Heading Home Along the Waterway of the Hangang River

Ahead of my trip to Indonesia next week, I hosted a family dinner for the first time in a while. The venue was the Spectrum buffet at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeouido. I usually do not particularly like buffet-style restaurants, but perhaps because it had been so long since my last visit, I was satisfied to enjoy a variety of neat, high-quality dishes. Watching the chefs carefully prepare food in the live section made for a warm and hearty lunch. Thanks to the conversations with my family during the meal, the midday table felt exceptionally rich.

Following the Blue Line on the Map to Yeouido Dock

After finishing a satisfying meal, I stepped outside to find the sky over Yeouido exceptionally clear and blue. Wondering how to head home, I opened a map app and saw a water route clearly drawn over the surface of the Hangang River. The Hangang Bus, which I had only heard about in rumors, was actually running. Checking the route, I saw it connected directly to Ttukseom, near my home. With no reason to hesitate, I walked slowly toward the Yeouido Hangang Bus dock. At the entrance, a giant character sculpture caught my eye, and a wide view of the Hangang River unfolded under the crisp summer sunlight.

A Contrast of Complex Corridors and a Pleasant Cabin

Once inside the terminal building, the boarding process was unexpectedly quite complicated. It was mostly used by tourists, and more than half of them were foreigners, but the boarding system was so entangled that even I, a Korean, had to ask around to figure out how to board. The structure required passengers to first separate into eastbound and westbound lines to wait, receive a numbered ticket at a specific time, move to another waiting line with that ticket, tag a transit card, and then board. Foreign tourists looked visibly anxious, constantly checking the information boards. Since it is in its initial stage of operation, I expect it will improve over time.

However, after going through the complex process and finally stepping onto the boat, the interior was extremely comfortable. The air conditioning was blowing strongly, making it cool, and well-organized seats and wide windows welcomed me. The bustling noise of the crowded dock was nowhere to be found, replaced by a quiet, relaxing space.

A First View of Seoul from the Water's Surface

Although I was born and raised in Seoul, looking back, I think this was the first time in my life that I had taken a boat on the Hangang River to look at the city. Peer through the window of the boat cutting through the water, the bridges of the Hangang River—which I had always just driven across—passed by at a low, unfamiliar angle close to the water's surface. A landscape blending the blue river, the city's forest of buildings, and leisurely clouds shimmered before my eyes.

The ceiling of the vessel also featured large glass panels, providing an excellent, open view of the sky. Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds while passing along the river gave me a unique sense of refreshment that I had never felt on any other public transit before.

Wind on the Deck and Arrival at Ttukseom

When the boat operates at a stable speed, they open the door so passengers can step out onto the front deck. Feeling the cool river breeze directly while looking out at the wide Hangang River was refreshing enough to make me forget the midsummer heat. Of course, as we neared the next dock, we had to go back inside the cabin for safety, but the freedom I felt during that brief outdoor moment left a deep impression.

Before long, the boat arrived calmly at my destination, the Ttukseom dock. When boarding, 3,000 won was charged to my transit card, which I thought was very cheap, but upon getting off, an additional 4,700 won or so was charged, making the total about 7,700 won. Looking back at the boarding and fare system, some improvements seem necessary for it to immediately serve as a daily commuting public transit option. However, as an attractive Hangang River sightseeing route where one can uniquely enjoy the river's ambiance on a clear day, it was well worth experiencing at least once.