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Seoul to extend public transportation to 1 a.m. during Lunar New Year holiday

Published: 09 Feb. 2026, 16:43 Updated: 09 Feb. 2026, 17:48

Traffic moves slowly in both directions on the Gyeongbu Expressway near the Jamwon interchange in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 29, 2025, Lunar New Year’s Day. [NEWS1]

Seoul will extend late-night subway and bus services during the Lunar New Year holiday to ease congestion for travelers heading home and returning to the capital, the city government said on Monday.

Subways and buses will run until 1 a.m. on Feb. 17 and 18, when many commuters are expected to return to work after the Lunar New Year holiday. Although both dates fall within the holiday period, services will operate on a weekday schedule.

Korea’s Lunar New Year holiday this year spans five days including the weekend, from Feb. 14 to 18.

Subway Lines 1 through 9, along with the Ui–Sinseol Line and the Sillim Line, will add a total of 128 services over the two days, or 64 additional trips per day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said.

"During last year’s Lunar New Year holiday, services were extended until 2 a.m., but demand after 1 a.m. totaled only about 4,000 passengers across subways and buses, making operations inefficient,” a city official said.

"From this holiday, services will run only until 1 a.m., when late-night demand remains sufficient, to secure overnight maintenance time and ensure rest for drivers," the official added.

Commuters wait for the subway at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Jan. 13, 2026. [NEWS1]

City buses will also extend operations until 1 a.m. on the same days on 121 routes serving major transport hubs, including Seoul Express Bus Terminal and Central City Terminal, Dong Seoul Terminal and Nambu Terminal, as well as five major railway stations: Seoul Station, Yongsan Station, Yeongdeungpo Station, Cheongnyangni Station and Suseo Station.

The 1 a.m. cutoff refers to when buses heading toward their final destinations pass stops in front of railway stations or express and intercity bus terminals. For routes serving multiple such locations, the cutoff applies at the last terminal stop.

All 14 overnight "Owl Bus" routes, which operate daily from 11:10 p.m. to 6 a.m., will run as usual throughout the holiday period.

Passengers board buses at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Jan. 15, 2026. [NEWS1]

To accommodate visitors traveling to city cemeteries, the city will increase services on three bus routes — Nos. 201, 262 and 270 — that pass Manguri Cemetery in Jungnang District, eastern Seoul. A total of 76 additional trips, or 38 per day, will be added on Feb. 17 and 18.

The city will also run special shuttle buses for families of people with disabilities visiting cremation and burial facilities through Saturday. Applications must be submitted at least three days in advance through the city’s public reservation system. Each vehicle can carry up to eight passengers, including at least one wheelchair user who resides in Seoul, excluding the driver.

From Saturday to Feb. 18, operating hours for the bus-only lane on the Gyeongbu Expressway, between the southern end of Hannam Bridge and Sintanjin Interchange, will be extended. The lane, which normally operates from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., will remain open until 1 a.m. the following day.

Seoul said it will also step up enforcement against illegal parking near airports, railway stations and bus terminals, as well as against taxis that refuse late-night passengers or overcharge fares.

Further details on Lunar New Year transportation will be available on the Seoul city government website from Tuesday.

“Seoul will support citizens’ long-distance travel by making homecoming and return journeys more convenient," said Yeo Jang-kwon, head of the city’s transportation office.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY MOON HEE-CHUL [[email protected]]