The 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo will run for 61 days from September 5 to November 4. The main venue is the Jinmo District in Dolsan, Yeosu, while Gaedo, Geumodo, and the Yeosu Expo site will also serve as event spaces.
The first thing visitors should check before opening is the traffic flow. From August 24 to November 4, Yeosu will operate approximately 1.8 km of Gangnamhaean-ro—from the Ilsong Gas Station intersection to the intersection in front of Chambada Restaurant—as one-way traffic toward the main venue. Left turns toward Dolsan Bridge will be prohibited at the Ilsong Gas Station intersection, and some city buses serving the Dolsan area will be rerouted.
Traffic and Parking Guidance in Effect from Opening Day
Yeosu’s traffic measures page says that 11 shuttle bus routes and temporary parking lots will operate from September 5 to November 4. The shuttle routes include connections to Yeosu Expo Station, Yeosu City Hall, Gukdong, Jinnam Stadium, Haeyang Park, Yeomun District, Uduri, Artland, Yeosu Airport, Gaedo, and Geumodo.
The official temporary parking page lists 11 lots with a total of 6,175 spaces. However, the Buyeong temporary parking lot is marked as scheduled for completion on September 5, so visitors should check the official guidance again on opening day to confirm whether it is actually available. Public parking fees will be reduced by 50% during the expo period.
It is safest to recheck the number of parking lots and operating conditions based on the latest information just before opening.
Seventeen city bus routes serving the Dolsan area and island regions will be free from September 5 to November 4 when passengers tag a transportation card. Drivers should review the one-way route and temporary parking information together. Public transportation users may find it helpful to first check which shuttle route connects to their departure point.
Interior Minister’s Final Inspection: Visitor Routes and Safety Response
On August 28, the Minister of the Interior and Safety inspected exhibition spaces, including the Theme Island, and major visitor routes, conducting a final review of convenience facilities, traffic measures, and the safety management system. The on-site inspection also examined visitor flows and congestion response in areas likely to attract large crowds, such as the Island Theme Zone and the Open Stage.
The organizing committee has outlined the following operating plans:
- Circular visitor routes and recommended routes for each gate will be provided.
- Directional signs and staff will be positioned at major junctions and around key facilities.
- A QR-code-based smart web service will provide real-time congestion levels, exhibition hall and outdoor content locations, schedules, convenience facilities, and transportation information.
- The on-site response system involving the police, fire services, Yeosu City, and the organizing committee will be reviewed in preparation for heat waves, heavy rain and flooding, fires, and medical emergencies.
What to Check Before Visiting
The official materials describe final inspections and follow-up preparations before opening. However, they do not independently confirm that every facility and transportation operation has been completed without problems in the field. Visitors should therefore check the latest information on the official website, traffic measures page, and temporary parking guidance again on the day of their visit.
Sources and verification time (as of 10:05 p.m. on August 30, 2026):
- Official 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo website: https://island.yeosu2026.or.kr/
- Organizing committee operating guidance: https://yeosu2026.or.kr/6_4/223
- Organizing committee final on-site inspection notice: https://yeosu2026.or.kr/6_4/224
- Ministry of the Interior and Safety press release: https://admin.korea.kr/briefing/pressReleaseView.do?newsId=156775922&pWise=mSub&pWiseSub=C5
- Yeosu traffic measures: https://yscms.yeosu.go.kr/tour/information/trafficinfo/transportation_measures
- Official temporary parking guidance: https://island.yeosu2026.or.kr/content/4_3_2
Official promotional video: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/RSz8slZFdBY?rel=0&playsinline=1