Busan's 2026 Chuseok Duribal program is not a general free-ride event for every passenger. It is a limited hometown-trip service for registered Duribal customers who are people with severe walking disabilities and use a wheelchair. The city plans to select 20 riders for trips outside Busan to specified areas.
Immediate action: If you meet the conditions and have not applied, call the Duribal call center at 1555-1114 by September 17. A phone application is not the same as final selection or a confirmed vehicle assignment.
Trips operate from September 24 through 27. The Duribal ride fare is waived, but the rider must pay highway and other road tolls.
All images in this article are AI-generated editorial illustrations. They are not photographs of an actual Duribal vehicle, passenger, trip, or Busan city publicity material.
The program at a glance
| Item | Officially announced condition | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Application | September 8–17, 2026 | No later application window was announced |
| Contact | Duribal call center, 1555-1114 | A call does not guarantee selection |
| Travel dates | September 24–27 | Five riders per day |
| Eligibility | Registered Duribal customer who uses a wheelchair and has a severe walking disability | Not open automatically to every disabled or mobility-impaired resident |
| Capacity | 20 riders total | Selection applies if demand exceeds capacity |
| Destinations | Gyeongnam, Ulsan, Gyeongju, and Cheongdo | Not all of Gyeongbuk or all of Korea |
| Trip format | One-way or round trip | Schedule still requires confirmation |
| Cost | Duribal ride fare waived | Highway and other road tolls paid by the rider |
Three eligibility questions
AI-generated image. It does not depict an actual rider or Duribal vehicle.
Read the official eligibility wording as three requirements that operate together:
- You must already be registered to use Busan Duribal.
- You must be a wheelchair user with a severe walking disability.
- You must be seeking a Chuseok hometown or family visit in the listed service area.
A disability registration by itself does not establish eligibility for this limited trip program. The announcement also does not say that a first-time caller can complete Duribal registration and secure a long-distance holiday vehicle in one step. If your current registration status is unclear, verify it with the call center first.
How the 20 riders are selected
The city announced 20 places, allocated at five riders per operating day. If applications exceed capacity, it will consider factors such as the need for long-distance travel and the difficulty of using public transport.
The official notice does not describe the program as first-come, first-served. Calling before the deadline is necessary, but it does not by itself confirm a trip. Ask separately about the selection result and the final dispatch schedule.
The destination area is specific
This is not a substitute for same-day trips within Busan. The announced long-distance areas are:
- Gyeongsangnam-do (Gyeongnam)
- Ulsan
- Gyeongju in Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Cheongdo in Gyeongsangbuk-do
Do not read the references to Gyeongju and Cheongdo as permission to travel anywhere in Gyeongsangbuk-do. If the destination is near a boundary or the itinerary is complex, provide the exact departure point, destination, and preferred date when confirming coverage.
One-way, round trip, and same-day return
AI-generated illustration. It does not guarantee the interior specification or boarding procedure of a Duribal vehicle.
Both one-way and round trips can be requested. If outbound and return travel would occur on different dates, the available combination and dispatch must be confirmed during the application process.
For a same-day round trip, the announced maximum stay at the hometown destination is two hours. The same vehicle waits and then provides the return journey. The two-hour rule was stated specifically for a same-day return, so it should not automatically be applied to every multi-day round-trip request.
Separate the free ride from rider-paid costs
| Cost or status | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Duribal ride fare | Waived |
| Highway or other road tolls | Paid by the rider |
| Meals and personal expenses | Not included in the announced support |
| Vehicle after application only | Not guaranteed until selection and dispatch are confirmed |
The Korean phrase 무료 지원, or free support, does not mean that every travel expense is zero. Budget for tolls on the expected route and rely on the call center for any cost not covered by the announcement.
Checklist before calling
- [ ] Confirm that you are currently registered with Duribal.
- [ ] Confirm that the wheelchair-user eligibility applies to you.
- [ ] Choose a preferred date between September 24 and 27.
- [ ] Prepare the exact departure point and destination.
- [ ] Decide whether you need one-way, round-trip, or same-day return travel.
- [ ] For a same-day return, confirm that a maximum two-hour stay is workable.
- [ ] Account for road tolls as a rider-paid cost.
- [ ] Plan to verify selection and final dispatch after applying.
The key distinction on deadline day
This program creates a long-distance holiday option for eligible registered riders, but it is a capacity-limited selection program. Keep three stages separate: application, selection, and confirmed vehicle dispatch.
If you meet the conditions, call 1555-1114 by September 17. If selected, confirm the travel date, departure time, trip format, destination, and toll responsibility before making the rest of the family itinerary.
A shorter Korean search-oriented version is available on Life Mokcha's Naver Blog.
About the Author
The Life Mokcha editor checks the eligibility, service area, cost boundary, and confirmation stage of Korean public mobility programs against government releases and disability-sector reporting. The call center's current dispatch guidance should take priority over this summary.
