Intercity bus services to be added; real-time traffic updates to be provided
Gyeonggi Province has designated July 25 through Aug. 10 as its "2026 Summer Vacation Special Traffic Management Period," during which it will expand public transportation capacity and provide real-time traffic information as part of a package of special traffic measures.
The province plans to add 17 buses across 17 intercity bus routes serving areas expected to see higher demand — including beaches and resorts — and increase daily service frequency by 23 runs to improve convenience for vacationers, provincial officials said Monday.
On major expressways and national highways prone to chronic congestion, variable message signs will display real-time detour routes and interchange access control information to help distribute traffic. Five expressways — the Gyeongbu, Yeongdong, West Coast, Junbu and Seoul-Yangyang — will guide drivers to detours along 13 nearby segments when congestion occurs, while nine national highway routes, including Routes 1, 3 and 39, will direct traffic to 14 alternative segments.
A special traffic operations center, staffed by four units covering public transportation and traffic information, will remain on standby throughout the period to respond to emergencies such as traffic accidents.
The province will also provide traffic updates — including congestion conditions on major roads, fastest-route guidance and alerts on incidents such as accidents and road closures — through the Gyeonggi Traffic Information Center website, its mobile app and a traffic information hotline.
Real-time bus operation information for city, intercity and village buses within the province, as well as wide-area buses serving Seoul and Incheon, will be available through the Gyeonggi Bus Information system's mobile app, website and automated phone service.
The province also plans to repair deteriorated road surfaces and facilities, and will establish an emergency road restoration network linking provincial and municipal governments to respond quickly to damage caused by heavy monsoon rains. It will work with municipalities, bus transport associations and bus terminals on facility maintenance and special training for transport workers as part of broader service improvement efforts.
"We will do our utmost to ensure safe and convenient travel for residents and tourists during the vacation period," said Yun Tae-wan, head of Gyeonggi Province's wide-area transportation policy division. "We also ask residents to observe traffic laws and join us in promoting safe driving."
pjh@heraldcorp.com
