New Subway Map Design Unveiled by Seoul City
Improving Navigation and Accessibility for a Seamless Commute
The city of Seoul announced on the 13th that it will revamp the Seoul subway map, marking the first change in design in 40 years. With the objective of enhancing user experience, Seoul City has collaborated with experts in vision, color, design, perception, and transportation to bring about this significant transformation.
Over the years, the number of subway lines in Seoul has increased from just four in the 1980s to a staggering 23, with a projected completion of several new lines and extensions by 2025. Despite this growth, the current subway map has remained largely unchanged, becoming increasingly convoluted, and posing challenges for commuters and tourists alike.
The existing map comprises multiple lines with varying angles, making it difficult to discern locations and distinguish transfer stations from general stations. Geographical landmarks such as airports, rivers, and the sea were not clearly represented, exacerbating the confusion. Additionally, the absence of station number signs hindered user convenience, especially for foreign tourists.
Addressing these concerns, the revamped subway map features an innovative octoliner layout, popularized by Henry Beck’s iconic design for the London Underground in 1933, which offers a clear visualization of routes and transfer stations. Emphasizing simplicity and ease of use, only diagonal and straight lines, including horizontal, vertical, and 45-degree angles, have been employed.
Notably, the circular loop line, Line 2, takes center stage in the improved design, accompanied by a Taegeuk-shaped transfer station symbol with traffic light-style notation. Furthermore, distinctive colors have been assigned to each transfer route, creating a coherent and user-friendly visual connection between lines.
Seoul City has also focused on enhancing spatial orientation by delineating significant geographical elements, such as the city center boundaries, Incheon Airport, rivers, and the sea, on the map. This ensures that tourists can easily comprehend their current location, facilitating seamless navigation.
For individuals with color blindness, visual impairments, and the elderly, the new design takes accessibility into account. Through the thoughtful selection of colors, patterns, and line types, the map provides improved legibility and clarity. Particularly, the main train lines, namely Lines 1 to 9, have been prioritized, emphasizing brightness and pattern differentiation.
Fulfilling the needs of foreign users, the map now displays both station and route numbers, streamlining the process of locating desired destinations. The previously solely numerical notation has thus been augmented to cater to a wider audience.
A comprehensive eye-tracking study was conducted on the new route map, targeting both Koreans and foreigners in their 20s and 30s. The results showcased a remarkable reduction in the time required to find stations, with an average decrease of approximately 55%. Moreover, the time spent locating transfer stations was notably reduced by up to 69%. In particular, foreign users experienced a 21.5% higher decrease compared to their Korean counterparts.
Seoul City plans to further enhance the usability of the new route map by developing two optimized ratios, 1:1 and 16:9, suitable for diverse digital platforms such as online portals, digital information displays (DIDs), and mobile devices.
The public unveiling of the improved route map, accompanied by subway map-related souvenirs, will take place at the Seoul City Hall Multipurpose Hall on the 18th at 2 pm. Citizens and experts from various fields will have the opportunity to provide their valuable feedback, which will be taken into consideration before finalizing the design, expected to be published later this year.
Choi In-gyu, Director of Design Policy at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The newly released route map features an easily readable design that considers the visually impaired and foreigners, fostering a more convenient subway experience.” He further added, “By adhering to global design standards, our aim is to position Seoul as one of the top 5 cities globally.” Choi anticipates that this innovative map will contribute significantly to the city’s growth and development.
8-line application using only diagonal and straight lines such as horizontal, vertical, and 45 degrees
Expression of traffic light relay station centered on circular Line 2
Station and route numbers are listed together to take foreign tourists into account.
Reduces route finding time at stations and transfer stations by up to 55% and 69%
New subway map design. The data was provided by Seoul City
The Seoul subway map changes for the first time in 40 years.
The city of Seoul announced on the 13th that it will improve the design of the Seoul subway map after consulting with experts in areas such as vision, color, design, perception, and transportation.
The number of subway lines has continued to increase, from just 4 (106 stations) in the 1980s to 9 lines (338 stations) in the 2000s, and currently to 23 lines (624 stations), but the route map maintains the form of the 1980s It was implemented by adding routes only. By 2025, it is planned to build the Sillim Line, Dongbuk Line, Myeonmok Line, Seobu Line, Ui New Extension Line, Mokdong Line, Nangok Line, Wiryesinsa Line, and Wirye Line in Seoul, and the four-phase extension of Line 9 and the construction of a new GTX is due to be completed, so the route map is complex. Sunset fears have increased. In addition, the current route map was in the form of multiple lines with varying angles, making it difficult to determine the location, and the distinction between transfer stations and general stations was ambiguous. It was not easy to identify geographical locations such as airports, rivers, and the sea, and there was no station number sign, so there was a lack of consideration for users such as tourists.
Changes to the subway map design. The data was provided by Seoul City
The improved route map uses an octoliner layout which makes it easy to identify many routes and transfer stations. The eight line design, first applied by Henry Beck to the London Underground in England in 1933, is currently the most common design internationally. Only diagonal and straight lines such as horizontal, vertical, and 45 degrees are allowed, so users can easily identify them.
In addition, with the circular loop line Line 2 in the middle, the Taegeuk-shaped transfer station was improved mixed with the general station with traffic light style notation. To help users easily follow their destination, the colors of the transfer routes have been listed and applied in a link format.
The city of Seoul expressed large geographic information, including the boundary lines between the city center and its outskirts, Incheon Airport, the sea, and rivers, on the route map so that tourists can understand their current location in terms of direction. Next year, landmark icons will be applied to the route map to promote Seoul’s famous landmarks.
In order to make it easier for people with color blindness, visual impairment, and the elderly to see the path, new colors and patterns were used for the path, taking into account the disadvantaged. The colors and line types (main train, light rail, urban rail, trunk roads) are classified according to the route and importance of the complex subway map, and brightness, clarity and patterns are applied focusing on main trains Lines 1 to 9. The expression of the lines has been refined.
The notation method that takes foreigners into account has also been improved. The route map, which used to only show station numbers, was changed to show both station and route numbers to make it easier to find.
Before and after improving the route map. Photo provided by Seoul City
As a result of conducting eye tracking (technology that tracks the position or movement of gaze) on the new route map targeting Koreans and foreigners in their 20s and 30s, the time required to find a station was up to approx. 55%, and the time required to find directions to a transfer station was up to 55% The time was shortened up to around 69%. Specifically, the reduction in time spent finding directions for foreigners was about 21.5% higher than that for Koreans.
Seoul City plans to improve the usability of the current route map, which is applied separately to each station, by developing two ratios, 1:1 and 16:9, suitable for various digital environments such as online , digital information display (DID), and mobile phones.
The improved route map will be unveiled along with souvenirs related to the subway route map at the subway map design public hearing held at the Seoul City Hall Multipurpose Hall at 2 pm on the 18th. The final design will be published at the end of this year after collecting the opinions of citizens and experts in different fields.
Choi In-gyu, Director of Design Policy at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, “The newly published route map has an easy-to-read design that is considerate of the visually impaired and foreigners, and will contribute to the use of more convenient from the subway.” He added, “By applying design that meets global standards, we will become a top 5 city globally.” “I expect it will contribute to our growth,” he said.
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