Yangju City's 'Ddokbus' to Run to Hoecheon New Town and Seoul Nowon Station

Yangju City to Add Five More Ddokbus Vehicles Starting May 20
Service Area Expands from Okjeong to Hoecheon New Town and Hoeamsaji Museum

Yangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on May 9 that it will introduce five additional Ddokbus vehicles, a demand-responsive bus service, starting from May 20. The service area will also be expanded from the existing Okjeong district to include Hoecheon New Town and the Hoeamsaji Museum.

Overview of Ddokbus Operation. Provided by Yangju City

Since August 2023, Ddokbus has been operated by Yangju City as a smart mobility transportation option. Its key feature is that users can call the bus via the 'Ddokta' smartphone app and travel freely between designated stops without fixed routes.

Until now, the service has focused on Okjeong New Town, Deokgye Station, and the Samsung-dong area. However, with this route expansion, new areas such as Hoecheon New Town and the Hoeamsaji Museum will be connected, which is expected to greatly enhance convenience for residents.

In particular, improved access to major cultural facilities like the Hoeamsaji Museum is expected to help revitalize local tourism.

Another notable aspect of this expansion is the introduction of the 'route-type Ddokbus.' This new route, to be launched in Hoecheon New Town where metropolitan transportation has been lacking, will operate as a commuter-only service connecting to Nowon Station in Seoul. It will run four times a day on weekdays (departures at 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., and returns at 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.).

The route begins at the The One Park Village and Lapiano Switchen stops, then passes through Deokgye Station, Hoecheon New Town (Hoecheon Jungang-ro), Yangju City Hall, and Yangju Station, before reaching Exit 4 of Nowon Station.

Unlike the existing Ddokbus, this route will use 25-seat medium-sized vans, and boarding is only possible by making a reservation in advance through the 'Ddokta' app. Outside of commuting hours, it will be operated flexibly in the same demand-responsive manner as before.

Kim Jihyun, head of the Public Transportation Division at Yangju City, stated, "I understand that residents of Hoecheon New Town have continued to experience inconvenience due to a lack of route-type buses since moving in back in 2022. With the addition of more Ddokbus vehicles and the introduction of the new route-type service, we will steadily expand the metropolitan transportation network connecting to Seoul and do our utmost to provide a more convenient transportation environment."