[Report] More Comfortable and Faster... Riding the 'KTX-Cheongryong' with Reduced Stops

The KTX-Cheongryong, featuring a deep blue body and a golden curve stretching along its side, made its debut on the tracks at Seoul Station on the morning of the 22nd. On the day of the first test ride event for the KTX-Cheongryong, employees of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) welcomed passengers at the platform holding banners.

The KTX-Cheongryong stopped at Seoul Station on the morning of the 22nd / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

The test ride journey, which started in Seoul and traveled round-trip through Daejeon and Dongdaegu to Busan, included about 330 citizens and 70 media personnel. The citizen test ride group was diverse, ranging from families with children to elderly couples. They eagerly took photos inside and outside the train and adjusted their seats back and forth, preparing to enjoy the journey. The KTX-Cheongryong, carrying a total of about 400 passengers, departed precisely at 10:17 a.m.

The KTX-Cheongryong consists of 8 cars per train (7 standard cars and 1 first-class car), shorter than the 10-car KTX-Sancheon. However, it has 515 seats, more than the KTX-Sancheon’s 379 seats. No Jun-gi, head of the Passenger Marketing Division at KORAIL’s Customer Marketing Department, explained, "Existing trains use a concentrated power system with engine rooms at the front and rear included in the 10 cars, but Cheongryong uses a distributed power system, allowing the entire train to be used as passenger cars, which improves transportation efficiency."

Sitting in the train seats, the sense of space was clearly noticeable. The distance between the front seat and the knees increased by 20 mm to 126 mm compared to before. The shaking was also reduced. The long windows spanning two seats were redesigned to fit individual seats, allowing each passenger to enjoy their preferred view. Each seat was equipped with a 220V outlet, wireless charger, and USB port for added convenience. The wireless charger worked when the phone was placed with its back visible. However, the Galaxy Z Flip could not be charged, possibly due to the battery location and other differences.

Wireless charger installed on the seat inside the KTX-Cheongryong car / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

It took about an hour to reach the next stop, Daejeon Station. Although the operating speed can reach 320 km/h, the travel time was almost the same as the existing KTX due to the same tracks. Lee Ki-cheol, head of KORAIL’s Vehicle Headquarters, said, "When the Osong-Pyeongtaek high-speed project is completed in 2027, that section will be able to run at 320 km/h. Currently, the Gwangmyeong-Busan section operates at 300 km/h. The maximum speed of the KTX-Sancheon is also 300 km/h, so there is not much difference."

Instead, the KTX-Cheongryong minimizes stops. It does not stop at stations such as Gwangmyeong, Osong, and Cheonan-Asan on the way from Seoul to Daejeon. As a result, the shortest travel time is 2 hours and 17 minutes from Seoul to Busan, and 1 hour and 36 minutes from Yongsan to Gwangju Songjeong.

Starting its first operation on the 1st of next month, the KTX-Cheongryong will run twice each on the Gyeongbu and Honam high-speed lines on weekdays. On weekends, considering track capacity, it will operate four times on the Gyeongbu high-speed line using a coupled train method connecting two trains. KORAIL stated that when two KTX-Cheongryong trains are connected to operate as a combined train, the seating capacity increases to 1,030 seats, making it the train that can carry the most passengers domestically. From the 1st to the 19th of next month, 17,884 people have booked tickets for the KTX-Cheongryong (as of the 21st, with a booking rate of 33.1%).

KTX-Cheongryong passenger car (standard class) interior / Photo by Noh Kyungjo

KORAIL plans to start operating the KTX-Cheongryong with two trains and add 17 more from 2027. No Jun-gi said, "With the construction of new high-speed rail lines such as the Suwon-Incheon KTX and the Osong-Pyeongtaek double-track project, we plan to expand operations nationwide. We expect the KTX-Cheongryong, which mostly uses a distributed power system, to be a foothold for entering the global high-speed rail market."