Seoul Metropolitan Subway

System Map (click to enlarge)

The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is one of the most heavily used subway systems in the world, with over 8 million trips daily on the system's nine lines (total figures for Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation, Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation & Korean National Railroad commuter lines). The system serves Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province, with a connection to the Incheon subway system. Ticket prices start at 900 won for a trip up to 12km, with 100 won added for each 6km after that.

Current total length of the subway system is about 287 km (does not include KNR lines).

1 Operators
2 History
3 Lines
4 New construction
5 See also
6 External links

Operators

Subways are operated by three different organisations:

Korean National Railroad (KNR) (Bundang Line, most of Line 1, and parts of Lines 3 and 4);
Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation (SMSC) (Line 2, underground part of Line 1, and most of Lines 3 and 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 everyday. and
Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation (SMRTC) (Lines 5, 6, 7, and 8).

History

The KNR, the forerunner of the SMSC, began operating Line 1 in 1974. Lines 2, 3, and 4 followed in the late 1970s and 1980s. The SMRTC was formed in 1994 to take over operation of lines 5 to 8.

Lines

Looking down a subway train tube.

Subway Station Map.

The subway lines and their operators are as follows:

Line 1 (KNR except Seoul Station-Cheongnyangni, which is operated by SMSC). Line 1 also connects with the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong station.
Line 2 (SMSC)
Line 3 (SMSC except Jichuk-Daehwa- operated by KNR)
Line 4 (SMSC except Namtaeryeong-Oido- operated by KNR)
Line 5 (SMRTC)
Line 6 (SMRTC)
Line 7 (SMRTC)
Line 8 (SMRTC)
Bundang Line (KNR)

New construction

Line 9 is planned to run east from Gimpo Airport (connecting to Line 5) along the south bank of the Han river. It will interchange with Line 2 at Dangsan, Line 5 at Yeouido, Line 4 at Dongjak and Lines 3 and 7 at Express Bus Terminal station. It will terminate at Pangi-dong in the east. It will be a 3-track subway providing express service on separate tracks similar to New York. Construction of the first phase between Gimpo Airport and Banpo began in April 2002 and is due to be completed in late 2007. Stations will have elevators, escalators and platform screen doors.
- - Tentative station names are (phase 1 – 2005): 901 Gimpo – 902 Gimpo Airport (Transfer to line No.5 and Incheon Airport Express Railway)- 903 Bangwha 2 – 904 Bangwha 3 – 905 Magok Newtown – 906 Yangcheon Confucian Shrine – 907 Mapo High School – 908 Jeungsan – 909 Deungchon – 910 Yeomchang – 911 Yongwangsan – 912 Yanghwa – 913 Dangsan (Transfer to line 2) – 914 National Assembly – 915 Yeouido (line 5) – 916 Korea Broadcast System headquarters – 917 Noryangjin (line 1) – 918 Heuksuk – 919 Chungang University – 920 Dongjak (line 4) – 921 GuBanpo (Old Banpo)- 922 Shinbanpo (New Banpo) – 923 Express Bus terminal (line 3 and 7) – 924 Samho Garden – 925 Cheil Life Insurance Company Headquarters (Transfer to Bundang suburb express railroad)-
  - (Phase 2 – 2007): 926 – 927 Samleung (transfer to Bundang Subway) – 928 – 929 COEX Center – 930 Sports Complex (line 2) – 931 Samjeon – 932 – 933 Seokchon (line 8) – 934 Bang-i (line 5?) – 935 – 936 Olympic Park (line 5) – 937 (through-operation on express railroad)

Line 3 will be extended south from Suseo to Garak Market and Ogeum, interchanging with lines 8 and 5 respectively, by 2009.

By 2008, the Bundang line will be extended north from Seolleung to Wangshimni and south to Yongin.

Line 7 will be extended in the west 9.8km from Onsu to meet Incheon Subway line 1 at Bupyeong-gu Office. Nine new stations will be added by 2010.

The proposed Shin (New) Bundang Line Rail Project is a 19.3km rail transit line running in a north-south direction linking the Gangnam area with Jeongja in the Bundang residential district. The proposed alignment passes through 6 stations, i.e. Gangnam, Yangjae, Poi, Cheonggye, Pangyo and Jeongja. It intersects with 2 existing lines at Gangnam and Yangjae. An existing Bundang Maintenance depot, owned by KNR and located about 1km south of Jeongja Station, is to be used for the SBL Project rolling stock maintenance. The SBL Line signal system shall be based on state-of-the-art communications-based train control (CBTC) technology, utilizing two-way digital inductive loop communications between intelligent trains, and wayside equipment, and a network of ATS/ATO computers designed for very high system reliability and availability. Construction starts in Mid-2005, for revenue start in Jan 2010.

External links

Categories: Transportation in South Korea | Metros in Asia | Seoul subway lines