The Seoul city will reduce subway operation hours starting next month amid a steep decline in passengers due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Monday that service for all subway lines in the capital, including lines one to nine, will end at 12:00 a.m., an hour earlier than normal, starting Wednesday.

City officials said the number of subway users dropped over 40 percent during the week after the central government raised the crisis alert level to "serious" on February 23.

There have been an average of six-point-four passengers traveling on most train cars past midnight.

The city government also expects to secure more time for disinfection from the reduced operations.