Opening of the West Coast Railway Era... Simultaneous Launch of Seohae Line, Janghang Line, and Pyeongtaek Line on the 2nd

The double-track electrification of the Seohae Line (Hongseong~Seohwaseong), the double-track electrification of the Janghang Line (Sinchang~Hongseong), and the single-track electrification of the Poseung-Pyeongtaek Line (Anjung~Pyeongtaek) will commence operations on the 2nd.

Image courtesy of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

On the afternoon of the 1st, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will hold an opening ceremony for the three railway projects in the Seohaean region at Hongseong Station. About 250 people, including Baek Won-guk, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry, local government officials, public institution and corporation representatives, and residents, are expected to attend.

The Seohae Line is a newly constructed line extending 90.0 km, connecting Hongseong Station in Chungnam to Seohwaseong Station in Gyeonggi Province (total project cost: 4.1217 trillion KRW). From now on, the ITX-Maum (operating at 150 km/h) will depart from Hongseong Station eight times a day, running round trips to Seohwaseong Station. The travel time is approximately one hour. When the Sinansan Line section from Seohwaseong to Wonsi opens in March 2026, the railway will be connected from Hongseong Station to Daegok Station in Goyang. On this line, the ITX-Maum will operate at a faster speed of 250 km/h. However, until the opening, the government will operate a free shuttle bus between Seohwaseong Station and Ansan Chojik Station, synchronized with train schedules.

The Ministry installed the 5.9 km Asan Overpass connecting Asan and Pyeongtaek on this line, and among them, the 'Asan Overpass Arch Bridge' is expected to become a new landmark in the Seohaean region. This bridge extends 625 meters in length and 4.4 meters in height, making it the longest and largest of its kind in Korea. The Ministry also plans to establish container yards (CY) for cargo storage at Seohwaseong Station and Anjung Station. Subsequently, container transport trains will operate two round trips daily (Seohwaseong~Busan New Port, Busanjin), and steel transport trains will operate one round trip daily (Pyeongtaek Anjung~Ulsan Yongam).

A Ministry official stated, "With the formation of a railway axis connecting Chungnam Province and the western metropolitan area within an hour, it will serve as a driving force for the development of the Seohaean region, including Asan, Dangjin, Hongseong, Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong, and Ansan."

West Sea Line (Asanho Crossing) Asan Overpass Arch Bridge / Image provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

The Janghang Line is a 154.4 km line connecting Cheonan to Iksan. It was originally constructed as a single-track non-electrified line in 1930 and has operated diesel trains, gradually being converted to double-track electrification.

In 2008, the Cheonan~Sinchang (Asan) section was electrified with double tracks, and now the Sinchang (Asan)~Hongseong double-track electrification section (36.35 km, total project cost: 246.7 billion KRW) has been completed. In addition to the existing Mugunghwa and Saemaeul trains, the ITX-Maum will be increased by two trips daily, raising the total daily trips between Yongsan and Hongseong to 30.

The Ministry explained that when the Hongseong~Daeya (Gunsan) section (82.28 km) opens by the end of 2027, the Janghang Line and Seohae Line will be connected as a single double-track electrified line, completing a comprehensive Seohaean railway network extending from Iksan in Jeonbuk to Chungnam Province and the metropolitan area.

The Pyeongtaek Line was promoted to handle the rapidly increasing cargo volume at Pyeongtaek Port and its hinterland logistics complexes. It connects Pyeongtaek Station on the Gyeongbu Line and Anjung Station on the Seohae Line, dispersing cargo volume concentrated on the Gyeongbu axis and connecting the eastern and western parts of Pyeongtaek City.

Following the opening of the first phase section from Suksung to Pyeongtaek (13.4 km) in 2015, the second phase section from Anjung to Suksung (9.4 km, total project cost: 150.3 billion KRW) was newly constructed. During this process, the entire section (22.8 km), including the non-electrified first phase section, was electrified.

By linking the Pyeongtaek Line, Seohae Line, and Janghang Line, the ITX-Maum train will operate six times daily in a loop connecting Hongseong~Cheonan~Pyeongtaek~Anjung. Through this, the northwestern Chungnam and southern Gyeonggi regions will be connected as one living area, and the Ministry expects regional tourism industries to be revitalized.

Yoon Jin-hwan, Director of the Railway Bureau at the Ministry, said, "Starting with the three projects in the Seohaean region, the opening of the Sinansan Line double-track electrification, Janghang Line (Hongseong~Daeya), and the third phase of the Poseung~Pyeongtaek Line (Poseung~Anjung) will complete the Seohaean railway network, making the Seohaean region a hub leading Korea's growth." He added, "With six railway projects scheduled to open by the end of the year, including the Jungbu Inland Line (Icheon~Mungyeong), Daegu Metropolitan Railway, Jungang Line (Dodam~Yeongcheon), the GTX A Line (Unjeong~Seoul), and the Donghae Line (Pohang~Samcheok), we will prioritize safety and prepare thoroughly."