Seoul City will completely replace the single subway line map for the first time in 40 years. This is an initiative to deliver a clearer message of the subway network, which has expanded to 23 lines and 624 stations since the opening of Line 1 in 1974, providing easier guidance for both domestic and international users.
The single line map is currently attached inside each train, on platforms, and on safety doors, including station names, transfer lines, and major facilities. However, the existing maps have lacked uniformity in line direction, municipal boundaries, and transfer guidance, causing inconvenience for citizens and foreigners alike.
Seoul City, after consulting with experts in visual, color, and information design, has developed a new standard design for the single line map. The new maps will be produced in three forms: horizontal, vertical, and square. The replacement will commence in phases in cooperation with Seoul Metro starting in the second half of this year.
This revision reflects the principles of inclusive design, with a color system that makes it easy for people with color vision deficiency to distinguish lines and uses a traffic light system for transfer lines. Stations are numbered, and multilingual text has been added to make the maps more accessible to foreigners. Icons depicting 14 major tourist attractions like Seoul City Hall, DDP, and Namsan Seoul Tower enhance both information and visibility.
Seoul will use the ‘Seoul Notification Typeface’ for the first time on the single line map, designed to ensure that even small text can be read quickly and accurately. This font features natural strokes, curves, and connections based on handwriting, reflecting both urban identity and information delivery.
At Yeouido Station (Line 5), a translucent OLED display, the first in the world installed on platform safety doors, will showcase a video map. Thirty-two 55-inch OLED panels from LG Display will offer route information and emergency guidance simultaneously. This installation is part of a technology demonstration project supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, operated by Seoul Metro.
In 2023, Seoul City also redesigned the entire 23-line subway map according to international standard eight-line designs for easy recognition, applying it at all stations. This map was selected as a brand and communication award winner at the ‘Red Dot Design Awards’.
Choi In-kyu, the Seoul Design Policy Officer, stated, “This new single line map, designed for easy reading and viewing, inheriting inclusive principles, will contribute to enhancing Seoul’s competitiveness as a global city.”