PyeongChang 2018 organizers to operate 600 buses to transport visitors to ceremonies venue

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- The organizers for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics said Tuesday they will operate 600 buses to transport visitors to the event's opening ceremony venue. The local organizers said 43,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony for the first Winter Olympics in South Korea on Feb. 9. The organizers will use 600 shuttle buses to transport them to the Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang, 180 kilometers east of Seoul. "Excluding athletes, officials and staff for the event, the organizers believe more than 24,000 will come to PyeongChang," said Kang Hee-up, who heads the transport and traffic bureau of the organizing committee. "For visitors only, 120 buses will be used to transport them." During the Olympic Games, only authorized vehicles or cars with permits will be allowed on the roads and streets near competition venues. If visitors come to PyeongChang with their own cars, they can only enter the venues via shuttle buses. For visitors traveling by car, the local organizers previously said they will open eight parking lots -- four in Gangneung, a sub host city for ice sports, and another four near PyeongChang, where snow sports events will be held. Most car drivers are likely to use Daegwallyeong Transport Mall, the largest and the closest parking lot to the Olympic Stadium, to see the opening ceremony. The organizers expect 21,000 people will use the Daegwallyeong parking lot. "We expect it to take one hour and 30 minutes to transport visitors from the stadium to the parking lot after the opening ceremony is over," Kang said. "Most of our shuttle buses will connect the stadium and the Daegwallyeong parking lot, but if there is too much traffic, people can walk." The organizers said the distance between the pentagon-shaped arena and the parking lot is about two kilometers, which would take about 20 minutes on foot. "We know it's going to be cold, so we'll set up 13 tents and food trucks to provide hot drinks on the route," he said. For visitors taking buses from other cities, the organizers said they will have to walk from Heonggye Intercity Bus Terminal, which is about 870 meters from the stadium. The organizers said those who plan to visit PyeongChang by KTX bullet train will have to get off at Jinbu Station and take shuttle buses from there to reach the stadium. The organizers added that the visitors will be able to find transportation information via a mobile application named "Go PyeongChang." kdon@yna.co.kr (END)