Opening of the Chuncheon-Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway in 2027

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The East-West High-Speed Railway between Chuncheon and Sokcho in Gangwon Province is set to open in 2027.

The government announced on the 18th that a groundbreaking ceremony for the East-West High-Speed Railway was held at the Sokcho Expo Plaza in Gangwon, attended by President Yoon Seok-yeol, local government officials, and representatives from the construction company.

The Chuncheon-Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway is a key line (93.7 km) in the national railway network, connecting Seoul Yongsan to Chuncheon and then to Sokcho, with an investment of 2.4 trillion KRW. The design speed is 250 km/h, and KTX-Eum semi-high-speed trains will be deployed. The Yongsan-Chuncheon section will operate 12 times a day, and the Yongsan-Sokcho section will operate 20 times a day. Five stations will be constructed: Hwacheon, Yanggu, Inje, Baekdam, and Sokcho, while Chuncheon Station will be upgraded.

Once this railway opens, passengers will be able to travel from Seoul to Sokcho on the KTX-Eum train without transfers in just 1 hour and 39 minutes. This will reduce travel time by more than 1 hour and 30 minutes compared to using the existing train (ITX) plus bus or private car.

The Chuncheon-Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway will connect with the Donghae Line at Sokcho, and the railway will extend along the Gangneung-Jejin section, scheduled to open in 2027, reaching Pohang, Ulsan, and Busan. Together with the existing Gyeonggang Line, the establishment of the high-speed railway network in the Gangwon region is expected to usher in an era where nationwide travel within 2 hours becomes possible.

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “We will steadily promote the construction of transportation infrastructure in the Gangwon region, including the East-West High-Speed Railway, and continuously eliminate transportation imbalances to create a better living environment across the country.”