cars - Seoul Metropolitan Subway

The Seoul Metropolitan Subway is one of the most heavily used subway systems in the world, with over 6 million trips daily on the system's nine 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 upto 12km, with 100 won added for each 6km after that.

Contents

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, part of Line 1, and most of Lines 3 and 4); and
Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation (SMRTC) (Lines 5, 6, 7, and 8).

History

The KNR and 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 through 8.

Lines

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-Taehwa, which is operated by KNR)
Line 4 (SMSC except Namtaeryeong-Oido, which is 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. Construction of the first phase between Gimpo and Banpo began in 2002 and is due to be completed in late 2007.
Line 3 will be extended south from Suseo to Garak Market and Ogeum, interchanging with lines 8 and 5 respectively, by 2009.
It is planned to extend the Bundang line north from Solleong to Wangshimni, and south to Yongin, by 2008.
Line 7 will be extended in the west 9.8km from Onsu to meet Incheon Subway line 1 at Pupyong-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 approximately 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