Yanghwa Bridge, made famous by a song. Han River Bridge, where fireworks are held every year. Banpo Bridge with its beautiful rainbow fountain. Suddenly, you wonder. How many bridges are there on the Han River?
The way to count the number of Han River bridges is a little different depending on the criteria. It depends on whether you count Banpo Bridge and the submarine bridge as one bridge, or whether you include Noryang Bridge, which does not cross the Han River but connects Noryangjin-dong and Dongjak-dong in Dongjak-gu.
If you count Banpo Bridge and the submarine bridge as one bridge, but do not include Noryang Bridge, there are a total of 31 bridges on the Han River, as defined by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
22 Bridges in Seoul City
Out of the total 22 bridges, 2 bridges are only railroad bridges (Dangsan Railway Bridge, Hangang Railway Bridge), 4 bridges are both railroad and road bridges (Dongjak Bridge, Dongho Bridge, Jamsil Railway Bridge, Cheongdam Bridge), and the remaining 16 bridges are roads (Ganyang Bridge, Seongsan Bridge, Yanghwa Bridge, Seogang Bridge, World Cup Bridge, Wonhyo Bridge, Mapo Bridge, Hangang Bridge, Banpo Bridge (submarine bridge), Hannam Bridge, Seongsu Bridge, Yeongdong Bridge, Jamsil Bridge, Olympic Bridge, Cheonho Bridge, Gwangjin Bridge).
The oldest bridge? The most recent bridge
The first bridge over the Han River was the Hangangang Iron Bridge, built in 1900. It was used exclusively for railroads and was blown up during the Korean War, but it was restored and now consists of four railroad tracks.
The World Cup Bridge, which opened in 2021, was built to relieve commuter congestion on Seongsan Bridge and Ganyang Bridge.
Banpo Bridge and Submarine Bridge
Banpo Bridge and the submarine bridge are sometimes considered one bridge and sometimes not. This is because there is a submarine bridge just below Banpo Bridge. It is the only two-story bridge on the Han River. The underpass is often submerged during floods, and there’s a reason why the bridge is built so low. During the Korean War, North Korean troops intentionally blew up the Han River Railroad to stop them from going south, and it was built this way so that if something similar happened, the bridge could be quickly rebuilt even if the superstructure was destroyed.
Banpo Bridge is also considered one of the most beautiful bridges at night. The Banpo Bridge boasts the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain, which is cooled by 380 nozzles, and at night, the colorful lights, skyscrapers along the Han River, and the high sky provide a picturesque view.
The bridge with the most traffic
Hannam Bridge. As of 2023, about 190,000 vehicles pass through it every day. The bridge connects Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, to Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, and provides access to the Gyeongbu Expressway, which can take you to Busan.
Bridges you can’t cross on foot
The Cheongdam Bridge is a car-only road and is the only bridge in Seoul that cannot be crossed on foot.
Bicycleable bridges
If you’re looking to commute to work by bike or just want to go for a refreshing ride on the weekend, take note. Mapo Bridge, Jamsil Railway Bridge, Gwangjin Bridge, Hangang Bridge, and Submarine Bridge can be crossed by bike.
Bridges with tolls
All Han River bridges in Seoul do not have tolls, but Wonhyo Bridge was tolled in its early years. It became part of the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 1983 and has been toll-free since then.
The deepest bridge on the Han River
The Dongho Bridge is the deepest bridge on the Han River, with a depth of about 23 meters. The average depth elsewhere is around 15 meters.
Unlit bridges
The Seogang Bridge connects Bam Island, a migratory bird island, so there are no lights on the bridge to protect the flora and fauna.
4 bridges outside Seoul
Paldang Bridge, Misa Bridge, Gimpo Bridge, and Ilsan Bridge are Han River bridges outside of Seoul. Paldang Bridge connects Changu-dong, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Paldang-ri, Wabu-eup, Namyangju-si, Misa Bridge connects Mangwol-dong, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Sampae-dong, Namyangju-si, Gimpo Bridge connects Sinseong-ri, Gocheon-eup, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Todang-dong, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Ilsan Bridge connects Beopgodong, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, and Gulpo-dong, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do.
Of these, Ilsan Bridge is the only one that has a toll. It was built using eco-friendly construction methods such as not decorating the bridge to protect the Janghang Wetland, a migratory bird migration site.
5 bridges connecting the city to the city
There are five bridges connecting Seoul to its outskirts. There is the Guri Amsa Bridge, which connects Amsa-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, with Achon-dong, Guri, Gyeonggi-do; the Haengju Bridge, which connects Gaewha-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, with Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do; the Gangdong Bridge, which connects Gangil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, with Topyeong-dong, Guri, Gyeonggi-do; and the Banghwa Bridge, which connects Banghwa-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, with Gangmae-dong, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. The Magok Bridge, which connects Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, and Hyeoncheon-dong, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, is the longest of the Han River bridges at 2930 meters. Later this year, Guri Bridge, or Godeok Bridge, will open, connecting Godeok-dong, Gangdong-gu, and Topyeong-dong, Guri-si, Gyeonggi-do. The name has not yet been finalized.