The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Metropolitan Area Committee, along with Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, announced on the 17th that they will reorganize 22 metropolitan bus routes starting from the 29th this month to improve commuting speed in the Gangnam and Myeongdong directions.
As part of the plan announced jointly by the three metropolitan areas last month to adjust 33 metropolitan bus routes, 11 routes have already been adjusted since the 16th of last month to reduce bus travel time during peak hours.
In this round of adjustments, 20 routes heading to Gangnam from Seoul and 2 routes heading to Myeongdong from Seongnam will be reorganized.
For example, five routes from Yongin to Gangnam will reverse their direction in the afternoon during congested hours to allow quick access to the Gangnam Station area from the nearby Express Bus Terminal and Seocho-gu area of Seoul.
Moreover, nine routes starting from Incheon, Goyang, Gimpo, Paju, and Pocheon will make a stop at a roadside station at the ‘Gangnam Station (Middle)’ on Gangnam-daero, Sinnonhyeon to Yangjae section.
Additionally, six routes originating from Hwaseong (Dongtan) will bypass the ‘Sinbundang Gangnam Station (Middle)’ stop and instead stop at a roadside station near Gangnam Station before merging onto the central lane from ‘Bangbang Intersection (Middle).’
Two routes from Seongnam to Seoul Myeongdong are also part of the adjustment plan, where routes will circumvent the heavily congested areas of Myeongdong and Namsan 1st Tunnel by adjusting the turnaround route from Namsan 1st Tunnel to Sowol-ro.
The Metropolitan Area Committee expects that the adjustments in the bus routes and bus stops will lead to improved traffic flow in the Seoul city center and faster commuting times.