Authorities estimate that while 22,000 ticketholders will be seated near the main stage, the larger crowds packing the city’s main boulevard and surrounding streets will effectively transform much of downtown into a pedestrian-saturated festival zone.
In anticipation of the large numbers of international fans, Seoul is rolling out new measures to improve transit access.
Starting Tuesday, overseas-issued credit and debit cards will be accepted at subway ticket machines across 273 stations, allowing visitors to purchase single-use tickets and short-term transit passes without cash.
To accommodate the surge, major roads around Gwanghwamun Square will be gradually shut down. Sections of the Sejong-daero boulevard will be closed from Friday evening, with additional restrictions extending through Saturday and into early Sunday as crowds disperse.
Public transportation will also be reconfigured. To ease congestion, 62 bus routes, including city, regional and airport lines, will be diverted away from the area, while nearby subway stations such as Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbokgung may temporarily skip stops or restrict access during peak hours.
Bike-sharing services will also be scaled back, with 58 public rental stations near the venue suspended in stages ahead of the event.
“The concert is exciting, but the scale of traffic controls feels excessive, especially for people who still need to commute or work over the weekend,” said Kim Jun-hwan, a 30-year-old office worker in Seoul.
Safety measures will also be in force. Fifteen temporary medical stations will be installed between Gwanghwamun Square to Sungnyemun Gate. Mobile intensive care units and on-site medical teams will also be deployed nearby.
Information for non-Korean speaking visitors remains a concern. “The subway system is great, but I haven’t really seen much information about the transit pass or event logistics,” said Sarah Shaun, a 28-year-old BTS fan from the United States.
“I’m excited for the concert, but with road closures and subway disruptions, we’re still figuring out how to get to the venue,” her husband Ethan added.
“BTS concerts are always intense, so I think even a crowd of 260,000 can be manageable,” Sarah said.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.