[Exclusive] Train Delays Surge from 0 to 67 Due to Heat Wave... No Compensation Provided

High-Speed Trains Delayed 30 Times, Regular Trains 37 Times
No Obligation for Compensation Due to Heat Wave Delays
Sprinkler Systems to Lower Track Temperatures Proving Ineffective

Mr. A, an office worker who commutes from a provincial city to Seoul using high-speed trains, recently found himself unexpectedly late for work. Although he arrived at the station as usual, the train was delayed by 20 minutes because the tracks had overheated due to the heat wave. Mr. A said, "After this incident, I have started leaving for work 30 to 40 minutes earlier than usual during the summer to prepare for possible delays."

The number of train delays caused by heat waves has surged this year, resulting in continued inconvenience for passengers. However, since heat waves are classified as natural disasters, even compensation for delays is difficult to obtain.

According to data received by Assemblyman Yoon Jonggun of the Democratic Party of Korea from Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on August 22, there were no train delays due to heat waves from June to September last year, but this year, there were 67 such cases in July alone. The tally only includes cases where high-speed trains were delayed by more than 5 minutes or regular trains by more than 10 minutes, and where heat waves contributed to at least 5 minutes of the delay.

During heat waves, rising track temperatures can cause track deformation, requiring trains to reduce their speed. High-speed trains must operate at speeds below 230 km/h when the temperature of ballast track sections is between 55 and 64 degrees Celsius or when the temperature of concrete track sections is between 65 and 68 degrees Celsius. If the temperature of ballast track sections reaches 64 degrees Celsius or higher, or the temperature of concrete track sections reaches 74 degrees Celsius or higher, train operations must be suspended. For regular trains, if the track temperature is between 60 and 64 degrees Celsius, they must slow down to below 60 km/h, and if the temperature exceeds 64 degrees Celsius, operations are halted.

High-speed trains were delayed 30 times last month alone, with a total delay time of 4 hours and 25 minutes. The most frequent delays occurred on the Gajwa to Susaek section, with 9 cases. Among these, the longest delay was 20 minutes on July 8 for a high-speed train traveling from Busan to Haengsin. During the same period, regular trains arrived later than scheduled 37 times, with a total delay time of 6 hours and 26 minutes. Notably, there were 21 delays on the Anyang to Sungkyunkwan University section, and the longest delay was 19 minutes on July 26 for a regular train traveling from Mokpo to Yongsan.

As delays have become more frequent, passengers are increasingly calling for compensation. However, Article 15 of the Passenger Transport Terms and Conditions includes rules for train delay compensation, but exceptions are made for delays caused by natural disasters such as heat waves. Effective measures to minimize delays have not yet been fully implemented. Korea Railroad Corporation has installed automatic water-spraying devices at 457 locations since 2019, which activate when track temperatures exceed 48 degrees Celsius, and plans to add 142 more in the future.

Assemblyman Yoon stated, "When trains arrive late due to heat waves, passengers experience inconvenience and cannot receive compensation. As train delays become more frequent, it is necessary to either implement measures that allow passengers to be compensated or to establish effective solutions that can minimize delays."