Yongin City Launches 3 Additional Express Bus Routes between Dongbaek and Sangha-dong toward Seoul
[Suwon Ilbo=Ki-ho Choi] Yongin Special Metropolitan City announced that starting from the 5th, it has begun operating three additional express buses, one each, on three routes connecting Dongbaek-dong and Sangha-dong in Giheung-gu with Seoul Station and Gangnam Station.
The three added routes are 5000AB (Myongji University~Dongbaek~Seoul Station), 5003AB (Namdong~Dongbaek~Gangnam Station), and 5005 (Myongji University~Sangha-dong~Seoul Station). These routes were confirmed in November 2022 as a measure to address standing passengers on express buses following Mayor Lee Sang-il's inauguration. The launch was delayed due to vehicle delivery delays from the manufacturer.
Mayor Lee Sang-il met with citizens using the newly added express buses at Giheung Station bus stop on the morning of the 5th to hear their feedback.
The city plans to begin operations of seat reservation system express buses that were introduced as follow-up measures after the President-led livelihood discussion forum on January 25. Route 5001AB (departing Suwon CC at 06:34) and route 5005 (departing Suwon CC at 07:31) will begin operations on the 12th, while route 5000AB (departing Chodang Station at 07:30) will begin on January 2 next year.
Among these, routes 5001AB (06:34) and 5005 (07:31) will operate under a hub reservation system, expected to improve transportation convenience for citizens using express buses at stops near the Gyeongbu Expressway. Route 5000AB (07:30) will operate with a full-route reservation system.
As a result, by January 2 next year, seat reservation system express buses operating from Yongin to Seoul will total 15 routes with 34 trips.
To address the surge in bus demand during rush hours, the city will also add charter buses starting the 12th—one each on routes 5001AB and 5005 (one for morning commute, one for evening). The city had been continuing negotiations with Seoul City to expand charter bus services to improve citizen commute convenience, but when Seoul City did not agree, the city pushed through an increase in trips starting the 12th via coordination through the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Transport Committee's Route Subcommittee on the 3rd.
The city also announced that the Seocheon District~Seoul Station route, which was selected as a new semi-public operation express bus route by the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Transport Committee in 2024, will begin operations in the second half of 2025. The city has continuously submitted demand requests for this route since 2020 and was selected as a new semi-public operation route on June 25. The Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Transport Committee is currently proceeding with the selection of a transport operator for this route.
Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin said, "The city will continue to make various efforts to enhance citizen transportation convenience by adding more express buses and expanding charter buses during commute hours."