‘KTX-Cheongnyong’ Surpasses 900,000 Users... "About 2,000 Daily Riders"

The ‘KTX-Cheongryong’ surpassed 900,000 cumulative passengers as of the 9th.

According to Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on the 11th, KTX-Cheongryong began operation on May 1 last year and carried an average of 2,224 passengers per day. The occupancy rate recorded 90.7%, exceeding the average KTX occupancy rate of 65.5% during the same period (from May last year to this month) by 25.2 percentage points.

KTX-Cheongryong. Provided by Korea Railroad Corporation

This train is a distributed power high-speed train developed purely with domestic technology, boasting the fastest top speed in Korea at 320 km/h. Based on the shortest time, it can travel the Seoul-Busan section of the Gyeongbu Line in 2 hours and 17 minutes, and the Yongsan-Gwangju Songjeong section of the Honam Line in 1 hour and 36 minutes.

The increase in KTX-Cheongryong passengers is largely attributed to the overall rise in KTX annual ridership, which increased by 6.7% compared to 2023, fully recovering to pre-COVID-19 levels, leading to a gradual increase in users.

Above all, this train offers improved convenience for passengers compared to existing KTX trains. For example, KTX-Cheongryong has a total of 8 cars and 515 seats per train, increasing transport capacity by 35% compared to the existing KTX-Sancheon (379 seats).

Additionally, the seat space between chairs and knees has been widened by 20 mm, and the aisle width in the passenger car (seat aisle width 154 mm) has also increased compared to before. In front of each seat, besides a 220V outlet, USB charging ports and wireless chargers are provided, enhancing convenience for passengers using digital devices. The wireless internet capacity has also been doubled.

The improvement in convenience has been confirmed to increase passenger satisfaction. In a survey conducted by KORAIL in August last year targeting passengers, 95% of respondents expressed satisfaction with the facilities and services inside the KTX-Cheongryong train. Respondents gave the highest scores to the reduced travel time to their destinations and the independent window structure for each seat.

This is interpreted as the reason why many train users (85% of all respondents) chose KTX-Cheongryong despite other trains operating at similar times.

KORAIL plans to introduce 17 additional units by 2028, reflecting the initial operational performance and customer satisfaction survey results of KTX-Cheongryong, and will work on improving customer service and expanding routes.

A KORAIL official said, “Considering the passenger trends of KTX-Cheongryong, demand is expected to continue increasing. KORAIL will prioritize safety and do its best to shorten train travel times and enhance convenience for the public.”