Seoul Metropolitan Subway
| Seoul Metropolitan Subway(수도권 전철) | |
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| Info | |
| Owner | Seoul Subway: Seoul Metropolitan City Government National Railway: Korea Rail Network Authority |
| Locale | Seoul, South Korea Incheon, Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do |
| Transit type | Rapid transit |
| Number of lines | 9 only includes sectors operated by Seoul Metro, SMRT, Metro 9 22 include Incheon Subway and Korail sector |
| Number of stations | 291 only including lines operated by Seoul Metro or SMRT |
| Daily ridership | 5.6 million |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1974 |
| Operator(s) | Seoul Subway: Seoul Metro SMRT National Railway: Korail |
| Technical | |
| System length | 314 km (188.4 mi) only includes sectors operated by Seoul Metro, SMRT, Metro 9 755 km including Incheon Subway and Korail sector |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway (Korean: 수도권 전철 sudogwon jeoncheol), in Seoul, South Korea, is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world, with well over 8 million trips daily on the system's thirteen lines (total figures for Seoul Metro, Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation & Korail commuter lines). The system serves Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi-do and northern Chungcheongnam-do. There is a connection (not a free transfer) to the Incheon International Airport Railroad (A'REX) at Gimpo Airport Station on Line 5 and a free transfer with the single-line Incheon Subway system at Bupyeong on Seoul Subway Line 1. Over 70% of the total metro track length is underground. By2008, all stations operated by Seoul Metro and SMRT are all installed with screen doors(Platform Screen Doors, PSD), but only for seoul area, excluding areas operated by Korail.
All directional signs in the Seoul Subway are written in both Korean and English. Station signs and some maps also display traditional Chinese. The pre-recorded voice announcement in the trains indicating the upcoming station, possible line transfer and exiting side are all in Korean followed by English, and in some cases Japanese then Chinese.
Contents |
Operators
The subway is operated by four different organizations:
- Korail (Korea Railroad); 코레일(한국철도공사) (Bundang Line, Jungang Line, most of Line 1, and parts of Lines 3 & 4). An average of 2,177,000 people use Korail's Seoul commuter lines daily [1].
- Seoul Metro; 서울메트로 (Line 2, underground section of Line 1, and large parts of Lines 3 & 4). The corporation runs a total of 199 trains at 115 stations on lines 1-4. Generally, operation intervals are 2.5 –3 minutes during rush hours and 4–6 minutes during non-rush hours. An average of 3,879,000 passengers use subway lines 1-4 daily [1].
- Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation; 서울특별시도시철도공사, 서울도시철도 (SMRT) (Lines 5, 6, 7, and 8). An average of 2,037,000 passengers use subway lines 5-8 daily [1].
- Seoul Metro Line 9 Corporation for Line 9
The operators for lines currently under construction (see below) are as follows:
- Shin Bundang Line Corporation for the New Bundang Line
- Yongin Light Rail Corporation for the EverLine Rapid Transit System
Lines & Channels
The subway lines, their operators, and colors are as follows:
| Color | Name/Number | Korean name | Start | End | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Blue | Line 1 | 1호선 | Soyosan (소요산) | Incheon (인천) Sinchang (신창) Gwangmyeong (광명) Seodongtan (서동탄) |
Korail Gyeongwon Line: Soyosan-Hoegi Gyeongbu Line: Namyeong-Sinchang Gyeongin Line: Guro-Incheon Gyeongbu High-speed Line: Geumcheon-gu Office-Gwangmyeong Seoul Metro Line 1: Seoul Station-Cheongnyangni underground |
| Green | Line 2 | 2호선 | City Hall (시청) (Circle Line), Seongsu (성수) (Seongsu Branch), Sindorim (신도림) (Sinjeong Branch) |
City Hall (시청) (Circle Line), Sinseol-dong (신설동) (Seongsu Branch), or Kkachisan (까치산) (Sinjeong Branch) |
Seoul Metro (Except Kkachisan(까치산), run by SMRT) |
| Orange | Line 3 | 3호선 | Daehwa (대화) | Ogeum (오금) | Seoul Metro Line 3: Half of Jichuk-Ogeum (Except Garak Market(가락시장), run by SMRT) Korail Ilsan Line: Daehwa– Half of Jichuk |
| Blue | Line 4 | 4호선 | Danggogae (당고개) | Oido (오이도) | Seoul Metro Line 4: Danggogae-Namtaeryeong Korail Gwacheon Line: Seonbawi-Geumjeong Ansan Line: Geumjeong-Oido |
| Purple | Line 5 | 5호선 | Banghwa (방화) | Sangil-dong (상일동) or Macheon (마천) | SMRT (Except Ogeum(오금), run by Seoul Metro) |
| Brown | Line 6 | 6호선 | Eungam (응암) | Bonghwasan (봉화산) | SMRT (Except Yeonsinnae(연신내), run by Seoul Metro) |
| Olive | Line 7 | 7호선 | Jangam (장암) | Onsu (온수) | SMRT |
| Pink | Line 8 | 8호선 | Amsa (암사) | Moran (모란) | SMRT |
| Gold | Line 9 | 9호선 | Gaehwa (개화) | Sinnonhyeon (신논현) | Metro 9 |
| Yellow | Bundang Line | 분당선 K2 |
Seolleung (선릉) (To be extended to Wangsimni (왕십리) |
Bojeong (보정) | Korail |
| Aqua | Jungang Line | 중앙선 K1 |
Yongsan (용산) | Yongmun (용문) | Korail |
| Aqua | Gyeongui Line | 경의선 K3 |
Seoul Station (서울역) | Munsan (문산) | Korail |
| N/A | AREX | 공항철도 |
Gimpo International Airport (김포국제공항) (To be extended to Seoul Station (서울역) |
Incheon International Airport (인천국제공항) | Korail |
History
Korail, the forerunner of Seoul Metro, began operating Line 1 in 1974. Lines 2, 3, and 4 followed in the late 1970s and 1980s. SMRT was formed in 1994 to take over operation of lines 5 to 8.
Trains
Ticket
Ticket prices start at 1000 won for a trip up to 10 km, with 100 won added for each subsequent 5 km. Half-priced children's tickets are available. Riders may also enter the system using a transportation card such as T-money, Upass, and KB Free Pass. There is a 100 won discount for using a transportation card. The city government also uses Seoul Citypass as a transportation card. Senior citizens and disabled people qualify for free transit and can get a free ticket or enter and exit using side gates rather than turnstiles.
Travel on AREX (Airport Express) requires a separate ticket, and there is no discount when transferring to or from the line. However, if transferring from a Seoul Metro station to the AREX (Airport Express), it is possible to stay inside the turnstiles and pay using your T-money card.
Metro operators have replaced older magnetic strip paper ticket with new RFID tickets since May 1, 2009. 500 won deposit is included in the price, and is refunded when the ticket is returned at any station. The current single-use ticket is a credit-card sized plastic card with the same RFID technology, which are obtained from automated machines in every subway station.
Comfort
There are men's and women's rooms in every station. Toilets are always cleanly superintended. In addition, elevators are installed in every station for the disabled and the old.
New construction
One new subway line is currently under construction and has yet to open:
- New Bundang Line will be a new line from Gangnam in Seoul to Jeongja in Bundang, Seongnam. Construction is due to be completed in 2010.
Several existing lines are also currently undergoing extension:
- By 2008, the Bundang Line will be extended north from Seolleung to Wangsimni and south to Yongin and Suwon, with eventual plans for it to link up with a new "Suin" (Suwon-Incheon) line in two parts all the way to Incheon, completing, together with a section of Line 4, a southern outer semicircle.[2]
- Line 7 will be extended west by 6.1 miles (9.8 km) from Onsu to meet the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong-gu Office. Nine new stations will be added by 2010.
- Line 9 will be extended from Gangnam to Sports Complex Stadium by 2013, and then onward to Bangi Station by 2015.
- AREX will be extended from Gimpo International Airport to Seoul Station by 2010.
There are several major works still in the planning stage:
- A 10 km (6.25 mile) extension to the New Bundang Line (see above) northward from Gangnam to Yongsan is under consideration. If approved, the project is estimated to cost at least 400 billion won [3].
- By the end of 2011, Seoul City plans to build a 10.72 km (6.7 mile) Light Rapid Transit line from Ui-dong to Sinseol Dong in northern Seoul [5]. The line is expected to carry 110,000 passengers a day and will have 12 stations. It will connect to Line 4 at Sungshin Women's University, Line 6 at Bomun and Line 1 & 2 at Sinseol Dong,
- EverLine Rapid Transit System will be a new line branching off the Bundang Line extension and running east into Yongin and then to the theme park Everland.[4]
- Sin Ansan Line will be connecting Ansan, Siheung, Seoul Station, and Cheongnyangni Station. At its terminus at Cheongnyangni, the line will be connected to a new light rail line called Myeonmok light Rail Line
- From Wangsimni Station, an interchange station of Line 2, Line 5, Jungang Line, and Bundang Line (later), Dongbuk Light Rail Line is planned.[5]
See also
- Incheon Subway
- Pyongyang Metro
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of metro systems
- List of urban rail systems by length
- Seoul Metropolitan Subway stations
- Top 10 metro systems in terms of annual passenger rides
- Top 10 metro systems in terms of number of stations
- Transportation in South Korea
References
External links
- Official Homepages
- City Government
- The Seoul Underground Subway: Official Seoul Tourism
- English-language WMV video describing Seoul Subway history, current construction and future projects
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