When Does Public Transportation Stop in Seoul, South Korea?

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You can easily get around the large cities of South Korea, including Seoul and Busan, with the public transportation system.

In many cases, it’s also going to be what takes you home after a night out. But when does public transportation stop running in Seoul?

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The subway system runs until around midnight (12 am) and starts running again at around 5:30 am. Sometimes, it ends at around 1 am and starts at around 4:30 am. Buses vary depending on the route, but some bus lines keep running all night. There are also special bus lines that only run from around 23:30 pm till around 6 am.


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When does public transportation stop running in South Korea?

Public transportation in Seoul and other major cities in South Korea works great and is convenient to use.

You’re going to be using it all the time to get around, including getting to and from nights out in the city.

Sometimes, a night out lasts till late night or early morning, which can make you wonder if it’s still possible to take public transportation at said time.

In Seoul, the subway system, also known as trains, stops running at around 12 am at midnight and starts running again at around 5:30 am in the morning. This applies to all subway lines. Sometimes, the times are slightly different, ending at 1 am instead and starting at around 4:30 am.

There are, however, buses running throughout the entire night. Some bus lines that run during the day keep running till late into the night, while dedicated night bus lines keep running during the entire night.

When I was an exchange student in South Korea, buses often came in handy when you were out till after midnight, and the subway didn’t run anymore.

The public transportation system operates similarly in most major cities in South Korea, but there might be slight differences in when it stops and starts running.

Be sure to check Naver Maps or Kakao Maps to see what public transportation you can use to get to your destination at the current time.

An alternative to using public transportation is getting a taxi, but that is quite hard to get after 12 am, as so many people want to use them. Therefore, you’re often better off trying to find a bus.


That’s when public transportation stops running in Seoul, South Korea!

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Tim Stadel Clausen

Tim Stadel Clausen is the owner of Timzer Travels. He has been fortunate to be able to travel around the world because of his work, and he now shares guides and travel tips to help others.

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