Free, unmanned monorail opens in Jung-gu, Seoul

A free, unmanned monorail has opened in Jung-gu, Seoul, officials said on Friday.

The Jung-gu Office said the 100-meter long monorail connecting Shindang Hyundai Apartment to Daehyeonsan Reservoir Park began operating from Thursday. This is the first time in Seoul that the monorail has been introduced as a means of transportation.

The monorail has three platforms in total: the starting point, the middle point and the ending point. It takes about 3 to 4 minutes from the departure point to the final destination.

It is an unmanned driving system that moves automatically when a user presses the start button. It is capable of carrying 15 people in total, wheelchair and stroller accessible, and free to use. The monorail runs daily from 8 am to 6 pm.

Previously, to get to Daehyeon Reservoir Park, a user had to climb up and down about 110 meters of steep stairs. Slipping accidents occurred when it rained or snowed, and it was inconvenient for people with walking disabilities to use the park.

In 2020, the Daehyeon Mountain Drainage Reservoir Park entrance road improvement project was selected as part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's “Resident contest project for improving transportation convenience in hilly areas,” and construction began in September 2022 after establishing a basic plan and design services from May 2020.