BUSAN — Busan is turning its iconic bridges, tunnels and waterfront roads into a massive cycling route this weekend as the 2026 Seven Bridges Tour: Riding in Busan brings together about 4,000 cyclists from South Korea and overseas.
The noncompetitive event is scheduled for September 20, combining cycling, tourism and community activities as organizers showcase Busan’s coastal scenery and major transportation landmarks.
The event is in its second year and is designed to promote Busan as a destination for sports tourism, with the main cycling course linking four major marine bridges, two underground roadways and a tunnel.
A 77-Kilometer Route Through Busan
The centerpiece is a single 77-kilometer “Chilchil Course”.
Riders will gather at BEXCO before heading toward Gwangan Bridge and continuing through several of Busan’s major infrastructure landmarks, including:
- Gwangan Bridge
- Sinsundae Underground Roadway
- Busan Harbor Bridge
- Namhang Bridge
- Cheonma Tunnel
- Eulsukdo Grand Bridge
- Airport-ro
The course forms a large circuit showcasing both Busan’s urban landscape and its maritime setting.
One of the route’s distinctive sections is the spiral ramp at Busan Harbor Bridge, adding a particularly unusual feature to a cycling course built around the city’s bridges and tunnels.
International Riders Join the Busan Showcase
Organizers expect approximately 4,000 cycling participants from Korea and abroad, while the wider festival program could involve around 5,000 people when accompanying public activities are included.
The event is intended not simply as a cycling competition—it is explicitly noncompetitive and is being positioned as a tourism experience.
That gives participants an opportunity to see parts of Busan from a perspective that is difficult to experience during ordinary sightseeing.
Residents Can Join Beyond the Bike Ride
The cycling tour is only part of the weekend program.
A separate Seven Bridge Good Morning Bridge Walking event will allow about 1,000 preregistered participants to walk across Gwangan Bridge.
Another program, the Seven Bridge Festival, will be held at Yeongho Starlight Park with activities centered on exercise, recovery and relaxation.
Other citizen-oriented activities include bicycle safety programs, performances and family-oriented experiences, according to Visit Busan.
GKL Supports the Festival
Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), the operator of South Korea’s foreigner-only Seven Luck casinos, is supporting this year’s Seven Bridge Tour.
According to GKL, its involvement is intended to contribute to Busan’s tourism ecosystem while also creating employment opportunities connected with the event for people with disabilities and young workers.
The company said its broader community programs have included support for households outside the formal welfare system, educational assistance for vulnerable teenagers and environmental initiatives.
GKL said it has been recognized as a community-contribution company for seven consecutive years since 2019.
Safety Measures Expanded for the 2026 Ride
Because thousands of cyclists will travel through major roads, bridges and tunnels, Busan has prepared extensive safety and traffic measures.
The city says around 1,000 professional safety and security personnel will be deployed along the route.
The emergency medical system includes approximately 40 medical personnel, 15 ambulances, two medical booths and links to disaster base hospitals.
Officials have also inspected road surfaces, bridge expansion joints, tunnel air quality and other potential hazards ahead of the event.
Traffic restrictions will be implemented along parts of the route, with sections reopened after the cycling groups pass and safety checks are completed.
Busan Turns Infrastructure Into Tourism
The Seven Bridges Tour reflects a broader effort by Busan to use its distinctive urban infrastructure as part of its tourism identity.
Rather than treating bridges and tunnels solely as transportation facilities, the event places them at the center of a large-scale outdoor experience.
The city’s government describes the tour as part of its effort to strengthen Busan’s position as a sports and tourism destination, particularly through events connected to its coastline and marine infrastructure.
The approach also builds on last year’s inaugural event, which attracted roughly 3,000 participants and received international attention, according to Korean media reports.
More Than a Cycling Event
With thousands of riders crossing some of Busan’s best-known bridges, plus walking, wellness and family programs for residents, the Seven Bridges Tour is evolving into a broader city festival.
For Busan, the goal extends beyond getting people on bicycles.
The event brings together sports, tourism, waterfront scenery, community participation and local economic activity—all while turning some of the city’s most recognizable infrastructure into the backdrop for a one-day experience.
As the cyclists take to the 77-kilometer route on September 20, Busan will effectively become a moving showcase of its bridges, tunnels and coastline.
