Seoul's Dawn Companion Autonomous Driving bus A160 will switch to paid service this month. The operating hours of the Gangnam Autonomous Driving taxi, which had run in the early morning, will be extended to weekday daytime.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 4th, the city has completed administrative procedures to convert the Autonomous Driving bus A160 into a paid bus and plans to begin paid operations in January. With an early-bird discount applied, the fare has been set at 1,200 won.
A160 is an Autonomous Driving bus that began its first run on Nov. 26, 2024, departing from Dobongsan Station Metropolitan Transfer Center at 3:30 a.m., passing Sanggye Station–Miasageori–Jongno–Gongdeok Station–Yeouido Transfer Center–Yeongdeungpo Station, and returning to Dobongsan Station. The total round-trip distance is about 50 km, and it stops at 87 regular city bus stops. Many workers, including sanitation workers and security guards commuting in the early morning, used it.
New routes A148 (Sanggye–Express Bus Terminal), A504 (Geumcheon–Sejongno), and A741 (Eunpyeong–Yangjae), which are scheduled to begin service this month, will initially operate for free. After operations stabilize, they will be converted to paid routes with a 1,200 won fare.
The Autonomous Driving taxi running around Gangnam will also see its operating scope expanded. The Seoul Metropolitan Government introduced a late-night Autonomous Driving taxi service in Gangnam in Sept. 2024, operating three taxis from 11 p.m. on weekdays to 5 a.m. the next day. It operated free of charge across Gangnam District, including Apgujeong and Sinsa, and could be hailed via the Kakao T app, with up to three passengers allowed.
In February to March, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to increase the number of Autonomous Driving taxis in service and begin weekday daytime operations. However, the fare system will shift from free to paid, charging a base fare of 4,800 won. No additional charges will be imposed based on distance or time.