Rides available until the early hours of the morning!“Seoul Subway” to operate 24 hours a day starting next year

▲ Seoul Subway in South Korea. (Photo / DAGY Images / AP)

Reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Comprehensive report

Seoul, South Korea, is one of Asia’s most popular tourist cities, and its dense subway network is the most convenient mode of transportation for travelers. To accommodate locals and tourists who stay out late, Seoul plans to offer a “24-hour subway operation” service, which is expected to be implemented as early as 2018.

Currently, the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is divided into Lines 1 through 9, along with other train lines such as the Bundang Line and the Everline. According to Korean media reports, all lines currently operate until around 1 a.m. However, as the number of people engaging in nighttime activities and tourists continues to rise, demand for public transportation during late-night hours has also increased. Since 2013, Seoul has introduced “Owl Buses” that run in the early hours to ensure that late-night commuters and travelers have a way to get home.

According to Seoul government plans, in response to this growing demand, the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation, which operates Lines 1 through 8, has recently begun discussions on the possibility of offering a 24-hour subway service. The corporation has drawn inspiration from London’s example, where since 2016, the subway has operated 24 hours every Friday and Saturday. It is estimated that implementing such a plan could generate over 600 billion KRW in economic benefits annually. The plan is still under discussion regarding various implementation strategies, but it could begin as early as 2018.