Weekend Subway: Dongmyo Station Sees 46% Surge in Passengers, Highest Growth Rate

Hongik University Station Sees Largest Surge
Daily Weekend Passengers Up by Over 13,000

It has been revealed that the subway stations in Seoul with the largest surge in weekend passengers are Dongmyo Station and Hongik University Station.

According to an analysis by Seoul Metro on the boarding and alighting patterns for the first half of this year, Dongmyo Station saw an average of 9,112 more passengers (a 46.3% increase) on weekends compared to weekdays, marking the highest growth rate among all stations. The station with the greatest increase in the number of users was Hongik University Station, where the daily average number of passengers on weekends exceeded 160,000—an increase of 13,095 compared to weekdays.

Seoul Metro attributed the weekend increase at Dongmyo Station to the demand generated by visitors to the nearby Dongmyo Flea Market. The number of weekend visitors has risen as the area has become known among younger generations and foreign tourists as a popular spot for “treasure hunting.” The adjacent Dongdaemun Station also saw an 8.4% increase in weekend passengers compared to weekdays, due to continued demand for shopping and tourism.

As for Hongik University Station, the company pointed to busking, flea markets, popup stores, and other cultural activities in the Red Road area as key factors attracting more visitors.

Shopping and performance demand also stood out. At Express Bus Terminal Station, weekend passenger numbers increased due to shoppers and visitors to integrated cultural spaces, while at Olympic Park Station and World Cup Stadium Station, the boost came from audience members attending performances and sporting events.

Leisure demand was also reflected in the data. Weekend passenger traffic increased at Ichon Station as more people visited the National Museum of Korea and Yongsan Family Park, and at Jayang Station, as more visitors attended events at Ttukseom Hangang Park and the drone light shows along the Han River.

Based on this analysis, Seoul Metro plans to strengthen safety management and services at key stations where weekend and holiday congestion is expected. Haegeun Ma, Head of Seoul Metro’s Operations Headquarters, said, “Through our analysis of weekend subway usage patterns, we have confirmed that the reasons for citizens’ travel are becoming more diverse,” adding, “We will continue to prioritize managing weekend and holiday congestion and improving services, so that we can provide transportation services tailored to changing mobility needs and make subway use more convenient for everyone.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.