A Seoul bus’s color tells you what kind of route it runs. Its number can also offer clues to the areas it connects. You do not need to memorize the system to find those clues useful.
START WITH THE COLOR
Blue buses link major parts of Seoul. Green buses connect neighborhoods with subway stations and main bus routes. Red buses connect Seoul with the wider metropolitan area; yellow buses run local circular routes.
THE NUMBER IS A CLUE TOO
Seoul uses route numbers with 2–4 digits. On many blue and green buses, the opening digits indicate the departure and destination areas.
THE EASY TOURIST VERSION
Start with the color to understand the type of route, then check the number and stops in Naver Map or KakaoMap. There is no need to decode every digit.
