Buses

Click here for an interactive bus map of Seoul

CITY BUSES

Introduction: City buses are the most common means of transportation in Seoul. They are frequent, reliable and probably the most inexpensive way of getting around in Seoul, although they can be confusing for someone who does not know Korean. Seoul's bus network is quite extensive. There are approximately 400 bus routes with 8,500 city buses, connecting the farthest corners of the city. An exclusive lane for buses (marked with a blue line painted on the road) is enforced on city roads at daytime, which makes it possible to spend less time on bus rides than in private cars. Local buses are often crowded, so prepare to stand and be jostled.

Routes: Bus routes are color coded with Green and Blue buses working within city limits and going from subway station to subway station. The green buses have the more local routes, while the blue one travel a little further out. Red buses are express out to the suburbs, while yellow ones service neighborhoods or small local areas. Green and blue buses are also partially administered by Seoul Metropolitan Government. If you've had a problem, you can contact the Seoul Help Center for Foreigners, which is part of City Hall, at 02-731-6802, during business hours.

Getting on/off and transfers: To stop the bus at your destination, push one of the stop buttons located along the length of the bus. Before boarding the bus, you may call out the name of your destination, or show the driver the written name of your destination and he (a few she's these days) will indicate whether his bus goes there by waving you on or off. By swiping your card on the reader by the back door, you will be able to transfer to another bus at no charge (within 30 minutes) or at a lower fare on the subway. No-charge transfers are not possible if you've paid cash. Drivers will make change for W1000 notes, but not for higher denominations.

Information: Information is English is available on www.seoulmetro.co.kr You can also call 02-1330 (just 1330 from a landline) for information on how to reach a specific destination. The operator will contact the Korean bus information line for you.

The bus numbers are classified from 1 to 7 according to their routes. For example, if a bus's number is 100, the bus starts at an area coded 1 and finally arrives at an area numbered 0.