Starting October 19, 2026, groups of 10 or more can book Seoul's Han River ferry ahead of time instead of waiting at the dock for numbered tickets. The pilot runs on weekdays only and covers two docks, and you book it through Naver Map, the app most people in Seoul already use for directions.
What changed for Hangang Bus groups, and who can book?
On October 14, 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a pilot that lets groups of 10 to 30 people reserve and pay for Hangang Bus seats in advance through Naver Map and Naver Place . Bookings open at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 19, and the first reserved trips run on Tuesday, October 20 . The Hangang Bus is the city's river ferry. It runs along the Han River between Magok in the west and Jamsil in the east .
Quick Answer: From 10 a.m. on October 19, 2026, groups of 10–30 people can reserve and prepay weekday Hangang Bus rides from Magok and Jamsil docks on Naver Map or Naver Place. The first reserved trips run October 20. Adult fares are 3,000 won, and you can cancel until 11:59 p.m. the day before.
Until now, everyone got on the boat the same way. Each dock handed out numbered tickets on a first-come, first-served basis, so a school class or a company outing had no way to know for sure that the whole group would fit on one sailing . Under the new system, an organizer picks a sailing, enters the headcount and pays before the trip . You can read the original announcement in The Korea Times and Seoul Economic Daily.
The key dates at a glance:
- October 14, 2026: the pilot is announced .
- October 19, 2026, 10 a.m.: group reservations open on Naver Map and Naver Place .
- October 20, 2026: the first reserved sailings run .
The pilot is aimed at organized groups such as companies, schools, institutions and tour groups. Coverage on SBS News notes that individual riders, and every dock outside the pilot, keep the existing first-come, first-served system . If you are visiting Seoul with a fan club, a study-abroad class or a group tour of at least 10 people, you can now book one sailing for everyone. If you are travelling alone or in a small group, you still queue at the dock.
Which docks, days and group sizes does the pilot cover?
The pilot covers only two Hangang Bus docks: Magok at the western end of the line and Jamsil at the eastern end. Groups can reserve weekday sailings only, and each departure takes bookings for groups of 10 to 30 people . A reserved trip has to start from Magok or Jamsil on a weekday. Saturday and Sunday sailings are not part of the pilot.
The group-size rule applies to each departure. A booking needs at least 10 passengers and can hold no more than 30, according to The Korea Times and Kyunghyang Shinmun . A fan club of eight can't use the system. A tour party of 40 would have to split into two bookings or two sailings, and the reports don't say how the city handles that case.
Nothing changes for anyone outside the pilot. Riders at the other five docks, and individual passengers at Magok and Jamsil, still board with numbered tickets handed out first-come, first-served . Newspim says the same .
The Hangang Bus began service on September 18, 2025. At launch, the Seoul Metropolitan Government's English page listed seven stops on a 28.9 km route between Magok and Jamsil . Some news summaries give a different route length, so the figure here is the city's own. This table shows where each stop stands under the pilot.
| Dock (west to east) | Online group booking in pilot? | Boarding system |
|---|---|---|
| Magok | Yes (weekdays) | Group reservation, or numbered ticket for individuals |
| Mangwon | No | Numbered ticket, first-come, first-served |
| Yeouido | No | Numbered ticket, first-come, first-served |
| Oksu | No | Numbered ticket, first-come, first-served |
| Apgujeong | No | Numbered ticket, first-come, first-served |
| Ttukseom | No | Numbered ticket, first-come, first-served |
| Jamsil | Yes (weekdays) | Group reservation, or numbered ticket for individuals |
If your group plans to cross the city, base the day on Magok or Jamsil. Jamsil is in the same district as the Jamsil sports complex, so it can fit a weekday trip around a concert or stadium visit. Magok gives easy access to the western side of the river. You need to fix your departure point when you book, because the other docks can't take reservations during the pilot.
📍 View on Google Maps: Magok Hangang Bus dock
📍 View on Google Maps: Jamsil Hangang Bus dock
How do you book the Hangang Bus on Naver Map step by step?
You book a Hangang Bus group trip on Naver. Find the Magok or Jamsil dock in Naver Map or Naver Place and press the reservation button. Then pick the date, route, departure and number of passengers, enter the booker's details and pay. Bookings open at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026 . The city did not build a separate app for this. Everything happens inside Naver's existing map and place listings (source: The Korea Times, 2026-10).
The booking flow described by the city and in Korean-language reports has five steps (source: Kyunghyang Shinmun, 2026-10):
- Find the dock. Search for the Magok or Jamsil Hangang Bus dock in Naver Map or Naver Place. Only these two docks take reservations during the pilot .
- Open the reservation page. Press the reservation button on the dock's listing .
- Set the trip. Choose the travel date, the route, the departure time (sailing) and the number of passengers. Each departure takes groups of 10 to 30 people .
- Enter the booker's details. One person fills in the contact information for the whole group.
- Pay in advance. You pay the fare during booking, before the group gets to the dock .
Some Korean news summaries say payment goes through Naver Pay. The city's announcement, as reported in English, only says the fare is paid when you book. Treat the Naver Pay detail as unconfirmed until you see the checkout screen yourself (source: SBS News, 2026-10). Groups that plan to pay with a foreign card should check which payment methods appear at checkout before collecting money from members.
Booking does not open months in advance for every date. Each travel day opens on a date posted on the reservation page itself . If you are planning around a weekday concert or a fan event in Seoul, check that page early and often, instead of assuming your date is already available (source: Newspim, 2026-10).
Language is the main practical barrier for overseas fans. The booking runs in Korean on Naver Map and Naver Place, and the payment step usually needs a Naver account. An overseas fan club or study group will probably need a Korean-speaking local coordinator with a Naver account to make the booking. That could be a Korean member, a tour operator or a partner organization (source: Seoul Economic Daily, 2026-10). Before the coordinator starts, give them a confirmed headcount and your preferred sailing. Each booking has to fit within one departure's 10-to-30-person limit.
What does a group pay, and when can you cancel?
A reserved group pays the standard Hangang Bus base fare for each passenger: 3,000 won (about $2.20) per adult, 1,800 won per teenager and 1,100 won per child . Booking a group does not cost extra, and no group discount has been announced. You can book and get a refund until 11:59 p.m. the day before you travel , according to The Korea Times and SBS News.
Because you pay when you book, the coordinator should collect money from members before booking, not on the dock. Korean-language reports confirm that payment is made in advance through the Naver booking flow (source: Kyunghyang Shinmun, 2026-10). Some summaries say payment goes through Naver Pay, but the city has not confirmed this. Check the payment options on the reservation page itself.
The refund deadline is firm. The booking can't be changed or cancelled after 11:59 p.m. the night before the sailing. Confirm your final headcount before that time, and keep the group between 10 and 30 people.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Adult fare | 3,000 won (about $2.20) |
| Teenager fare | 1,800 won |
| Child fare | 1,100 won |
| Booking deadline | 11:59 p.m. the day before travel |
| Refund deadline | 11:59 p.m. the day before travel |
| When payment is taken | In advance, during the Naver booking |
The city's English-language service page from late 2025 adds a few operating details. It says cash is not accepted on board, each ship carries up to 199 passengers and a one-way trip from end to end takes about 2 hours 7 minutes (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2025). These figures were published before the group pilot and may have changed since. If you are planning a schedule around a dinner reservation, a fan-café event or a concert call time, check the current timetable and travel time on the Naver reservation page before you commit.
What should a group do on the day of travel?
On the day of travel, a group with a reservation should arrive at the dock it booked at least 30 minutes before departure. That time is needed to check the booking, finish boarding registration and follow the safety staff's instructions . Plan your arrival around the 30-minute cutoff, not the departure time. For a group of 10 to 30 people, the person who made the booking is in charge at the dock.
The city lists three steps at the dock, according to The Korea Times and SBS :
- Verify the reservation made through Naver Map or Naver Place.
- Complete boarding registration. This is the passenger report every rider fills in before getting on.
- Follow the instructions of safety personnel while the group waits and boards.
Korean-language coverage in Kyunghyang Shinmun describes the same order: check in at the dock, fill in the passenger report, then board under staff direction . None of the reports says how long registration takes for a full group of 30. That is a good reason not to cut the arrival time close.
Day-of checklist
- Booker details: the person who booked should carry the phone with the Naver confirmation and know the name and contact details used.
- Right dock, right day: the pilot covers only weekday departures from Magok and Jamsil, with the first reserved trips on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 . A weekend outing or a trip from Yeouido or Ttukseom cannot use a group booking.
- Keep the group together: gather everyone in one place before the 30-minute mark so the booking can be checked once for the whole party.
- Allow for transit: Magok and Jamsil are at opposite ends of the line, so check the subway route to the correct dock the night before.
Do's and don'ts
- Do cancel or change the booking by 11:59 p.m. the day before if your numbers or plans change. That is the last time refunds are accepted .
- Do brief everyone in advance that staff instructions at the dock come first. This matters for fan groups travelling together after an event.
- Don't count on the ordinary numbered-ticket line as a backup. If a group misses the 30-minute window or the cancellation cutoff, it should not assume it can get seats there. Individual riders and other docks still use first-come, first-served tickets . The city has not said what happens to a group that arrives late, so treat the reservation window as firm.
How busy is the Hangang Bus, and what happens after the pilot?
The Hangang Bus is busier than it has ever been. City figures put September 2026 ridership at 115,387 passengers . Korean reports describe it as the first month above 100,000 . Group booking is a pilot for now, and Seoul has not said whether it will stay or reach other docks.
The busiest single day so far was September 24, 2026, when 7,219 people rode the ferry, according to the city (source: The Korea Times, 2026-10) . The ferry only began running on September 18, 2025, between Magok and Jamsil (source: Seoul Metropolitan Government) , so these numbers cover its first year. The city has released the figures but has not explained what drove them, and this article does not guess.
Before it decides whether to keep online group bookings or extend them past Magok and Jamsil, the city says it will review four things with the operator (source: SBS News, 2026-10) :
- Booking process: how well the Naver Map and Naver Place reservation flow works for groups.
- Payment system: whether paying in advance during booking works smoothly.
- Boarding procedures: how booking checks and boarding registration go at the dock.
- Passenger feedback: what groups who used the service report back.
No timeline for the review or any expansion has been announced (source: Seoul Economic Daily, 2026-10) . Until the city announces something new, you can only book weekday departures from Magok or Jamsil, for groups of 10 to 30. Every other dock still uses first-come, first-served tickets.
If your fan club, study group or tour party wants a river crossing between concert days, the plan is simple. Book a weekday Magok or Jamsil sailing on Naver after bookings open at 10 a.m. on October 19, 2026 . Check the reservation page again before each trip, because the rules can change once the pilot review is done.
Frequently asked questions
When do Hangang Bus group reservations open?
Group reservations for the Hangang Bus open at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2026, through Naver Map and Naver Place . The first reserved sailings run the next day, Tuesday, October 20, 2026 . According to SBS News, the reservation page itself will show the date on which each travel day opens for booking, so check it before you plan a trip.
How many people are needed for a group booking?
A Hangang Bus group booking needs 10 to 30 people per departure . During the pilot, which the Seoul Metropolitan Government runs, only weekday sailings from Magok dock (the western end of the line) and Jamsil dock (the eastern end) can be reserved . Groups of fewer than 10, and weekend trips, still use the regular dockside tickets.
Can I cancel or change a Hangang Bus group reservation?
Yes. You can make, cancel and get a refund for a Hangang Bus group reservation until 11:59 p.m. on the day before travel . After that deadline, the booking can't be changed online. If your group's numbers might change, for example around a concert day, finish your changes the evening before the sailing.
How much does a Hangang Bus group ticket cost?
Group riders pay the standard Hangang Bus fares: 3,000 won (about $2.20) for adults, 1,800 won for teenagers and 1,100 won for children . The fare is paid in advance during the Naver booking, as reported by Kyunghyang Shinmun. As an example, a group of 20 adults pays 60,000 won for one sailing at the adult fare.
Can individual travelers or other docks use the reservation system?
No. During the pilot, individual riders and every dock except Magok and Jamsil keep the existing first-come, first-served numbered tickets handed out on site . The line's other stops, Mangwon, Yeouido, Oksu, Apgujeong and Ttukseom, are listed on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's English page, and none of them takes reservations yet. The city says it will review the booking process, payment, boarding and passenger feedback before deciding whether to expand. It has not announced a timeline.
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This article was written using information collected and analyzed by NAMANE's in-house K-pop research AI engine. We use AI technology to bring you faster, broader coverage, and in the process some details may occasionally differ from the latest facts. For important information such as dates, venues, and prices, please double-check with official sources.
