The Seoul Metropolitan Government on June 25 said it will incorporate next month the Seoul Autonomous Bus into the capital’s mass transit system. (Seoul Metropolitan Government)
By Charles Audouin
The Seoul Metropolitan Government on June 25 said it will incorporate two self-driving buses covering a 2.6-km route of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae and Gyeongbokgung Station into the city’s public transportation system.
This is the first time for the capital to include such vehicles in its mass transit network, following the city’s launch of the world’s first late-night autonomous bus in December last year.
From July 1, the high-tech bus will charge a fare of KRW 1,400 like a regular city bus after undergoing trial runs. Passengers can get free transfers using a transportation smart pass including the mass transit Climate Card.
Running on weekdays, both 11-seat buses will run in 15-minute intervals between 9:30 a.m. and noon and 1:30 pm and 5 p.m. Their five stops are Gyeongbokgung Station (entrance of Hyoja-ro Road), National Palace Museum of Korea (Yeongchumun Gate), Cheong Wa Dae and its Chunchumun Gate, and National Folk Museum of Korea within Gyeongbokgung.
Launched in December 2022, the buses attracted 45,621 riders in 11 months through October last year.
caudouin@korea.kr
