Seoul City Extends Bus and Subway Operations Until 2 AM During Chuseok Holiday

Bus Routes Passing Subway Stations, Terminals, and Train Stations on 17-18th
Increased Buses Passing City Cemeteries and Extended Gyeongbu Expressway Bus-Only Lane
Special Crackdown on Illegal Parking Near Train Stations and Terminals

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is implementing a 'Chuseok Holiday Special Traffic Measures' to support travel during the holiday period for those returning home and heading back. They have decided to extend the operating hours of subways and buses, as well as the dedicated bus lanes on highways.

The special traffic measures announced by Seoul on the 9th include ▲extended last train and bus operation hours ▲increased city bus services passing through municipal cemeteries ▲extended operating hours of the dedicated bus lanes on the Gyeongbu Expressway ▲and provision of traffic information. Since it is expected that passengers using late-night trains and express/intercity buses will be concentrated during the holiday period, Seoul aims to support citizens' travel in various ways to prevent any inconvenience.

First, Seoul subways will operate extended services until 2 a.m. the next day on Chuseok day (the 17th) and the following day (the 18th), adding a total of 121 additional train runs per day. The affected lines are Lines 1 to 9, the Ui-Sinseol Line, and the Sillim Line. The 2 a.m. time refers to when the last train arrives at the terminal station, so passengers should check the last train at their boarding station via station notices or announcements.

On the same days, city buses on 124 routes passing through three terminals in Seoul (Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Central City, Dong Seoul, and Nambu Terminal) and five train stations (Seoul Station, Yongsan Station, Yeongdeungpo Station, Cheongnyangni Station, and Suseo Station) will also operate until 2 a.m. The 2 a.m. time refers to when buses heading toward the terminal pass the stops in front of train stations and express/intercity bus terminals. For routes passing through two or more train stations or terminals, the last stop served is the reference point.

Additionally, 14 owl bus routes operating daily from 11:10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (varies by route) will run normally during the Chuseok holiday period to assist late-night travel within Seoul.

Measures have also been prepared for visitors to municipal cemeteries using public transportation. On the 17th and 18th, four city bus routes passing through Yongmiri (Route 774) and Manguri (Routes 201, 262, 270) municipal cemeteries will increase service by 50 runs daily (10 runs for Yongmiri and 40 runs for Manguri).

The operating hours of the dedicated bus lanes on the Gyeongbu Expressway (from Hannam IC to Shintanjin IC) will be extended from the usual 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. the next day. Drivers should be cautious as unauthorized vehicles using the bus-only lanes may be caught by unmanned enforcement cameras, vehicle black boxes, smartphones, or citizen reports.

The extended operation period is from September 14th to the last day of the holiday, September 18th. On the final extended operation day, the 18th, the bus-only lanes will remain in effect until 1 a.m. on the 19th, after which the operating hours will revert to the usual 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Enforcement against illegal traffic behavior will be strengthened. On the day before the holiday, the 13th, and the last day, the 18th, vehicles illegally parked or stopped causing road congestion near train stations and bus terminals, as well as those illegally parked in no-parking zones such as intersections, fire facilities, and child/elderly protection zones, will be strictly monitored. Taxis refusing rides, overcharging, soliciting passengers, or engaging in other illegal activities near train stations and bus terminals will also be targeted for strict enforcement. Yoon Jong-jang, Director of Seoul Transportation Office, stated, "We will do our best to support citizens traveling not only within the city but also on long-distance trips home or to ancestral graves during the Chuseok holiday to ensure their travel is as smooth as possible."