Han River ferry terminal coming to Banpo, set to open in 2029

A Han River ferry terminal is set to be built at Banpo Han River Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul, as part of a water food zone planned for the park.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has entered the final stage of basic and detailed design work for the water food zone, which will include a combined ferry terminal. "The city plans to complete the design in August after an additional review by its own investment screening committee," a Seoul city official said.

The city had initially planned to invest 25 billion won (about $18.1 million) in city funds, but said the budget grew to around 30 billion won ($21.7 million) as safety standards were strengthened. Seoul plans to reflect the project costs in next year's budget and complete construction by late 2028 at the earliest, with the Banpo terminal targeting an opening as early as early 2029.

The water food zone will be built between the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain and Parking Lot No. 1 inside Banpo Han River Park. The Han River ferry terminal will occupy the first floor — a 1,960-square-meter space configured as a combined terminal capable of berthing the Han River ferry as well as more than 10 other vessels. The first floor will also include 15 food vendor booths. The second floor (840 square meters) will feature indoor and outdoor dining areas, a convenience store, a takeout cafe and a small performance venue. The rooftop will be open to the public as a photo spot and observation area.

The surrounding area will also feature an outdoor performance stage, a yacht dock and a waterside promenade. The water food zone will be connected to land by a bridge. The project is part of the "Han River Water Activation Master Plan" announced by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon in April 2024.

The Han River ferry currently operates across seven terminals — Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Apgujeong, Oksu, Ttukseom and Jamsil. A new terminal at Seoul Forest opened Tuesday in conjunction with the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo. To ensure operational stability, the eastern route runs from Yeouido through Oksu and Apgujeong to Seoul Forest, Ttukseom and Jamsil, with the Oksu and Apgujeong terminals operating on an alternating basis. The Seoul Forest terminal is currently planned as a temporary stop through October, when the garden expo concludes, though the city has not ruled out making it permanent.

Ridership on the Han River ferry has been growing consistently. Monthly passenger figures this year 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. Average daily ridership climbed about 1.5 times over those three months, from around 2,000 to roughly 2,900. Since the service launched officially in September last year, cumulative ridership has exceeded 330,000, with 104,498 passengers recorded from launch through February this year.

Satisfaction among riders is also high. A survey of 3,115 Han River ferry passengers conducted from April 6 to April 13 found that about 96 percent of respondents 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 — a pattern analysts say is driving the steady rise in ridership.

As Han River ferry ridership grows, demand for additional terminals is likely to increase. Kim Gyeong-dae, the mayor-elect of Yongsan-gu, made building a Han River ferry terminal at Ichon a campaign pledge.