Self-driving buses set to roll through more Seoul neighbourhoods
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Rides are free for everyone until the second half of 2026, when it will become a paid service.
PHOTO: THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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SEOUL – Two new self-driving bus routes will begin in Seoul this week, following the introduction of the first one in southern Seoul earlier in 2025
The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Oct 12 that the driverless shuttles will be operated in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul, and Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul.
Safety officers will be on board the buses to ensure safe operation.
The decision on the new routes was made after the June debut of self-driving buses in Dongjak-gu achieved a high level of satisfaction among its residents, according to the city government.
From Oct 14, the Dongdaemun district service, Dongdaemun A01, will run between Janghanpyeong Station and Kyung Hee University Medical Centre.
Two self-driving buses will be deployed for the 15km round-trip route, stopping at 23 locations, including Seoul Biohub and Cheongnyangni Station.
Each bus is scheduled to operate six times a day, starting at 9am and ending at 4.15pm.
The Seodaemun A01 service runs a 3km route connecting Gajwa Station and Seodaemun-gu Office, starting from Oct 15. Buses will run every 30 minutes between 9.20am and 4.40pm.
The city government said it expects the self-driving buses to improve public access to administrative and welfare facilities, and provide convenient transfers to the subway services as they pass by Seodaemun Social Welfare Centre and Seodaemun Culture and Sports Centre, among 10 other stops.
Rides on the self-driving buses are free for everyone until the second half of 2026, when it will become a paid service. But passengers are still required to tap their transportation cards upon boarding and exiting the buses.
Real-time arrivals for both the Dongdaemun A01 and Seodamun A01 services are available via the Bus Information Terminal from the first day of operation.
“The autonomous vehicle Dongjak A01, which started its operation in June, has become a promising solution to address transportation blind spots by operating stably and receiving high satisfaction,” said Mr Yeo Jang-kwon, head of the city’s transportation office, in a press release on Oct 12.
“We will actively utilise advanced future transportation technologies to establish a more convenient and comprehensive public transportation system.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
