Frozen Streets, No Buses: Seoul Grinds to a Halt as Citywide Bus Strike Sparks Morning Chaos

A citywide bus strike in Seoul triggered widespread commuting disruption Tuesday morning, forcing thousands of residents to walk long distances or crowd into subway stations amid freezing winter conditions.

The Seoul City Bus Labor Union entered an indefinite, full-scale strike after wage and collective bargaining negotiations with the Seoul Bus Transport Association collapsed at around 1:30 a.m. As a result, all city buses were suspended from the first service of the day.

In total, 7,382 buses across 394 routes operated by 64 companies stopped running simultaneously, leaving digital bus displays across the city showing messages such as “at depot,” “departure pending,” or wait times exceeding one hour.

Many commuters were caught off guard. Some residents arrived at bus stops unaware of the strike, only to find that buses were not operating at all.

“I waited about 20 minutes, but since there was no sign of a bus, I decided to walk to the subway station,” said a man in his 60s near Guui Station, wrapped in heavy winter clothing after finishing an overnight shift.

Others reported extended commute times. “The bus normally takes me straight to work, but using the subway means an extra walk,” said another commuter, noting that her travel time increased by roughly 20 minutes.

At major transfer points such as Seoul Station and Gangnam, confusion was widespread as some passengers mistook operating intercity buses for regular city services. Real-time bus information boards repeatedly alternated between “arriving soon” and “departure pending,” adding to commuter uncertainty.

By around 8 a.m., subway stations including Chungmuro, Ahyeon, and Chungjeongno became noticeably more crowded as displaced bus passengers shifted to rail transport.

In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government implemented emergency measures to ease congestion. Subway service during peak hours was extended from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., with additional trains deployed. Late-night subway operations were also extended until 2 a.m. the following day, bringing the total number of additional train runs to 172 per day.

To improve access to subway stations, 25 district governments introduced free shuttle buses on selected routes.

City officials said the measures aim to minimize commuter inconvenience but warned that disruptions may continue if the labor dispute remains unresolved.