[Exclusive] Removal of Water Taxi Stops Deemed 'Unusable'... Only 'Tourism' Functions Retained

Full-scale Abolition Process After 17 Years... Total of 5 Locations Including Magok and Dangsan
Low Possibility of Platform Utilization... Both Water and Land Facilities Targeted
Abolition of Ferry Function for Transportation, Retention of Waterway Function for Tourism
Consideration of Name Changes... Discussion on Utilization Plans Such as Small-scale Tourism

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is dismantling the Han River water taxi terminals. Although the discontinuation of water taxis was anticipated ahead of the introduction of Riverbus, the decision was ultimately made to remove the facilities entirely due to the judgment that there was no potential for their reuse. The water taxi service, launched in 2007 by then-Mayor Oh Se-hoon as part of the 'Han River Renaissance' project, is now entering the final stages of full discontinuation after 17 years. However, the ferry function for tourism purposes will remain. Since Riverbus will absorb the ferry role, water taxis will be utilized solely as items to promote tourism.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 24th, the city will soon begin full demolition work on five of the nine water taxi terminals located along the Han River. The terminals targeted are located in ▲Magok ▲Dangsan ▲Yeouinaru ▲Jamwon ▲Jamsil. A Seoul city official explained, "We considered various options for reuse, but due to severe aging, the possibility of repurposing them as Riverbus docks through repair and reinforcement was low, so we decided to demolish them."

Exterior view of the Hangang water taxi.

Originally, Han River water taxis were introduced in 2007 with the concept of an eco-friendly water commuting transportation mode. The city combined private capital and municipal funds to contract with Cheonghaejin Marine, the operator of the Sewol ferry, but operations were temporarily suspended after the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014. Subsequently, the Korea Special Mission Veterans Association took over the business, but the water taxis failed to attract passengers and suffered losses. Contrary to expectations of over 800 daily users, fewer than 50 commuters used the service annually after COVID-19. National audit data also shows that only 20% of water taxi users were commuters.

Some point to the long-term neglect of the facilities during the previous mayor’s administration as a cause of the water taxi’s failure. Continuous investment and management were needed to strengthen connections with public transportation like subways and buses, but political reasons led to passive acceptance of the deficits. Even after Mayor Oh returned to office, the situation did not change. After experiencing the London Riverbus during an overseas official trip to Europe last year, he announced the introduction of the Han River Riverbus and the discontinuation of water taxis was forecasted.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to eliminate all existing operational functions of water taxis through this terminal demolition. According to current law, vessels are classified as ferries for fishing or tourism, or as ferries transporting people or goods; this measure will remove the simple transportation function. A city official added, "With the ferry function gone, water taxis are effectively abolished, and now discussions will focus on their use to promote tourism."

Currently, there are proposals to operate only small-scale tourism products or specialized routes that the larger Riverbus cannot cover. To this end, four terminals excluded from the demolition?▲Mangwon ▲Yeouido (63 Building) ▲Dongjak ▲Ttukseom?will undergo repair and reinforcement first. The improvement work will target not only the terminals but also the docks, waiting rooms, and surrounding water and land areas. Based on on-site inspections, future tourism demand will be monitored and underwater structures thoroughly checked.

Most of the demolished terminal areas will be replaced by Riverbus terminals. Seven docks in total?Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Jamwon, Oksu, Ttukseom, and Jamsil?are scheduled for construction by September. These docks will be designed to maximize versatility so that Riverbus, tourist water taxis, and other vessels can use them. If plans proceed as scheduled, Seoul will unveil the new terminals to citizens in October after completing accessibility improvements with surrounding public transportation. Another Seoul city official stated, "Other facilities will also be used as a foundation for utilizing water spaces, with additional inspections focusing on citizens’ safety and convenience. We are also considering measures such as renaming to enhance the tourism appeal of water taxis."

The appearance of 'Riververse' scheduled to be introduced by Seoul City this coming October. [Provided by Seoul City]