 12 PM to support student transport with private and official vehicles
Vehicle entry restricted within 200m of exam sites... Increased crackdown on illegal parking

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Seoul City announced on the 30th that it will increase the frequency of city buses and subways and delay the working hours of government offices by one hour on December 3rd, the day of the '2021 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)', to facilitate transportation for test-takers.

The city will extend the concentrated subway dispatch hours in the morning on the CSAT day from the usual 7-9 a.m. to 6-10 a.m., adding 28 additional subway runs during this period. A total of 16 standby vehicles will also be prepared to respond to any unexpected situations such as increased passenger volume or breakdown delays, and will be deployed immediately in case of emergencies.

City and village buses will operate at minimum intervals from 6 a.m. to 8:10 a.m., and the taxi restriction system will be lifted from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m., allowing about 19,000 additional taxis to operate.

Inside subways and buses, routes and locations heading to test sites will be announced to help test-takers arrive safely at the test centers within the designated entry times. Buses passing by test sites will display signs indicating their destination on the front windshield, and announcements will be made at bus stops near the test centers. Subways will also post test site information at stations near the test centers and guide passengers to the exits leading to the test sites.

A total of 729 private and public vehicles marked with 'Test-Taker Transport Support Vehicle' signs will wait near subway stations, bus stops, and key locations close to test centers, providing free rides to test-takers upon request. These support vehicles can only be used if the passenger’s normal body temperature is confirmed before boarding. Those showing symptoms of COVID-19 or under self-quarantine must travel to the test centers by private car or 119 emergency ambulance separately.

The city will also prioritize dispatching disabled call taxis to test-takers with mobility difficulties to ensure comfortable transportation to the test centers on the CSAT day.

Meanwhile, to prevent test-takers from being delayed due to traffic congestion during school commuting hours, the city, autonomous districts, and public corporations will adjust their working hours on the test day to 10 a.m., one hour later than usual.

From early morning, about 2,600 personnel including autonomous district officials, volunteers from private organizations, and police officers will be deployed around test centers and major traffic points to assist with boarding emergency transport vehicles and maintaining traffic order, ensuring the swift movement and guidance of test-takers. Construction sites near test centers have been requested to minimize noise, and drivers of buses and taxis have been asked to refrain from honking in advance.

To minimize traffic congestion, vehicle entry, exit, and parking will be prohibited within a 200-meter radius around test centers. Illegal parking or stopping that disrupts traffic flow or causes congestion will be subject to fines and towing enforcement.

Hwang Bo-yeon, Director of Urban Transportation at Seoul City, said, "Despite the COVID-19 situation, we will provide comprehensive transportation support so that about 110,000 Seoul test-takers can fully concentrate on their exams in a safe environment and achieve their desired results," and urged, "We ask the general public to cooperate with these traffic measures."