Han River Bus tops 90,000 riders in May, setting monthly record

The Han River Bus, which launched regular service in September last year, is consistently drawing more riders and cementing its place as a new mode of water transportation in the capital.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that the Han River Bus carried 91,126 passengers in May, the highest monthly ridership since the service began.

Monthly ridership has grown steadily since full-route service resumed in March, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Passenger numbers rose from 62,491 in March to 76,488 in April and 91,126 in May — an increase of roughly 15,000 riders each month. The daily average also climbed about 1.5 times over the three-month period, from around 2,000 to approximately 2,900.

Seven days saw daily ridership exceed 5,000 since full-route service resumed, including May 1, when a record 5,584 passengers boarded in a single day.

Cumulative ridership has now surpassed 330,000. From the service's launch in September last year through February, 104,498 passengers used the Han River Bus. The three months following the full-route resumption — March through May — accounted for 230,105 riders, driving the bulk of overall growth.

Meanwhile, a survey of 3,115 Han River Bus passengers found that about 96 percent said they were satisfied with the service. Some 94 percent said they would recommend it to others, and 89 percent said they intended to use it again — positive ratings that city officials say are fueling the continued rise in ridership.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and Han River Bus Co. are currently conducting navigation training in preparation for operating the Seoul Forest pier in connection with the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo. Full service at the new pier is set to begin in the first week of June, once training is complete.

"The Han River Bus is rapidly establishing itself as a new water transportation option, thanks to strong public attention and support," said Park Jin-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Bureau. "We will continue to improve service quality — including providing safe and convenient service and expanding routes — so that it becomes the Han River's go-to mode of transport that citizens use even more frequently."