Hangang Bus Carries 600,000 Passengers in One Year... 99% Punctuality and 97% Satisfaction

[Financial News] The Hangang Bus surpassed 600,000 cumulative passengers one year after beginning operations. Its on-time performance also exceeded 99%, improving a key public transportation indicator. Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 16th that the cumulative number of passengers on the Hangang Bus, which officially began operations on September 18 last year, stood at 603,293 as of the 14th.
In particular, 498,795 people—about 83% of all cumulative passengers—used the service from March 1 through the 14th of this month, after operations resumed across all routes following a reorganization of its safety and operating systems. Last month, 89,246 passengers rode the service.
Passenger satisfaction was also high. In a survey of 3,569 users conducted by Seoul Metropolitan Government from June 29 to July 5, 97.3%—or 3,472 respondents—said they were generally satisfied. A total of 93.2%—3,325 respondents—said they intended to use the service again, while 95.4%—3,406 respondents—said they would recommend it to people around them.
Punctuality, a key public transportation indicator, also improved. Although the service experienced initial trial and error, including minor malfunctions and vessel-entanglement incidents, the city reorganized its safety and operating systems. Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that the service has continued to operate stably since operations resumed across all routes in March this year. Actual on-time performance fell from 97.7% in March to 97% in April and 94.9% in May, before rising to 98.5% in June and 99.3% in July.
Changes were also observed in the number of people living around the ferry terminals and in local commercial indicators. According to an analysis by Seoul Metropolitan Government, the average monthly population in the area within a 500-meter radius of Yeouido Ferry Terminal increased by 20.9% when May last year, before the Hangang Bus began operating, was compared with May this year. Card spending at nearby restaurants also rose 15.5% over the same period.
Going forward, the focus will be not only on increasing passenger numbers but also on strengthening the service’s competitiveness as public transportation, including safety, punctuality, accessibility, and transfer convenience. The plan is to develop it into “Seoul-style waterborne transportation,” combining travel with urban experiences by linking the Hangang landscape with tourism and waterfront spaces.
To mark the first anniversary of Hangang Bus operations, Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold the “2026 Hangang Bus Future Vision Forum” at Seoul City Hall on this day together with Seoul Housing & Urban Development Corporation (SH Corporation). About 100 citizens and experts in finance, operations, management, and public relations will attend to review the achievements and challenges of the past year and discuss future operating directions. The forum will also address plans to introduce key performance indicators (KPIs) linked to the method of providing financial support. The aim is to improve transparency in financial support and accountability in operations by moving beyond simply covering operating deficits and reflecting service improvements and operating performance in subsidy payments.
Citizen participation events will also be held to mark the first anniversary of operations. “Hangang Bus Rooftop Live Seoul,” with about 150 participants, will take place at the Yeouido Hangang Bus ferry terminal from 6 p.m. on the 18th. From the same day through the 21st of next month, an AI short-form video and photo contest will be held under the theme “The Hangang Bus’s First Year with Citizens.” The total prize money is 4.5 million won.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, “The Hangang Bus is not only a means of transportation but also a multifunctional platform that connects the Hangang with various parts of Seoul while creating new urban experiences and economic value. We will further improve safety and punctuality, expand the ferry terminals, and shorten service intervals so that the Hangang Bus becomes public transportation that citizens naturally choose in their daily lives.”

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter