Try 'Hangang Ramen' while you wait at the Yeouido dock
Hangang Bus runs two vessel types: electric and hybrid
Since full service resumed in March, total ridership topped 160,000
City is upgrading Hangang Bus amenities…passengers still ask for express routes
Since the Hangang Bus resumed full service in March, ridership has surged. Spring outings are driving more people to this riverside service. To get a firsthand feel for it—a fresh, open-air way to cross the Han River under a crisp May sky—I took a round trip from Yeouido dock to Magok dock on the morning of the 8th.
Pier area has plenty of amenities—passengers can spend the wait comfortably
The first Hangang Bus from Yeouido to Magok departs at 11:13 a.m. But its growing popularity was obvious: people began arriving about 40 minutes early, asking dock staff about schedules and boarding.
There’s plenty to keep you occupied during that 40-minute wait. Yeouido dock even has a convenience store where you can cook and enjoy 'Hangang Ramen,' plus a spacious café on the second floor—perfect for sipping coffee and watching the river before boarding.
At 11:08 a.m., the Hangang Bus pulled in and boarding began. That Friday morning the crowd included tourists, workers taking a day off, college students enjoying a long Friday, and families out for Mother’s Day.
The first boat bound for Magok departed Yeouido on time at 11:13 a.m. Passengers completed boarding registration via QR codes placed at the front of the seats, then headed to the bow to soak in the open river view.
Gan (21), a Dutch visitor who’d arrived in Seoul the day before, said the service felt stable and he enjoyed looking out at the Han River. “We have a similar ferry in Amsterdam, but the Hangang Bus feels a bit nicer,” he said.
Seoh Hyeong-tae (18), who hopped on at Magok after finishing his high school graduation photos, said the fresh air felt amazing. “Seeing the river after staring at gloomy school buildings is really healing,” he said.
Not just tourists—runners and cyclists are showing strong interest
A west wind of about 4–6 m/s (6–10 km/h) was blowing that day, creating a headwind for runners and cyclists traveling from Yeouido to Magok. Because running into a headwind quickly drains energy, many take the Hangang Bus to reach points where they can run with the wind at their backs.
The service is especially welcome for cyclists. Subway rules allow bikes only on weekends, so on weekdays the Hangang Bus is often the practical option for transporting bicycles across the river.
Yeom Ki-hyun (44), who used the Hangang Bus to travel from Apgujeong to Magok, said he usually bikes the route in the opposite direction but chose the boat because the headwind was strong. “If that weather were typical, biking would be tougher. Since the Hangang Bus started, I can ride without worrying about conditions,” he said.
Hangang Bus emerges as a fresh Seoul tourism landmark—ridership jumps
The Hangang Bus runs two main vessel types. Electric vessels operate solely on electric motors and carry about 100 passengers. They’re quiet and perfect for taking in the river’s glittering surface.
Hybrid vessels use both diesel engines and electric motors, offering more power than pure-electric boats while still being environmentally conscious. They can carry up to 150 passengers, another advantage over the electric vessels.
Typical speeds are about 17 knots (about 31.5 km/h) for electric vessels and about 15 knots (about 27.8 km/h) for hybrid vessels.
As the Hangang Bus gains traction as a Seoul tourism highlight, ridership has climbed sharply. Seoul reported 62,491 riders in March after full service resumed and 76,488 riders in April. During the Labor Day holiday (May 1–5), around 23,000 people rode the service, and May 1 set a single-day ridership record since operations began.
As of May 5, cumulative ridership since the March full-service restart reached 162,422, and total riders since official service launched last September surpassed 267,357. City officials say springtime outings are driving the uptick in Hangang Bus use.
City keeps improving passenger convenience—some riders still voice complaints
With demand rising, the city and operator Hangang Bus Co. have been steadily improving passenger amenities. They’ve added viewing rest areas around Mangwon and Ttukseom docks, which have been well received.
This month the city will designate six docks near the river (Yeouido, Ttukseom, Jamsil, Apgujeong, Oksu, Magok) as waterside hub zones, creating river-view gardens and installing pergolas and bar tables to give Hangang Bus users places to relax.
Brochures from the Seoul Tourism Foundation are now available inside Hangang Bus cabins for visitors, provided in English, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Thai.
To coincide with the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show running through October, the service will operate a temporary route connecting Yeouido and Seoul Forest docks from the 20th through October 27.
Still, riders and tourists pointed out drawbacks—chief among them the lack of express routes, which makes transfers inconvenient.
Currently, service is split around the busy Yeouido dock into eastern (Jamsil–Yeouido) and western (Magok–Yeouido) sections. For example, passengers traveling from Jamsil to Magok must disembark at Yeouido and then wait roughly 20–30 minutes for the next boat, which can be a hassle.
A Seoul city official said the split routes will continue for now while the city reviews the possibility of adding express lines.
© Dailian Co., Ltd. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
- Hangang Bus carried about 23,000 riders over five days of May holidays…an 84% increase over the previous month's average
- April ridership topped 70,000…highest monthly total since service began
- Seoul: 100,000 riders within 47 days of full-service restart
- Seoul: March ridership exceeded 60,000…largest monthly total since opening
- Earn points when you open the WristDoctor9988 app and visit Hangang Bus docks
