Service Begins December 30...
Busan-Seoul Travel Now Within Three Hours,
Significantly Improved Metropolitan Access for Eastern Busan Residents
The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Heongjoon) announced on December 16 that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had finalized Sin Haeundae Station, Centum Station, and Gijang Station as the additional stops for the Jungang Line (Cheongnyangni~Bujeon) KTX-Eum, as revealed in an announcement on December 15.
As a result, starting December 30, the KTX-Eum high-speed train connecting Bujeon Station in Busan and Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul will stop at these stations, significantly improving access to the Seoul metropolitan area for Busan residents.
According to the finalized operation plan, the Jungang Line KTX-Eum will stop at Sin Haeundae Station eight times a day, and at Centum Station and Gijang Station twice a day each. Consequently, the number of KTX-Eum operations on the Jungang Line (Bujeon~Cheongnyangni) will be greatly expanded from the current six times a day to 18 times a day (nine times in each direction).
Additionally, with the completion of signal system upgrades on the Andong~Yeongcheon section, the travel time between Busan and Seoul will be reduced by approximately 18 minutes, from the previous 3 hours and 56 minutes to 3 hours and 38 minutes. As a result, residents in the eastern Busan area, such as Haeundae District and Gijang County, will be able to travel to Seoul by high-speed train from stations near their homes without having to go all the way to Busan Station.
Furthermore, KTX-Eum will be newly introduced six times daily on the Donghae Line (Bujeon~Gangneung) section, creating a metropolitan living zone connecting Busan and the Gangwon region within three hours. The travel time between Bujeon and Gangneung, which previously took 5 hours and 4 minutes by ITX-Maum, will be drastically shortened to 3 hours and 54 minutes with the introduction of KTX-Eum. This is expected to greatly contribute to the completion of a wide-area transportation network along the East Coast, the expansion of tourism demand, and the revitalization of the local economy.
This achievement is the result of Busan City’s continuous efforts since 2021, in cooperation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Railroad Corporation, to advocate for additional KTX-Eum stops and expanded operations on the Jungang and Donghae Lines. The city has consistently highlighted the need to improve accessibility in eastern Busan centered on Bujeon Station, to establish connectivity among urban rail, metropolitan rail, and the national railway network, and has actively emphasized the positive impact of expanded stops on balanced regional development in the southeastern region.
In particular, this decision is regarded as a model example of public-private cooperation, as it is the result not only of Busan City’s efforts but also of comprehensive promotional activities carried out jointly by local governments and residents in eastern Busan, including Haeundae District and Gijang County.
The expansion of KTX-Eum stops is expected to not only improve the efficiency of the rail transportation network in the Busan area, but also to serve as a key catalyst for boosting the local tourism industry and economy by attracting more tourists and business visitors from the metropolitan area to major tourist destinations such as the Haeundae area and the Osiria Tourism Complex.
Park Heongjoon, Mayor of Busan, stated, "This achievement is a meaningful result realized through the combined efforts of the city government and city council, reflecting the long-held aspirations of Busan citizens. It marks an important milestone in establishing a core transportation axis connecting tourism and industry, as Busan expands its daily living sphere to include not only the Seoul metropolitan area but also North Gyeongsang and Gangwon provinces, and advances toward becoming a global hub city."
He added, "Depending on future passenger trends, we will further propose increasing the number of stops through consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Railroad Corporation, and will make every effort to expand connecting transportation networks to ensure convenience for citizens."
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