Dongdaemun-gu's self-driving bus "Dongdaemun A01"
Dongdaemun-gu's self-driving bus "Dongdaemun A01"

Two new self-driving bus routes will begin in Seoul this week, following the introduction of the first one in southern Seoul earlier this year.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that the driverless shuttles would be operated in Seodaemun-gu, western Seoul and Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul.

The decision was made following the debut of self-driving buses in Dongjak-gu this June, which achieved a high level of satisfaction among its residents, according to the city government.

Named Dongdaemun A01, the Dongdaemun district route will operate from Tuesday, running between Janghanpyeong Station and Kyung Hee University Medical Center.

Two self-driving buses will be deployed for the route, stopping at 23 locations, including Seoul Biohub and Cheongnyangni Station, along a 15-kilometer round-trip. Each bus is set to operate six times a day.

The first bus will depart at 9 a.m. and the last bus will leave from Janghanpyeong Station at 4:15 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Seodaemun A01 route will be shorter, at 3 kilometers, connecting Gajwa Station and Seodaemun-gu Office from Wednesday. Buses will run every 30 minutes between 9:20 a.m. and 4:40 p.m.

The city government said it expected the self-driving buses to improve public access to administrative and welfare facilities, and provide convenient transfers to the subway services by passing through Seodaemun Social Welfare Center and Seodaemun Culture and Sports Center, among 10 other stops.

Free rides will be offered for passengers of all ages until the second half of 2026, when it will become a paid service. But passengers are still required to tag their transportation cards upon boarding and exiting the buses.

The city government added that two bus safety officers will be on board to ensure safe operation and monitoring.

The real-time arrival time for both Dongdaemun A01 and Seodamun A01 can be checked via the Bus Information Terminal starting from the first day of operation.

Another self-driving, 11-seater shuttle named Cheonggye A01 began operations in late September. It follows a 4.8-kilometer circular route from Cheonggye Plaza, near Gwanghwamun Station, to Cheonggye 5-ga, a street near one of Seoul’s iconic tourist destinations, Gwangjang Market.

"The autonomous vehicle Dongjak A01, which started its operation in June, has become a promising solution to address transportation blind spots by operating stably and receiving high satisfaction," said Yeo Jang-kwon, head of the city’s transportation office, in a press release Sunday.

"We will actively utilize advanced future transportation technologies to establish a more convenient and comprehensive public transportation system," Yeo added.


sj_lee@heraldcorp.com