KR Pours 2.13 Tln Won into 15 Projects to Spur Construction of Seoul Metropolitan Railway

Korea National Railway (KR) is committed to projects linking railway routes in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Currently, 15 railway construction projects whose whole costs amount to 30.4 trillion won have been implemented in the Seoul metropolitan area, the oldest, the biggest region in which the Gyeongin Line, the nation’s first railway connecting Seoul and Incheon, made its debut in 1899 and the Jinjeop Line has opened recently.

The double-track Jinjeop Line was opened in March, and, the Gangnam-Sinsa portion, part of the New Bundang Line between Gangnam and Yongsan, is to be opened on May 28.

KR has been constructing 15 railway lines this year. A combined 2.13 trillion won has been set aside for the implementation of the projects. Among the ongoing 15 railway projects are the high-speed KTX direct line starting Incheon, KTX direct line starting Suwon, the Suseo-Pyeongtaek section of the Seoul metropolitan high-speed railway line, the double-track New Ansan Line, the GTX-A Line, the double-track Daegok-Sosa Line, the double-track Indeokwon-Dongtan Line, the double-track Wolgot-Pangyo Line, Samseong-Dongtan Great Train Express (KTX) Line, the double-track Dongducheon-Incheon Line, the restoration of the Gyeongwon Line, the double-track Suin Electrified Line and GTX-C Line.

The implementation of the projects is expected to serve as pump-priming to reinvigorate the sagging regional economy, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The double-track Jinjeop Line, which was opened on March 19, is a 14.9 km-long line, connecting Danggogae Station of Seoul Subway Line 4, and Jinjeop District via Onam.

The project, costing 1.4 trillion won, was dedicated in seven years after it was launched in 2015.

With the opening of the Jinjeop Line, it takes 52 minutes for commuters to reach from Jinjeop Station to Seoul Railway Station, reducing by one hour and eight minutes compared to bus transportation.

The Gangnam-Sinsa section, part of the New Bundang Line between Gangnam and Yongsan, is to be opened on May 28.

The line will be expanded from Gangnam Station to Sinsa Station via Sinnonhyeon and Nonhyeon.The opening of the Gangnam-Sinsa section is expected to enable transfer to subway line No. 7 at Nonhyeon Station and Subway Line No. 3 at Sinsa Station, thus improving access to downtown Seoul via the existing New Bundang Line (between Gangnam and Gwaunggyo) such as Suwon, Yongin and Seongnam.

Three Great Train Express (GTX) projects get under way to help commuters make it to major spots of the capital area within 30 minutes.

The Samseong-Dongtan GTX project will be done in a fiscal project while the New Ansan Line and GTX-A project will be undertaken under a public private partnership.

The Samseong-Dongtan GTX project is designed to ease severe traffic congestion in the southeastern part of the capital area. It will link Samseong-dong, Seoul, and three cities: Seongnam, Yongin and Hwaseong.

Excavations on the whole of the planned line and the launch of track and system sectors will be done this year.

The double-track New Ansan Line will be a 44.9 km-long line that will connect Ansan, Siheung and Yeouido, Seoul. It will be part of efforts to build a X-type metropolitan electrified railway network that will link the southwestern part of the capital area and downtown Seoul.

Major works of Songsan Depot will be finished by the end of the year. Its process rate stood at 21 percent as of the end of April. If it’s dedicated by 2024, it will allow commuters to transfer at Gwangmyeong Station of the Gyeongbu High-Speed Railway.

It will take 25 minutes for commuters to travel from Ansan to Yeouido, reducing one hour and 15 minutes compared to the existing subway network.

The GTX-A Line, connecting Paju, Gyeonggi-do, and Samseong-dong, Seoul, was launched in 2019, at the earliest among the three GTX lines. It will be scheduled to be dedicated by 2024.

It is opened, trains will be operated at a speed of 180 km per hour, It will take 20 minutes, 16 minutes and 21 minutes for commuters to travel from Unjeong to Seoul Railroad Station, from KINTEX to Seoul Railroad, and from Dongtan to Samseong, respectively, cutting traveling time 70 percent to 80 percent compared to the conventional transportation means.

As for the GTX-B Line, which will link Maseok, Namyangju, and Songdo, Incheon, a master plan of the project and a process of designating preferred negotiators will be completed by the end of the year. For the GTX-C, which will link Deokjeong, Yangju, and Suwon, negotiations for the designation of preferred negotiators and concession agreements are under way.

KR Chairman Kim Han-young said, “The Seoul metropolitan area has severe traffic congestion and needs to build an eco-friendly, energy-efficient transportation system.”

KR will strive to realize universal transportation welfare for residents in the Seoul metropolitan area and spearhead efforts to shift into a carbon neutrality society by making it to Seoul and major centers of the capital area within 30 minutes via railway, he added.