Subway Service Extended Until 3 AM for Portugal Match Street Cheers

Extended operation until 3 AM on the 3rd based on arrival
Late-night buses concentrated around Gwanghwamun
Emergency evacuation space expanded from 10 to 80 people

On the 28th, the second match of Group H in the 2022 Qatar World Cup between South Korea and Ghana took place, and the Red Devils and citizens were watching the game at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Ahead of the street cheering for the 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage match against Portugal, held at midnight on the 3rd, the last train times for Subway Lines 2, 3, and 5 will be extended.

According to Seoul City on the 2nd, the last train times for Subway Lines 2, 3, and 5 will be extended until 3 a.m. on the 3rd (arrival time). From 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the 3rd, each line will operate an additional 5 runs in both directions, totaling 30 extra trips.

During the time when fans return home after cheering (2?3 a.m.), all late-night bus routes will be concentrated around Gwanghwamun Square, where the street cheering will take place.

Also, to prepare for the crowd gathering around Gwanghwamun, two bus stops at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will be temporarily closed from 8 p.m. on the 2nd until the last train time. Accordingly, 10 city bus routes, 2 village bus routes, 1 city tour bus, and 9 intercity bus routes will not stop at these bus stops. However, intercity routes with long intervals between stops will temporarily stop at Gwanghwamun and Gwanghwamun Building stops.

With Sejong-daero being closed, 13 city bus routes, 1 green circular bus, and 2 intercity bus routes will temporarily detour via nearby roads such as Yulgok-ro and Saemunan-ro. Detour route maps are available on buses and at bus stops.

For safety management, 53 safety personnel, 41 more than usual, including dedicated accident prevention staff, will be deployed at four subway stations near Gwanghwamun Square (City Hall Station Lines 1 and 2, Gyeongbokgung Station, and Gwanghwamun Station) from 9 p.m. on the 2nd until 3 a.m. on the 3rd.

From 7 p.m. on the day until 3 a.m. the next day, enforcement against illegal parking and stopping will be strengthened on roads around Gwanghwamun Square. Eight enforcement officers and two closed-circuit television (CCTV) vehicles will focus mainly on guidance-based enforcement.

For pedestrian safety, eight public bicycle rental stations will be temporarily closed from one hour before the street cheering until it ends. From 9 a.m. on the day until the end of the street cheering, personal mobility devices (PM), such as electric kickboards, cannot be rented or returned in the Gwanghwamun Square area.

As a cold wave is forecasted for the day, the city, in consultation with the organizers, will expand the capacity of emergency shelters equipped with heating devices from 10 to 80 people. The emergency shelters will be set up by connecting four tents west of the King Sejong statue in Gwanghwamun Square. Medical personnel will be stationed there to prepare for emergencies such as hypothermia.