Gyeongchun Line
Template:Short description Template:Infobox rail line
The Gyeongchun Line is a regional rail line between Seoul and Chuncheon, South Korea, operated by Korail. Its name is derived from Gyeongseong (Template:Lang, meaning the capital, Seoul) and Chuncheon. It was completely reconstructed in the 2000s. Service on it has operated between Sangbong station on the Jungang Line in eastern Seoul and Chuncheon station, as part of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system, since December 21, 2010. A class of regional rail service named ITX-Cheongchun began operations on February 28, 2012, linking Chuncheon to Cheongnyangni and Yongsan Stations.
History
The original Gyeongchun Line was opened along its full length of Template:Convert between Kwangwoon University on the Gyeongwon Line to Chuncheon by the privately owned Gyeongchun Railway on 20 July 1939.<ref name="lineop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>私設鉄道運輸開始, 朝鮮総督府官報(The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea) Showa Nr. 3754, 26 July 1939</ref> Chuncheon was the most popular destination for students on orientation trips, bringing passengers to the line.<ref name="jd-chug"/> Following the Liberation of Korea, all railways, including the Gyeongchun Railway, were nationalised.
Upgrade
The line was upgraded into an electrified and double-tracked line for Template:Convert.<ref name="jd-chug"/><ref name="irj-future">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="rgi-korailplans">Template:Cite web</ref> Between Geumgok and Chuncheon, from 1997 until 2010, the line was re-laid in a straighter, 64.2 km long alignment with a budget of 2.151,931 billion won.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The remaining 17.9 km of the upgraded line was built with a separate budget of 574.124 billion won.<ref name="KRNA_2010-2">Template:Cite web</ref> Towards Seoul, after Toegyewon station, this section of the new line diverges from the old alignment that ended in Seongbuk, and connects to the Jungang Line at Mangu station.<ref name="KRNA_2010-2"/>
The new alignment was originally planned to be opened in 2004, but completion of the works was delayed for various reasons, including lack of funds.<ref name="rgi-korailplans"/> The complete new alignment opened and the old one closed on December 21, 2010.<ref name="jd-chug">Template:Cite web</ref>
(Former alignment with red line and current alignment with blue line)
On September 1, 2010, the South Korean government announced a strategic plan to reduce travel times from Seoul to 95% of the country to under 2 hours by 2020. As part of the plan, the Gyeongchun Line is to be further upgraded for 230 km/h and may see KTX service.<ref name="plans2020">Template:Cite web</ref> For the longer term, the government also considers to build a parallel high-speed line that would continue beyond Chuncheon to Sokcho on South Korea's east coast.<ref name="plans2020"/>
On November 4, 2016, two trains (one in the morning, one in the night) were added to the line. These trains run to and from Kwangwoon University station, allowing for transfers to Line 1. These trains take the Mangu Line Branch.
On September 26, 2016, the service was extended to Cheongnyangni station to improve access to regional trains (KTX, Seoul Metro Line 1) at the station. However, only 10 trains in each direction travel past Sangbong Station; the majority of the trains still terminate at Sangbong Station, and the two special rush-hour trains still run to and from Kwangwoon University Station.<ref name="Archived copy">Template:Cite web</ref>
Services
Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line
When the new Gyeongchun Line was opened on December 21, 2010, passenger service was integrated into the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system as a name of Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line (수도권 전철 경춘선).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It brings that the system from Seoul all the way into Gangwon Province.<ref name="jd-chug"/> The new service reduced travel time between Chuncheon and Sangbong in Seoul from two hours to 89 minutes, with different trains operating according to different stopping patterns; and increased capacity five-fold.<ref name="jd-chug"/> Compared to the previous Mugunghwa-ho train service on the Gyeongchun Line, fares were reduced by half.<ref name="jd-chug"/> For the service, Hyundai Rotem supplied Korail with fifteen eight-car Class 361000 EMU trains, out of which only fourteen trains remain in service on the line today.
Currently, Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line serves mainly Sangbong station to Chuncheon station. Rare service to Cheongnyangni or Kwangwoon University station is also available, making it a Y-shaped line.<ref name="Archived copy"/>
ITX-Cheongchun service
On February 28, 2012, Korail introduced the ITX-Cheongchun service (Intercity Train EXpress), which uses Class 368000 trains with double-deck cars. From Chuncheon Station, the fastest ITX trains take 52 minutes to Cheongnyangni station, and 68 minutes to Yongsan station in Seoul, operating at a maximum speed of Template:Convert.<ref name="rgi-korailplans"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The base fare is 9,800 won between Chuncheon and Yongsan, but Korail offers 15% discount at all time resulting price of 8,300 won. Basic discount rate was 30% until July 31, 2016, 25% until July 31, 2018, 15% since August 1, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mugunghwa service
Some special Mugunghwa trains which deploy military troops takes the Gyeongchun Line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Service Route
Current Services
Main Line
The following stations are along the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and the Gyeongchun Line itself.
The negative sign is only a convention for distance notation from Sangbong Station, the terminus of most services.
Mangu Line Branch (very limited service)
| Station number |
Station name | Transfer | Line name |
Station dist. |
Total dist. |
Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Hangul | Hanja | in km | ||||||
| 119 | Kwangwoon University | Template:Lang | Template:Linktext | Template:Rint | Mangu Line |
— | -4.3 | Seoul | Nowon District |
| K120 | Sangbong | Template:Lang | Template:Linktext | Template:Rint Template:Rint File:KTX logo.svg |
0.0 | 4.3 | Jungnang District | ||
Former alignment
See also
References
External links
Template:Korail Lines Template:Public transport in the Seoul Metropolitan Area Template:Seoul Metropolitan Subway stations Template:Gyeongchun Line Template:South Korea rapid transit