New high-speed GTX train to cut Seoul-Gyeonggi commutes in half
Published: 21 Mar. 2024, 19:18
Updated: 25 Mar. 2024, 17:55
- SEO JI-EUN
- [email protected]
The first section of the GTX-A line, scheduled to commence operations on March 30, will connect Suseo Station in southern Seoul to the Dongtan area of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi.
The government's claims about the project are lofty. A 90-minute commute, it says, may soon take just 19 minutes and cost only 4,450 won ($3.36). With many Koreans opting to live in comparatively affordable housing on the outskirts of Seoul and commute to the city center, officials tout that reduced travel time as a harbinger of “work-life balance” — and a possible solution to the country's current birthrate crisis.
The Korea JoongAng Daily rode the upcoming train from Suseo to Dongtan on Wednesday, just over a week before its historic launch.
Trains will run every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off-peak periods. The fare will be 3,200 won for the first 10 kilometers plus 250 won for every additional five.
The inaugural GTX A line, spanning 82.3 kilometers with 11 stations, will eventually connect Unjeong Station in Paju, Gyeonggi to downtown Seoul hubs such as Seoul Station and Samseong Station before reaching Dongtan. The Suseo-to-Dongtan route opens this March; the segment linking Unjeong Station to Seoul Station is set to open by the end of this year, with full completion of the A line targeted for 2028.
Travelers can make their way to the GTX-A platform, which is 40 meters (131 feet) below the ground — far deeper than the typical Seoul subway station — using a steep escalator and stairs.
The interior of the train closely resembles that of a conventional subway, with displays providing real-time information such as route maps, operating speeds and congestion levels.
But the highlight of the journey was its length, or lack thereof. While it takes some extra time to descend 40 meters down, the GTX's speed more than makes up for that delay. The GTX made the trip from Suseo to Dongtan — typically a 90-minute bus ride — in just 21 minutes and seven seconds.
But the GTX, in the government's telling, is more than just a train. It's touted as a solution to Seoul's chronic traffic congestion and a general enhancement to the public's quality of life.
“Once all construction is finished, commuting from the Seoul metropolitan area to downtown Seoul will take just 30 minutes,” President Yoon Suk Yeol said during a town hall meeting on Jan. 25. “We aim to give the public back the time saved from shorter commutes, allowing to enjoy leisure activities and spend more time with family.”
“By improving access to the metropolitan area through GTX and offering citizens a more leisurely life, we can also anticipate an increase in birthrates,” an official from the Minstry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport added.
But concerns have been raised about the potential exacerbation of urban-rural disparities. In response, the government is exploring the introduction of regional metropolitan express railways in provincial areas, tentatively named “TX” with the first letter based on area — such as “CTX” for the Chungcheong region.
The government hopes to export its Gripper TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), which was used to GTX's deep tunnels, abroad.
The Gripper TBM, with a diameter of 11.6 meters and a length of 148 meters, was also used for Seoul Station — a vital interchange for subway lines 1 and 4 — and is also suitable for areas like the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, Airport Railroad, KTX and various bus lines. It differs from conventional techniques like the New Austrian Tunneling Method in that it relies on a rotating cutter head to excavate tunnels, minimizing vibrations and noise levels.
“The deployment of a Gripper TBM for constructing a high-speed railway network in the heart of the city could be an interesting aspect of the construction of GTX when seen from abroad,” said Lee Hwa-soo, an official at DL E&C overseeing the construction site. “Additionally, this marks the inaugural use of the Gripper TBM method in double-track railway construction.”
BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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