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Korea Train Express
KTX train
Korean name
Hangul
한국고속철도
Hanja
韓國高速鐵道
Revised RomanizationHan-guk Gosok Cheoldo
McCune–ReischauerHan-guk Kosok Ch'ŏldo

The Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is South Korea's high-speed rail system, which connects the capital Seoul to Busan and Mokpo. Operated by Korail, the train's technology is largely based on the French TGV system, and has a top speed of 350 km/h, limited to 300 km/h during regular service for safety.[1]

History

After 12 years of construction, the Gyeongbu Line (connecting Seoul to Busan via Daejeon and Daegu) and the Honam Line (Yongsan to Gwangju and Mokpo) opened on March 31, 2004. Presently using high-speed track for only part of the distance (from Seoul to Daegu), the new line cuts travel time between Seoul and Busan from the Saemaul-ho's 4 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 40 minutes, and between Yongsan and Mokpo from 4 hours and 42 minutes to 2 hours and 58 minutes.[2] A further improvement to 2 hour and 10 minutes on the Gyeongbu Line is expected in 2010.[3]

The initial KTX-I trainsets, also known as TGV-K[4], are based on the TGV Atlantique.[5] In all, 46 trains were built - the initial twelve in France by Alstom, the remainder in South Korea by ROTEM.[6] The tracks were built with technical assistance from SNCF technicians.[7]

Future

Network

KTX network map    Shared track (KTX)       Gyeongbu Line (KTX)      Gyeongbu Line (normal)      Honam Line (normal)

Construction of the second phase linking Daegu to Busan started in June 2002, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.[5] The new section follows a different, more easterly route, with new stations planned for Gyeongju and Ulsan.

High-speed track for the Honam Line from Seoul via Osong to Gwangju and Mokpo is also planned, with construction to start in 2009 for tentative completion in 2014.[5]

KTX services running partly on ordinary track are planned for the Jeolla Line to Suncheon and Expo 2012 site Yeosu, branching from the main Honam Line at Iksan.[8] Operations may start as soon as 2009, although the Iksan-Yeosu line has a top speed of only 120 km/h, currently being increased to 180 km/h.[5] The Samnangjin-Jinju line is also being doubled and electrified to allow KTX operations by 2014.[5]

Trains

On December 16, 2004, the Korean-made HSR-350x (Hanvit 350) achieved an experimental top speed of 352.4 kilometers per hour.[9]

In 2006, Hyundai Rotem won an order for 10 KTX-II trainsets, later increased to 19, destined for the Seoul-Mokpo, Iksan-Yeosu and Milyang-Masan lines.[10] On 25 November 2008, the first KTX-II set was revealed to the public in a roll-out ceremony at the Hyundai Rotem factory in Changwon.[11] While Korail claims that with KTX-II, Korea will we the fourth country in the world after France, Japan and Germany to operate domestically developed trains in 300 km/h service, in fact it will be the sixth (after Italy and Spain).

Ridership

When introduced in April 2004, KTX ridership was an average of 70,900 passengers per day, well short of initial expectations of 200,000. While earning an operational profit of about 2.1 billion won per day, this amount was insufficient to service the loans, as the construction cost grew from an initial estimate of 5 trillion to an actual 18 trillion Korean won (approx. 5 billion to 18 billion US dollars). On January 14, 2005, Prime Minister Lee Hai Chan stated that KTX was a political failure.

test ticket for KTX trial run

However, less than two years after the introduction of KTX service, the market share of rail on the Seoul-Busan sector increased from 38% (2003) to nearly 61% (2005), with air travel dropping from 42% to 25% and road travel falling from 20% to 14%.[8] On January 9, 2006, Korail reported that average daily ridership in December 2005 had reached 104,600, an increase of almost 50%, with daily operating profit up to 2.8 billion won and financial breakeven expected by early 2007.[12] In 2006, KTX carried 36.49 million passengers (against 32.37 million in 2005). For comparison, the French TGV carried 13.77 million passengers in its fourth year of service, though the population of the urban areas served was less than the population of cities served by KTX.

On the Lunar New Year in 2007 (February 18, 2007), KTX carried a record 158,967 passengers. The 100-millionth rider was carried after 1116 days of operation on April 22, 2007, generating an income of 2.78 trillion won.[13] Throughout May 2008, the average ridership reached 160,000 passengers per day.[5]

KTX achieved a significant modal shift at the expense of air transport. By 2007, provincial airports suffered from deficits after a drop in the number of passengers attributed to the KTX.[14] With lower ticket prices, by 2008, KTX has swallowed up around half of the airlines' previous demand between Seoul and Busan. Though some low-cost carriers failed and withdrew from the route, others still planned to enter competition even at the end of 2008.[15]

Technical issues

According to an investigation by the Grand National Party in 2006, the KTX broke down 160 times in the span of three years,[16] an average of once per week.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Railroad Information". Korail Korean Railroad. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  2. ^ "KTX Overview" (in Korean). KTX website. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  3. ^ "호남고속철, 경부고속철 2단계 기본계획 확정" (in Korean). 동마. 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
  4. ^ "Korea develops high-speed ambitions: a thorough programme of research and development will soon deliver results for Korea's rail industry in the form of the indigenous KTX II high-speed train. Dr Kihwan Kim of the Korea Railroad Research Institute explains the development of the new train". BNET (International Railway Journal). 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-31. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Korea's railways face a bright future". Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. 2008-07-01. Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
  6. ^ "A TGV for Korea; The parties involved". Alstom. 2004-03-29. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
  7. ^ "In South Korea, Leaflet No. 1" (PDF). SNCF INTERNATIONAL. 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-31. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  8. ^ a b "KTX takes the lead in Korea", David Briginshaw, International Railway Journal 1.1.2007
  9. ^ "HSR350x Tops 350km/h". KITECH. 2005-05-31. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  10. ^ "'We are making steady efforts to become a global leader'". Railway Gazette. 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  11. ^ "코레일, 25일 현대로템 창원공장서 출고행사…각계 인사 500여명 참석" (in Korean). Korail News. 2008-11-25. Retrieved 2008-12-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  12. ^ "KTX Tops 100,000 Passengers Per Day". The Korea Times. 2006-01-09. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  13. ^ "KTX이용객 1억명 돌파(2)" (in Korean). KTX Korail. 2007-04-22. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
  14. ^ "Muan International Airport Has Incomplete Opening". Korea Times. 2007-11-08. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  15. ^ "Budget Carriers Gear Up to Challenge KTX". Korea Times. 2008-12-25. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
  16. ^ "KTX 고장나면 다른 차량 부품 떼어 "땜질"" (in Korean). Prime Business Journal. 2006-10-13. Retrieved 2006-12-15.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Korea_Train_Express&oldid=261461951

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