Seoul City Tour Bus, one of two bus companies providing hop-on, hop-off rides between key city landmarks, is now offering onboard meals.
Starting June 15, visitors who sign up for a “Bustaurant” journey are offered a barbecue eel lunch box with sides and drinks on the bus during a 30-minute stop at Sevitseom, LED-covered manmade floating islands near the banks of the Han River.
For children, the main dish will be either hamburger steak or fried pork cutlet. Along with Yellow Balloon City Bus, Seoul City Tour Bus offers convenient access to traditional markets, historic neighborhoods and cultural landmarks for visitors on a tight schedule.
Bustaurant tours run two times a day. The day trip runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hour-long guided tours at the National Museum of Korea, N Seoul Tower, one ancient palace (Gyeongbok Palace or Changdeok Palace) and one old neighborhood (Insa-dong or Bukchon Hanok Village) near Gwanghwamun.
The night trips are shorter, from 7:20 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and only let passengers off at N Seoul Tower and Cheonggye Stream, the final destination. The night course mostly travels along the Han River for a succession of light-clad bridges and high-rises out the window. Noteworthy sights include the 63 Building, the National Assembly and Seongsu Bridge.
Both the day and night tour buses park at Sevitseom in the earlier half of the course for a dining break. Both tours start from the ticketing office in Gwanghwamun.
The city tour buses are popular for their fleet of impressive double-deckers and high-decker open-top buses. Bustaurant tours will be run by red trolley buses similar to what one might spot in an amusement park. The interior is decked with wood and fitted with retro lamps. Two- to four-person tables line each side of the bus, fitted with special plastic panels on the rims to provide a spill-free dining experience. Each bus holds up to 30 people.
Special discounts are offered until July 25 to celebrate Bustaurant’s launch. The ticket price includes the meal, guide fees, and palace entrance fees at stopovers. Extra charges may be applied to each passenger if less than 20 people sign up for the trip on the day.
