THE OPENING of Yonsei University’s International Campus in Songdo has brought forth a plethora of benefits, from residential education for Freshmen to the accommodation of more varied majors. However, the distant geographical location of the two campuses has resulted in some inconveniences, mainly within the realm of transportation. Difficulties in transportation exist not only in the route between Sinchon and Songdo, but also within Sinchon itself. In this feature, The Yonsei Annals takes a deep dive into the issues with Yonsei’s existing transportation system and what can be done to improve it. 

Yonsei’s existing transportation system

   Presently, transportation between and within Yonsei’s Sinchon and Songdo campuses exists in the form of shuttle bus services. The shuttle bus service that ferries students to and from the two campuses operates 18 times a day, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. It stops at Sinchon campus’ Baekyang-nuri commons, Songdo campus’ main entrance and Songdo Dorm 2, with transit time being around an hour and thirty minutes on average. There are around 44 spots available in each bus, which have to be reserved in advance; reservation on the Yonsei Portal opens two to three days before any given bus ride. Shuttle bus services exist within Sinchon campus as well, mainly to save students’ time when traversing the long distances between buildings and nearby metro stations. There are three routes, with the first being from Baekyang-nuri to Gyeongbokgung station, operating from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. On the way, there are stops at the School of Business, Seongam Hall, New Millennium Hall and the East Entrance. The second route goes from the Muak dormitories to Baekyang-nuri from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m, stopping by the Woojungwon dormitory, Seongam Hall and the School of Business. The third is similar to the second one, but it departs at Baekyang-nuri and ends at the Muak dormitories. 

Issues with the current system

   Although quite extensive, the existing transportation system is not without its flaws. For starters, the shuttle bus network within Sinchon campus only stops at Muak dormitory, leaving students residing in the Jejoong dormitory, SK Global House, and International House unattended for. With 1,150 Medical School students residing in Jejoong dormitory and another 813 in the SK Global and International Houses, a significant chunk of Sinchon campus’ residential population either has to walk to class or leave earlier to catch the shuttle bus at Muak dormitory. Moreover, the Sinchon shuttle network does not cover the main entrance and Sinchon Station (Line 2), both of which are important transportation hubs utilized by many Yonsei students. Thus, adding more stops both within and near the campus would greatly improve convenience for those commuting to and from Yonsei. 

  The transportation system connecting Yonsei’s Sinchon and Songdo campuses is not perfect either, with there simply not being enough buses between Songdo and Sinchon, especially at night. The last shuttle bus departs at 9 p.m. from Sinchon’s Baekyang-nuri, making it difficult for freshmen or other students attending clubs and events at Sinchon to return to Songdo. Alternatives like the metro or regular buses either take much longer or are rarely available on time. Another issue is that shuttle bus seats are difficult to reserve. The 44 available seats for high-demand time slots are all reserved within minutes. Hong Jong-pyo (Soph., UIC, Nano Science & Engin.) frequently travels between Sinchon and Songdo campuses, as his major courses are taught only in Songdo while an elective he is currently taking is in Sinchon. Although he expresses general satisfaction toward the shuttle bus service, Hong does point out the need to rush to the portal and reserve his seat as soon as the system opens at 2 p.m. Thus, it is not uncommon to see dozens of students lining up at the shuttle bus stop, hoping to hitch a ride after failing to make a reservation. Unfortunately, students without prior reservations are only allowed on board if those with reservations do not show up; and unlike regular buses, Yonsei shuttle buses do not allow additional passengers to stand in the aisles. This results in many students having to take other forms of public transportation, at the expense of their time and energy. Potentially contributing to the seat shortage is the priority reservation offered to Residential Assistant (RA)s. Because RAs are upperclassmen who have to frequently travel between Sinchon and Songdo, they can reserve seats two days before regular reservations open, leaving less spots available for non-RA students. 

Remedial policies by students and the school

   Both students and the school administration are aware of the inconveniences caused by Yonsei’s existing transportation system and are taking steps to address them. The inadequate number of stops for the shuttle service within Sinchon has long been a source of controversy; many student councils and student council nominees in the past have proposed the expansion of the network to encompass the main entrance and Sinchon station. No such proposals have been met with any success, due to a promise made by Yonsei’s administration to the Seoul metropolitan government prohibiting the entrance of vehicles into the main entrance, in exchange for allowing the 2013 renovation of Baekyang-ro. Similar efforts have been made to bolster transportation between Sinchon and Songdo. In the second semester of 2022, the student council proposed the implementation of a late-night shuttle bus service that would operate from 10 p.m. to midnight. The initial proposal was to offer this new service on weekdays, once or twice a week. Although the student council’s proposal was met with much demand, it remains in limbo due to budgetary concerns. 

   Meanwhile, Yonsei’s administration is also contemplating various ways to improve transportation options for students. Seo Ki-hwan (Chairperson, Yonsei Office of General Affairs) assures that his department is working to increase shuttle bus availability, with a target date of no later than September of this year. Presently, the Office of General Affairs is planning out the purchase of new buses, in addition to finalizing safety procedures. Seo is also working to increase the efficiency of shuttle bus services by utilizing data analysis to optimize bus deployment, so that more buses are available in high-demand time slots. However, he stresses that there are limits to expanding transportation infrastructure within Yonsei. Baekyang-ro is off limits to vehicles according to university policy, while the old age of Sinchon campus means that it is nearly impossible to install new pavements in certain areas. Improvements are being made in spite of such difficulties, with Yonsei recently partnering with Elecle and Play Moby to offer electric bicycle services within Sinchon campus; these services are offered along roads passing through Baekyang, Engineering, Yonhee, and Daewoo Halls, as well as the College of Music and Muak dormitory. The bicycles drastically reduce transit time between major lecture halls, with such convenience being well-received by the student body; Seo reports that demand has been extremely high so far. 

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   Presently, shuttle buses serve as the backbone of Yonsei’s transportation network, ferrying students between Sinchon and Songdo as well as within Sinchon. In Sinchon campus, electric bicycles help minimize transit time in routes not served by buses. However, issues such as inadequate bus availability in Songdo and not enough stops in Sinchon represent some major downsides of the current system. With Yonsei having returned to fully in-person classes post-pandemic, addressing such problems will be of paramount importance in facilitating student interaction and the flow of ideas within the Yonsei community.