Construction Begins on Pyeongtaek~Osong High-Speed Rail Double Tracking... 400 km/h Class Scheduled to Open in 2028

Construction to expand the Pyeongtaek∼Osong section, which is experiencing a 'bottleneck' due to increased high-speed rail demand, into a 'double double-track' is set to be actively promoted.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 7th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Pyeongtaek∼Osong high-speed rail double double-track project at the Chungbuk Cheongju Munhwa Manufacturing Center Central Plaza, attended by about 600 local residents and others.

This project was initiated to resolve the saturation of track capacity in the section caused by the convergence of the Gyeongbu High-Speed Line (KTX) and the Suseo High-Speed Line (SRT).

It is a project to construct a new 46.9 km high-speed railway underground in the Pyeongtaek∼Osong section over five years, with a total project cost of 3.2 trillion KRW.

Unlike the current high-speed trains operating at 300 km/h, this will be the first in Korea to be built to accommodate high-speed trains running at 400 km/h.

When opened in 2028, the track capacity will be expanded, doubling the number of high-speed train operations from 190 to 380 times per day, significantly improving service.

It is also expected to provide high-speed rail services to more regions by linking with currently underway projects such as the Incheon-origin and Suwon-origin high-speed rail lines and the Southern Inland Railway.

The Korea Rail Network Authority plans to secure passenger safety facilities such as evacuation platforms and safety zones underground at Cheonan-Asan Station and beneath Biryongsan Mountain, considering that 34 km of the entire section will be constructed as a deep tunnel.

Smart technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) will be introduced to realize high-quality construction and a systematic maintenance management system.

Won Hee-ryong, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the opening of the high-speed rail next year, the Pyeongtaek∼Osong high-speed rail double double-track project, which is starting construction now, will be a very meaningful opportunity for our high-speed rail to advance to the next level," adding, "We will continue to carry out railway projects without delay to create a country where it is good to live anywhere and convenient to travel anywhere."