[Report] 'Guseong Station' with Enhanced Openness... Full Opening of GTX-A Suseo~Dongtan Line

GTX-A Line Stations to Operate from 29th This Month
Enhanced Openness with 'Exposed Ceiling'
"Entrance Construction Planned for Completion by Year-End"

One of the stops on the Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX) Line A, 'Guseong Station,' will open to passengers starting from the 29th. With this, the Suseo~Dongtan section, which was opened early on March 30, will be fully operational in about two months.

View of the platform at a station on the Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX) Line A / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

When visiting Guseong Station on the 20th, the station was bustling with final preparations for operation. The floor appeared to need immediate cleaning, and on one side, disposable ticket machines were being checked to ensure they were functioning properly.

At the same time, an 'exposed' ceiling commonly seen in cafes caught the eye. The ceiling, not covered with tiles, featured long linear and rectangular lights arranged in a pattern. A representative from the Korea Rail Network Authority said, "This kind of interior design that enhances openness is practically the first applied in a railway station," adding, "We are considering applying it to some privately operated stations as well."

Thanks to the open structure, the station interior felt neither stuffy nor hot even before the air conditioning was turned on. The Rail Network Authority expects this to help reduce heating and cooling costs. On one wall along the path from the concourse down the escalator to the platform, there was a white paint glass panel. Beyond the glass and around it were abundant green leaves. The Rail Network Authority plans to place benches in the empty space in front of the wall so that passengers waiting for trains can rest without having to go up and down to the concourse. Of course, passengers getting off the train can also take a break there.

Field workers are inspecting machines at the turnstiles of the stations on the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX) Line A. / Photo by Noh Kyung-jo

Using GTX-A from Guseong Station, it takes about 15 minutes to reach Suseo Station. This shortens travel time by about 20 minutes compared to taking the existing Suin-Bundang Line. Transferring from the Suin-Bundang Line to GTX takes about 4 minutes. Lee Seong-hae, Chairman of the Korea Rail Network Authority, said, "We expect 3,000 to 4,000 passengers to use Guseong Station," adding, "Construction of the entrances will be completed by the end of the year." They plan to install barriers to minimize inconvenience caused by construction. The entrance that will be created across the Gyeongbu Expressway is expected to be available around the end of the year.

Guseong Station, which spans four basement levels, also benefits from the 'Yongin Platform City' project. Yongin Platform City is an economic urban complex self-sufficient city developed by Yongin City, centered around GTX Guseong Station, covering 2,757,186 square meters in areas including Bojeong, Mabuk, and Singal-dong in Giheung-gu, and Pungdeokcheon and Sanghyeon-dong in Suji-gu. It is four times the size of Pangyo Techno Valley, with a project cost reaching 6 trillion won. Construction will begin in the second half of this year, aiming for completion in 2030.

Chairman Lee said, "Guseong Station will function as a core facility of Yongin Platform City," and added, "Train operations at Guseong Station will start with the train departing Dongtan at 5:30 a.m. on the 29th. We will do our best to ensure there are no issues."