Opening of Chuncheon~Sokcho Line in 2027 to Reduce Travel Time from Yongsan to Sokcho to Approximately 99 Minutes
The Korea Rail Network Authority announced on the 26th that it will steadily promote five railway projects in the Gangwon region to provide safe and fast transportation infrastructure.
As detailed projects, this year, a budget of 850.8 billion KRW will be invested for the Donghae Northern Line Gangneung?Jejin single-track electrification (282.8 billion KRW), Chuncheon?Sokcho East-West High-Speed single-track electrification (227.5 billion KRW), Gyeonggang Line Yeoju?Wonju double-track electrification (79.5 billion KRW), Jungang Line Dodam?Yeongcheon double-track electrification (257.2 billion KRW), and Wonju?Jecheon double-track electrification (3.8 billion KRW).
510.3 billion KRW invested this year for Gangneung~Jejin and Chuncheon~Sokcho
The Donghae Northern Line Gangneung?Jejin railway construction project and the Chuncheon?Sokcho East-West High-Speed railway construction project, which will play a pivotal role in establishing an integrated railway network in the Gangwon region, are being promoted with the goal of opening in 2027, and a budget of 510.3 billion KRW is planned to be invested this year.
The Donghae Northern Line Gangneung?Jejin railway construction project involves a total project cost of 2.7418 trillion KRW to connect 111.7 km from Gangneung through Yangyang and Sokcho to Goseong (Jejin Station). Among the eight total sections of the roadbed, four sections (T/K) are scheduled to start in the first half of this year, and the remaining four sections (others) are planned to commence in the first half of next year, with the entire route expected to be on track this year.
Once the Donghae Northern Line Gangneung?Jejin project opens, an integrated railway network connecting east-west (Wonju?Gangneung, Chuncheon?Sokcho) and north-south (Busan?Ulsan?Pohang?Samcheok) routes will be established, which is expected to revitalize regional tourism, strengthen national logistics competitiveness, and play a central role in transportation, logistics, and energy cooperation through future connections with the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR).
Meanwhile, the Chuncheon?Sokcho East-West High-Speed railway construction project involves a total project cost of 2.4707 trillion KRW to connect Chuncheon and Sokcho over 93.7 km by high-speed rail. Among the eight total sections of the roadbed, two sections (T/K) have already started and are under construction. The remaining six sections (others) are planned to commence in the second half of this year to accelerate construction.
Upon completion, the travel time from Yongsan to Sokcho is expected to be about 99 minutes, which reduces travel time by 96 minutes compared to using ITX from Yongsan to Chuncheon and buses from Chuncheon to Sokcho (195 minutes).
Start of connection for the disconnected section between the metropolitan area and Gangwon region (Yeoju~Wonju)
The Yeoju?Wonju double-track electrification project, with a total project cost of 925.5 billion KRW, aims to connect Yeoju and Wonju over 22.2 km and is being promoted with the goal of opening in 2027. The qualified design contractor was selected in July last year, and construction is planned to start in the second half of this year.
Once the Yeoju?Wonju double-track electrification is completed and connected to the currently promoted Wolgot?Pangyo section, a transverse railway network crossing east-west from Incheon to Gangneung will be established, significantly improving accessibility from the metropolitan area to Gangwon.
Speed increase expected on Jungang Line (Dodam?Yeongcheon) double-track electrification section Dodam?Andong
The Jungang Line Dodam?Yeongcheon double-track electrification project involves a total project cost of approximately 4.3317 trillion KRW to construct 145.1 km from Dodam Station to Yeongcheon Station as a double track and is currently progressing smoothly with a completion rate of 88.5%.
Because the Dodam?Yeongcheon project covers a long route and intersects with existing operating lines, construction is being carried out in phases to secure train operation efficiency. The 73.8 km section from Dodam to Andong, which opened as a double track in July last year, will have its signaling system improved to create an environment where trains can operate at a maximum speed of 250 km/h in the second half of this year. The 71.3 km section from Andong to Yeongcheon will begin full-scale track and system work this year, aiming for opening in December 2024.
The Jungang Line Wonju?Jecheon double-track electrification is also being pushed for final completion within this year. This project involves a total cost of approximately 1.2109 trillion KRW to newly construct 44.1 km from Wonju Station to Jecheon Station. Since its opening in January 2021, finishing works such as platform safety door installation (completed in March) and expansion of the Jecheon Station access road (from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, scheduled for December) are underway to complete the project by December this year.
Meanwhile, with the opening of the Wonju?Jecheon double-track electrification, travel time from Jecheon to Cheongnyangni has been reduced by 38 minutes (from 100 minutes to 62 minutes), improving accessibility to the metropolitan area and greatly contributing to regional economic revitalization.
Kim Han-young, President of the Korea Rail Network Authority, said, "We will provide railway services to realize Gangwon Province’s growth engine through the establishment of a dense railway transportation network connecting people and regions, and we will build a foothold for the continental railway extending beyond the Korean Peninsula to Siberia and Europe in the future."
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