Seoul to raise city tour bus fares by 50% - Korean media

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will raise fares for the Seoul City Tour Bus, which travels around the city's major tourist sites by bus, by 50% over the next two years in order to revise fares that are currently low compared to other major cities overseas.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul City Tour Bus will be priced at 24,000 won (about 2,621 yen) for adults between the downtown area, palaces, and Namsan.
The price for the Namsan course will be revised to 36,000 won (about 3932 yen), a 50% increase. The price for children will be 20,200 won (about 1638 yen), up 46.7% from 15,000 won (about 1638 yen).
The city center palace and Namsan course includes NSeoul Tower, Myeongdong, Namsan Hanok Village, Changdeokgung Palace, Insadong Palace, and Namsan Railway Station.
The route goes around Insadong, Cheongwadae, Gyeongbokgung Palace, etc. Everyone can get off at the bus stop of their choice, explore freely, and then catch the next bus.
The night view course along the Hangang River costs 20,000 won (US$24) for adults and 12,000 won (US$13) for children, up to 30,000 won (US$32).
The fare will be increased by 50% from 1 to 18,000 won (US$19.69) on the Panorama Course and the Camel Course, which were operating before the COVID-19 pandemic but are currently suspended.
The price of the Gangnam circular course will also be adjusted in preparation for its future reopening. The Panorama Course, which offers a panoramic view of Seoul while circulating around Namsan, the Han River, Yeouido, Gangnam, and other areas, is a course that includes a tour of the palaces in the city center.
As with the Namsan course, adult fares will increase from 24,000 won to 36,000 won, and children's fares will increase from 15,000 won to 22,000 won. COEX
For the Gangnam Circulation Course, which goes through Gangnam, Garosugil, etc., the adult fare will increase by 50% from 20,000 won to 30,000 won, and the child fare will increase by 46.7% from 15,000 won to 22,000 won.
This is the first price hike in four years since 2020, when the country was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to minimize the burden of a sudden price increase,
The plan is to gradually raise fares over a period of time. The Seoul City Tour Bus plans to use this fare adjustment to normalize fares that are significantly lower than those in major cities overseas, while also trying to get out of a chronic deficit.
In fact, the number of tourists from New York (58 dollars / about 8,659 yen), London (38 dollars / about 5,673 yen), and Singapore (48 dollars / about 7,166 yen)
) and Sydney ($69), the price for the most expensive city palace tour on the Seoul City Tour Bus is only half to a quarter of that.
In addition, the deficit that has continued since the COVID-19 era is also a burden.
"The number of foreign tourists dropped sharply during the Russo era, and we still have debts incurred in the process of importing buses with open roofs on the second floor, so we are continuing to run a deficit," he said. "We are worried about the future of foreign tourists.
"We plan to gradually raise the fare in the hope of attracting more customers," the company explained. The majority of passengers on the Seoul City Tour Bus are foreigners, and usually about half of the passengers are foreigners, with peak times being as high as 80%.
The company explained that Seoul City Tour Bus is a private business and does not receive funding from the city of Seoul. However, the city did provide details about fares during the approval process.
The fee revision is subject to approval, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government also agrees with the purpose of the fee revision. A Seoul Metropolitan Government official said, "Fee revisions have not been made for several years, and
"The prices were significantly lower than in major cities overseas, so we decided to raise the prices in anticipation of increased revenue, mainly from foreign tourists," he said. "We decided to raise the prices to a more realistic level."
"The Yellow Balloon City Bus, which resembles the Seoul City Tour Bus, will also raise its fare. Adult fares will be increased by 2.0 for both the Traditional Culture Course and the Han River/Jamsil Course.
Adult fares will increase by 50%, from 10,000 won to 30,000 won, and children's fares will increase by 50%, from 15,000 won to 22,500 won.