Han River Bus fares set to rise on weekends, holidays as free shuttle ends

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is reviewing a tiered fare system for the Han River Bus that would raise prices on weekends and public holidays while keeping the current 3,000-won flat fare on weekdays. The plan appears aimed at boosting the service's commercial viability by aligning weekend and holiday pricing with tourism-driven demand, while preserving its role as public water transit. The size of any fare increase and its implementation timeline have not yet been decided.

The operator has also suspended the free shuttle bus service that connected Han River Bus piers to nearby subway stations. The shutdown, which took effect this month, is attributed in part to reduced demand for the shuttles now that city buses run close to the piers.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday, the Han River Bus currently charges 3,000 won regardless of the day of the week. The city is considering keeping the weekday fare at that level while adding a surcharge on weekends and public holidays.

Because the Han River Bus is classified as public transportation, any change to its fare structure requires a public hearing, a review by the Seoul Metropolitan Council and deliberation by the city's price-control committee. "If we proceed with the fare revision in the second half of this year, it could take effect around the first half of next year," a Seoul city official said.

The city said it had also considered charging foreign tourists a higher fare than domestic passengers, but decided against the idea because distinguishing between foreign and domestic users at the point of boarding would be difficult and would incur additional administrative costs.

Han River Bus Co., the operator of the service, said it ended the free shuttle connecting the piers to nearby subway stations this month, citing low ridership, and has no plans to resume it.

Earlier, Seoul Metropolitan Council member Lee Yeong-sil of the Democratic Party of Korea criticized the shuttle as a waste of public funds, noting in materials released in January that the service cost a fixed 46 million won ($32,500) per month while averaging fewer than 10 passengers a day.

In April, the council voted down a proposed amendment to the Han River Bus operating MOU that would have provided support to improve access to the service, effectively closing off the possibility of city-level assistance.

Analysts also note that the city's own efforts to improve access — installing bus stops near the piers and routing city buses to serve them — have made the dedicated shuttle redundant.