Gyeongui Line - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul

Seoul

Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...

in what is now South Korea

South Korea

The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

to P'yŏngyang

Pyongyang

Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

and Sinŭiju

Sinuiju

Sinŭiju is a city in North Korea, neighboring with Dandong City, China via international border and is the capital of North P'yŏngan Province...

in what is now North Korea

North Korea

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. At Seoul, the line connected with the Gyeongbu Line

Gyeongbu Line

The Gyeongbu Line is the most important railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest. It was constructed by Japan in 1905, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan. The Gyeongbu Line is by far the most heavily travelled rail line in South Korea...

to Busan

Busan

Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

, while at Sinŭiju, the line connected with the South Manchuria Railway

South Manchuria Railway

The , and operated within China in the Japanese-controlled South Manchuria Railway Zone. The railway itself ran from Lüshun Port at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula to Harbin, where it connected to the Chinese Eastern Railway.-History:...

, linking the Korean railway system to the rest of Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

and Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

History

Korea intended to build the Gyeongui Line with its own resources at the end of the 19th century, but the project stalled due to lack of funds. Imperial Japan, which gained to concession to build the Gyeongbu Line

Gyeongbu Line

from Busan

Busan

to Seoul

Seoul

, also sought to gain control of the Gyeongui Line project as its continuation further north, recognising the trunk route as a means to keep Korea under its influence. The line was also advanced for military considerations in expectation of a confrontation with Russia, which came in 1904 as the Russo-Japanese War

Russo-Japanese War

The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...

. At the start of the war, Japan ignored Korea's declaration of neutrality and transported troops to Incheon

Incheon

The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...

, and forced the Korean government to sign an agreement that gave Japan's military control of railway projects if deemed necessary for military operations. Japan's military began to build the Gyeongui Line, while troop bases were established in connection with the railway, the biggest of them next to the terminus of the line, Yongsan Station

Yongsan Station

Yongsan Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. It is located in Yongsan Gu, and adjoins the Yongsan Electronics Market. The station is the terminus for high-speed and long-distance trains on a number of railway lines, including most trains on the Honam Line, its high-speed...

in Seoul.

The first section of the Gyeongui Line opened from Yongsan in Seoul to Munsan on April 3, 1906.

Inter-Korea border

After the division of Korea

Division of Korea

The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...

in 1945, trains stopped operating between the north and south halves of the country, meaning that southern trains probably terminated at Kaesŏng

Kaesong

Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...

, which is now in North Korea but was at the time part of the US-administered southern zone. Northern trains would have terminated north of Kaesŏng.

After the end of the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

in 1953, southern trains were cut back to around Munsan

Munsan

Munsan is an eup in Paju City, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It lies along the edge of the Demilitarized Zone, near Panmunjom and the Joint Security Area. Munsan lies along the south bank of the Imjin River. At the time of the Korean War it was known as Munsan-ni.Munsan has a heavy military presence...

(north of Seoul), with northern trains terminating at Kaesŏng. Around the same time, North Korea renamed the P'yŏngyang-Kaesŏng section of the line as the P'yŏngbu

Pyongbu Line

The Pyongbu Line is the southern part of the Kyongui Line railway in North Korea, running from Pyongyang to Kaesong, near the border with South Korea. This line theoretically connects Pyongyang to Busan in South Korea but, in reality, it ends at Kaesong because of the Korean Demilitarized Zone...

(P'yŏngyang + Busan) Line and the P'yŏngyang-Sinŭiju section as the P'yŏngŭi

Pyongui Line

The P'yŏngŭi Line is a rail line in North Korea connecting the capital city, Pyongyang, with Sinuiju at the northwestern corner of the country. It is the main corridor for overland traffic between North Korea and China, and is one of the country's most important rail lines...

(P'yŏngyang + Sinŭiju) Line. The DPRK sector is now 100% electrifed, although the double track section spans only from Pyongyang

Pyongyang

to Sunan International Airport

Sunan International Airport

-Cargo destinations:-Facilities:The airport contains a car park, a business centre, disabled facilities, a duty free shop, Business Class lounge, a taxi stand, a Korea Trade Bank, and several souvenir shops. The airport also has a baggage storage facility; service hours are from 08:00 to 21:00 and...

.

Since the summit between the two Koreas in 2000, an effort has slowly been underway to reconnect the Gyeongui Line. Southern passenger service has been extended to Dorasan

Dorasan

Dorasan or Mount Dora is a 156-metre hill on the south bank of the Imjin River in northernmost Paju, South Korea. It lies very near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The hill gives its name to several nearby landmarks, including Dorasan Station and the Mt...

on the edge of the Demilitarized Zone

Korean Demilitarized Zone

The Korean Demilitarized Zone is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula that serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. The DMZ cuts the Korean Peninsula roughly in half, crossing the 38th parallel on an angle, with the west end of the DMZ lying south of the parallel and...

(DMZ) and tracks have been built across the DMZ itself. In October 2004, the Northern connection from the DMZ to Kaesŏng was finally completed. Simultaneous test runs along the rebuilt cross-border sections of both the Gyeongui Line and the Donghae Bukbu Line

Donghae Bukbu Line

The Donghae Bukbu Line is a former railway line that connected the present-day city of Anbyon in Kangwon Province, North Korea, with Yangyang, Gangwon Province, South Korea. It has not carried trains since the division of Korea. The line originally connected to the Gyeongwon Line running from...

were set for May 25, 2006, but North Korean military authorities cancelled the plans a day ahead of the scheduled event. However, at a meeting held in Pyongyang, North Korea, on April 22, 2007, North and South Korea agreed to re-start the project. On May 17, 2007, the first train, carrying North and South Korean delegations, travelled from Munsan Station in the South to Kaesong in the North. The first test run on the Donghae Bukbu Line

Donghae Bukbu Line

took place at the same time. According to South Korean representatives, the North has agreed in principle to regular passenger and freight service along the two train lines.

Upgrade

Meanwhile, work began to upgrade the South Korean section for high-capacity commuter services. Between Seoul and Munsan, the line is converted into an electrified, double-tracked railway in a new, straighter, 48.6 km long alignment. Work began in November 1999, with a budget originally estimated at 1,970 billion won. The section from Digital Media City (DMC) to Munsan was finished on July 1, 2009. The remaining section will be mostly underground between Gajwa Station

Gajwa Station

Gajwa Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line in Seoul, South Korea....

in northwestern Seoul to Yongsan Station

Yongsan Station

in downtown Seoul. As of 2009, construction progress on the entire Seoul–Munsan section reached 74% of a total budget then estimated at 2,153.271 billion won. The section is to be finished by 2012, and the freed area on the surface is to be turned into a park.

The line is to be further upgraded for 230 km/h, as part of a government strategic plan to reduce travel times for 95% of Korea to under 2 hours by 2020, which was announced on September 1, 2010.

Seoul Metropolitan Subway

The South Korean section of the Gyeongui Line was integrated with the Seoul Metropolitan Subway

Seoul Metropolitan Subway

The Seoul Metropolitan Subway or Metropolitan Subway in Seoul, 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...

system with the opening of the DMC-Munsan upgrade on July 1, 2009. The northernmost subway station is Munsan

Munsan Station

Munsan Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line, and the northern terminus of the metro line with the same name. It is notable for being the closest station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway to the border with North Korea, only a few kilometers away....

, and the subway runs through Paju

Paju

Paju is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Paju was made a city in 1997; it had previously been a county .The city is located just south of Panmunjeom on the 38th parallel. To defend the Korean capital, Seoul, many US and Korean army bases are set up in the city. In 2002, the northernmost...

and Ilsan

Ilsan

Ilsan is the name of two districts or wards in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea...

, then all the way into Seoul Station

Seoul Station

Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...

.

The term "subway" in reference to this line is somewhat of a misnomer, as the line runs underground for less than three percent of its length. It's included as part of the metro system—it's newly electrified and double tracked, uses subway cars, is shown on subway maps in Seoul, and has free transfers with Seoul Subway Line 3

Seoul Subway Line 3

Seoul Subway Line 3 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is an operation system which connects Goyang, northwestern Seoul to the city center, Gangnam, and southeastern Seoul. Construction began in 1980, and most of the current line opened over two stages in 1985, along with Brother subway Line 4...

, Line 6

Seoul Subway Line 6

Seoul Subway Line 6 is a line of the Seoul Subway. Its color is brown.-Overview:The route connects Eunpyeong-gu and Jungnang-gu in an U-shaped manner, running through Yongsan-gu and Seongbuk-gu. It does not cross over the Han River...

, and (off-platform) Line 1

Seoul Subway Line 1

Seoul Subway Line 1 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, formerly known as the Korea National Railroad of Seoul, is an operation channel which links central Seoul, South Korea to Soyosan Station in the northeast, Incheon in the southwest, and Asan via Suwon in the south. This line covers a large part...

--but it's almost fully aboveground. It simply follows the existing line built 100 years ago. It runs largely through countryside rice paddies, forests, and vegetable fields, and outside of Seoul rarely enters urbanized areas. It is mostly at-grade, and includes several at-grade crossings with local roads, where Korail employees stand by on duty to stop traffic.

The current section from Seoul Station

Seoul Station

to Digital Media City Station

Digital Media City Station

Digital Media City Station is a railway station on Seoul Subway Line 6, AREX and Gyeongui Line....

is a branch line, not the main line. Most trains go from Munsan to Digital Media City and stop, while only one or two trains per hour go all the way to Seoul Station. The Gyeongui Line, then, has strong transfers to Lines 3 and 6, but it can be a long wait for those waiting for a train to Seoul Station to transfer with Line 1.

When the Yongsan-DMC section is completed in 2012, trains will run from Munsan in the far north of South Korea, south into Seoul at Yongsan Station, then continue eastward on what is currently the Jungang Line

Jungang Line

The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...

all the way to Yongmun Station

Yongmun Station

Yongmun Station is a station on the Jungang Line in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is the eastern terminus of the commuter railway, running from Seoul to Yangpyeong County. Mugunghwa trains also stop at this station....

, near Gangwon-do. It is known that the two lines will directly link with each other to form one (very long) subway line; it is not clear, however, what the line will be called. (It may be named after the two current line names in some combination, or it may simply be given a number such as "Seoul Subway Line 10.")

Gyeongui Metro stations
Station #	Station	Hangeul	Hanja Hanja Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...	Connecting lines	Station type	Doors open
K310	Yongsan Yongsan Station Yongsan Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. It is located in Yongsan Gu, and adjoins the Yongsan Electronics Market. The station is the terminus for high-speed and long-distance trains on a number of railway lines, including most trains on the Honam Line, its high-speed... (December 2012)	용산	龍山	(2018), Honam KTX	Aboveground
K311	Hyochang (December 2012)	효창	孝昌		Underground
K312	Gongdeok Gongdeok Station Gongdeok Station is a subway station on the Seoul Subway Line 5 and Line 6 with a connection to AREX that will open the end of 2011. In 2012 trains on the Gyeongui Line will also stop here, potentially creating a massive public transportation hub.... (December 2012)	공덕	孔德		Underground
K313	Seogang (December 2012)	서강	西江		Underground
K314	Hongik University Hongik University Station Hongik University Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 2. As its name indicates, it serves the nearby Hongik University. The Hongdae area around the station and the university is famous for being the nightclub and entertainment mecca of northwestern Seoul... (December 2012)	홍대입구	弘大入口		Underground
via Gyeongui Line
K315	Gajwa Gajwa Station Gajwa Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line in Seoul, South Korea....	가좌	加佐		Underground	Left
K316	Digital Media City Digital Media City Station Digital Media City Station is a railway station on Seoul Subway Line 6, AREX and Gyeongui Line....	디지털미디어시티			Aboveground	Left
K317	Susaek Susaek Station Susaek Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line. It is also the former name of Digital Media City Station on Line 6 of the Seoul Subway. Mugunghwa-ho and Saemaul-ho trains that operate up to Seoul or Yongsan Stations are serviced at the Susaek Train Depot behind this station....	수색	水色		Aboveground	Left
via Gyeongui Line, in Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
K318	Hwajeon Hwajeon Station Hwajeon Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line. The Korea Aerospace University is located nearby.... (Korea Aerospace Univ.)	화전 (한국항공대)	花田 (韓國航空大)		Aboveground	Left
K319	Gangmae (pass, not open)	강매	江梅		Aboveground
K320	Haengsin Haengsin Station Haengsin Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line. The KTX Goyang Train Depot is located behind this station, and some KTX trains serve passengers at this station....	행신	幸信	KTX	Aboveground	Left
K321	Neunggok Neunggok Station Neunggok Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line....	능곡	陵谷		Aboveground	Left
K322	Daegok Daegok Station Daegok Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 3 and Gyeongui Line. It is located in the city of Goyang, close to Ilsan. It is mainly used as a transfer station between the two lines rather than as an actual enter-and-exit stop, as the station is located in the midst of farmland with very...	대곡	大谷		Aboveground	Left
K323	Goksan Goksan Station Goksan Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line....	곡산	谷山		Aboveground	Left
K324	Baengma Baengma Station Baengma Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line.It is in the city of Goyang, in Ilsan. It is located in Baengma-dong....	백마	白馬		Aboveground	Left
K325	Pungsan Pungsan Station Pungsan Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line.... (Anygol)	풍산 (애니골)	楓山		Aboveground	Left
K326	Ilsan Ilsan Station Ilsan Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line. It is the oldest station in the city of Goyang, and the old station - built in 1933, while under Japanese rule - was designated as a national cultural asset in 2006....	일산	一山		Aboveground	Right
K327	Tanhyeon Tanhyeon Station Tanhyeon Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line....	탄현	炭峴		Aboveground	Left
K328	(planned)				Aboveground
K329	Unjeong Unjeong Station Unjeong Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line....	운정	雲井		Aboveground	Left
K330	Geumneung Geumneung Station Geumneung Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line. It is located in the Geumchon neighborhood of Paju city, Gyeonggi-do, in the far northern region of South Korea....	금릉	金陵		Aboveground	Left
K331	Geumchon Geumchon Station Geumchon Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line....	금촌	金村		Aboveground	Left
K332	(planned)				Aboveground
K333	Wollong Wollong Station Wollong Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line....	월롱	月籠		Aboveground	Left
K334	Paju Paju Station Paju Station is a railway station on the Gyeongui Line.... (Doowon Technical College)	파주 (두원대학)	坡州 (斗源大學)		Aboveground	Left
K335	Munsan Munsan Station Munsan Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line, and the northern terminus of the metro line with the same name. It is notable for being the closest station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway to the border with North Korea, only a few kilometers away....	문산	汶山		Aboveground	Random

Seoul Station branch stations
Station #	Station	Hangeul	Hanja Hanja Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...	Connecting lines	Station type	Doors open
P313	Seoul Seoul Station Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...	서울	首爾	Gyeongbu KTX	Aboveground	Random
P314	Sinchon Station (Gyeongui) Sinchon Station (Gyeongui) Sinchon Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line....	신촌	新村		Aboveground	Right
K315	Gajwa Gajwa Station Gajwa Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line in Seoul, South Korea....	가좌	加佐		Aboveground	Left

Regular rail service

Before the integration with the subway system, the most common service on the line was a Tonggeun

Tonggeun

The Tonggeun is a class of short-run commuter trains operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. On timetables, the name is always translated as "Commuter." They typically operate once or twice daily in each direction, along a few tens of kilometers of track...

train service between Seoul and Imjingang, with one Saemaeul-ho

Saemaeul-ho

The Saemaul-ho or Saemaul is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Saemaeul trains are distinguished from the more basic Mugunghwa trains by their larger and comfortable seats and absence of standing passengers...

train. Since the line was integrated with the Seoul Subway system, Tonggeun service has been restricted to a few stations in the north, from Munsan to Imjingang, with a few continuing on to Dorasan, near the North Korean border.

Stations after Munsan
Station #	Station	Connecting lines	Station type	Doors open
	Uncheon Uncheon Station Uncheon Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line....		Aboveground
	Imjingang Imjingang Station Imjingang station is one of the stations along Gyeongui Line, and it has trains to Seoul Station via Ilsan every hour between 6am and mid-night. It was the northernmost station in Gyeongui Line before Dorasan Station opened....		Aboveground
	Dorasan Dorasan Station Dorasan Station is a railroad station situated on the Gyeongui Line, which once connected North and South Korea and has now been restored. For several years the northernmost stop on the line was Dorasan Station, which is served by Tonggeun commuter trains....		Aboveground

KTX

There is a depot for Korea Train Express

Korea Train Express

Korea Train eXpress is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the first section of the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. The project was later split into two phases and combined with conventional line upgrades, adding a second route from Seoul to...

(KTX) trains along the Gyeongui Line at Haensin. Some KTX services thus continue beyond Seoul respective Yongsan Station and terminate at Haengsin Station

Haengsin Station

Haengsin Station is a station on the Gyeongui Line. The KTX Goyang Train Depot is located behind this station, and some KTX trains serve passengers at this station....

.

The line may see more KTX service after the upgrade for 230 km/h considered in the government's strategic plan for 2020.

History

Inter-Korea border

Upgrade

Seoul Metropolitan Subway

Regular rail service

KTX

See also