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| The Student Welfare Committee takes applicants for homecoming bus services at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. / Korea Times photo by Kim Jae-heun |
By Kim Jae-heun
Some universities are providing bus services for students on their homecoming trips out of Seoul during the Chuseok holiday.
It is hard to buy bus or train tickets during holidays. Often many students are left without any means of transportation for their family reunions. Their schools are offering bus tickets at half price.
"I used the homecoming bus service with great satisfaction last year. The bus left from the campus and students didn't have to carry around their heavy luggage anywhere far," said Kim Min-jung, a student from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS).
"There are buses bound for cities in different provinces and drivers take the fastest route. The only problem is that only one bus is available for each destination. So the students may have to skip class if the lecture is in the late afternoon," Kim said.
"The service has been attracting an average of 400 students every year just at our school," said Ha Man-jung, chairman of the student welfare bureau at HUFS. "We serve a light meal to passengers as well. The business was never profitable, since we only charged prices to make up for the cost of rental and the food."
The school's bus services offer trips to 25 cities in three different provinces.
The prices vary from the lowest at 5,000 won ($5) to highest at 14,000 won ($13.80) to travel to Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province and Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, respectively.
The express bus trips cost a minimum 8,300 won ($8.20) to 30,800 won ($30.30), depending on the destinations.
Seven universities in the eastern Seoul participate in this service including HUFS, Korea National University of Arts, Seoul Women's University, Konkuk University, Seoul National University of Science & Technology, Sejong University and University of Seoul.
