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Busan Metropolitan City Launches Free “Duribal” Hometown Visit Support for Chuseok 2026 to Expand Mobility for People with Disabilities

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, will implement the “Duribal Hometown Visit Support Program” for Chuseok 2026 to assist people with severe mobility disabilities who have difficulty visiting their hometowns using public transportation.

The program was designed to improve mobility for people with disabilities who have difficulty traveling long distances by public transportation, including wheelchair users, and therefore face challenges visiting their hometowns even during the holiday season, while also helping create a warm and welcoming holiday atmosphere.

Duribal vehicles are equipped with wheelchair boarding facilities, including ramps and lifts, making them an essential means of transportation for people with severe mobility disabilities. The service is operated with support from the Lottery Fund.

This support program has been established on a temporary basis during the holiday period to help users visit their hometowns and families. The service will operate for four days, from September 24 to 27, 2026.

Applications will be accepted for 10 days, from September 8 to 17, by phone through the Duribal Call Center at 1555-1114. Eligible applicants are registered Duribal users with severe mobility disabilities who use wheelchairs and wish to visit their hometowns during Chuseok. A total of 20 people will be selected, with five users per day.

If the number of applicants exceeds capacity, final recipients will be selected based on factors including the need for long-distance travel and the degree of difficulty in using public transportation. Service areas include Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and Gyeongju and Cheongdo in Gyeongsangbuk-do, excluding areas within Busan where same-day vehicle dispatch is available.

Users may apply for either round-trip or one-way service during the support period according to their departure and return schedules. For same-day round trips, the maximum stay at the hometown destination is two hours, and the same vehicle will wait on site before providing the return trip.

The service fare is free, but users must pay any tolls incurred when using expressways or other toll roads.

Hwang Hyun-cheol, Director-General of the Transportation Innovation Bureau, said, “We will provide every possible support so that wheelchair users who face significant mobility constraints can visit their hometowns without inconvenience during the holiday and enjoy warm and meaningful time with their families.”

He added, “We will continue to do our utmost to ensure practical mobility rights for transportation-disadvantaged residents, including by expanding the Duribal vehicle fleet.”