Self-driving bus to hit the road in early morning from Tuesday

A self-driving bus will run along the Bus No. 160 route from the Dobongsan Station area in northern Seoul to Yeongdeungpo Station in western Seoul from 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

A self-driving public bus will begin operating between northern and western Seoul early in the morning starting Tuesday.

The early morning bus, No. A160, will depart at 3:30 a.m., traveling around 26 kilometers (16 miles) between the Dobongsan Station transfer center in Dobong District, northern Seoul, and Yeongdeungpo Station in western Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Sunday.

The bus will operate only on weekdays and complete one round trip. Its route is slightly shorter than that of bus No. 160, stopping at 87 bus stops.

The self-driving bus can carry up to 22 passengers and prohibits standing for safety reasons. For now, the service will be free but still requires commuters to tap their transportation cards.

After a trial period lasting several months, the city plans to begin charging fares in the second half of next year. The fare is expected to be 1,200 won ($0.90), which is the current discounted fare for adults during morning hours.

The bus also accepts the Climate Card as it is to be part of the city’s integrated transfer system, known as hwanseung.

In a photo provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday, an autonomous bus operates on a Seoul road during the early morning hours. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Real-time information about available seats and arrival times will be accessible via online map services like Naver and Kakao, according to the city government.

The use of autonomous buses during early morning hours is expected to expand gradually due to a shortage of drivers. Next year, three additional routes are planned for early morning operation.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]