Quasi-High-Speed Rail Introduced on Gangneung?Busan Route... Travel Time Reduced by 1 Hour

KTX-Eum to Operate 18 Times on Jungang Line
and 6 Times on Donghae Line

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that starting from December 30, the quasi-high-speed KTX-Eum (operating at 260 km/h) will be deployed on the Jungang Line and Donghae Line.

The Jungang Line, which connects Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul and Bujeon Station in Busan, opened as a double-track electric railway last year. Recently, the signal system between Andong and Yeongcheon was upgraded, allowing for additional train operations and the introduction of new stops. The number of daily services between Cheongnyangni and Bujeon will increase from 6 to 18. The fastest KTX-Eum travel time on this route will be reduced from 3 hours and 56 minutes to 3 hours and 38 minutes. Some trains will now stop at stations that previously were not served, including Deokso, Buk-Ulsan, Namchang, Sin Haeundae, and Centum.

Quasi-High-Speed Rail Introduced on Gangneung?Busan Route... Travel Time Reduced by 1 Hour

Yonhap News Agency

On the Donghae Line, which opened in January this year, six additional KTX-Eum services will be introduced. Speed tests have been completed on the Pohang-Samcheok section. Currently, the ITX-Maum (with a maximum speed of 150 km/h) operates on this line. The travel time between Bujeon and Gangneung, which previously took 5 hours and 4 minutes, will be reduced by 1 hour and 10 minutes to 3 hours and 54 minutes with the KTX-Eum. On the Gangneung Line, connecting Cheongnyangni and Gangneung, four additional KTX-Eum services will also be added.

Yoon Jinhwan, Director General of Railways at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "The connections between the Gyeongbuk and Gangwon regions, which have great potential, and Busan, Ulsan, and the Seoul metropolitan area will be further strengthened. We will continue to build a denser railway network so that more people can enjoy high-speed rail services."