The Seoul city government said on the 2nd it will roll out comprehensive measures for transportation, safety and convenience to prepare for the Seoul World Fireworks Festival 2026, which will be held over two days on the 4th and 5th.
The fireworks festival is a large-scale event that draws more than 1 million people every year. This year, for the first time, it will run for two days. A pre-event will be held on the 4th, and the main event will take place on the 5th.
In response, the Seoul city government plans to deploy a total of 6,800 safety personnel and establish a seamless response system with relevant agencies covering the venue, subway stations and the Han River waters. Safety equipment, including safety fences, will also be expanded by 20% from last year.
On the 4th, subways will run at normal levels, but two emergency standby trains each will be secured for Lines 5 and 9 and deployed immediately if an emergency occurs.
The main-event fireworks show will start at 8 p.m. on the 5th. On that day, Wonhyo Bridge will be fully closed from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the 6th, and Yeouidong-ro (from the south end of Mapo Bridge to in front of the 63 Building) will be fully closed from 3 p.m. to midnight. Accordingly, 24 bus routes that pass through the affected sections will operate on temporary detours.
When crowds converge on the venue from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and when dispersing crowds are concentrated from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. after the festival ends, 26 bus routes that pass through Yeouido Transfer Center and Yeouido Station will be dispatched intensively. From 4 p.m. to 9:20 p.m., 16 bus routes that pass four stops on the Han River Bridge—including two Nodeulseom stops and the Hangang Bridge Observation Cafe and Sky Suite stops—will skip stops and pass through without stopping.
The stop at Exit 2 of Yeouinaru Station will also be temporarily relocated. From 6:20 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the 4th, 12 routes will stop at a weekend temporary stop about 120 meters from the existing stop, so passengers should check the stop location in advance.
To prepare for passenger surges before and after the main event, service will be increased by 18 trains on Line 5 and 65 trains on Line 9. At 21 stations near the venue, three to five times more safety personnel than usual will be deployed to maintain order on platforms and at exits and to assist passenger movement.
Yeouinaru Station on Line 5, the closest station to the venue, may have trains pass through without stopping or have exits closed for safety if crowds inside the station become excessively dense. In that case, nearby stations such as Yeouido Station (Lines 5 and 9), Mapo Station (Line 5) and Saetgang Station (Line 9 and the Sillim Line) can be used.
In the Yeouido and Ichon areas, public bicycles (Ttareungyi) and electric bicycles and shared personal mobility devices from eight private companies will have lending and returns suspended from 8 a.m. on the 4th to 7 a.m. on the 6th. Bicycle entry will also be restricted within crowd-dense zones on the day of the event.
Han River buses will not operate or will run shortened routes from the 3rd to the 5th for water safety, and detailed operation plans can be checked on the Han River bus website. The water section from Seogang Bridge to Hangang Bridge will also be controlled sequentially by time, so water leisure businesses and private vessel users should check control times and sections in advance and inspect vessel facilities before sailing.
The Seoul city government and district offices will also conduct joint crackdowns on illegal parking and standing on roads and bridges in fireworks viewing areas near Ichon, Noryangjin and Yeouido. Vehicles that do not comply with on-site guidance may be towed.
Min Su-hong, head of culture at the Seoul city government, said, "We have built a tight response system with relevant agencies to ensure there are no blind spots in safety management, from the venue to subway stations to the Han River waters," adding, "On the day of the event, as road controls and congestion at Yeouinaru Station are expected, please check public transportation information in advance, use nearby stations in a dispersed manner and follow the guidance of safety personnel."