Great Train Express (GTX)
Overview
The Great Train Express (GTX, Great Train eXpress) is a high-speed metropolitan railway system being promoted to innovate transportation in the Seoul Capital Area of South Korea. Unlike existing metropolitan subways, it operates at a maximum speed of 180 km/h, with the core goal of connecting major hubs within about 30 minutes. GTX consists of Lines A, B, and C, and with the partial opening of GTX-A in 2024, it is bringing significant changes to transportation patterns in the capital area.
Main Content
Background and Necessity
The Seoul Capital Area is a global megacity with a population of 26 million, suffering from severe traffic congestion during rush hours. Existing subways have many stops, resulting in an average speed of only 30–40 km/h, making commutes over 30 km take more than an hour. To address these issues, GTX introduced straight-line routes using deep underground tunnels and express operations.
Line Configuration
- GTX-A Line: Connects Paju Unjeong–Seoul Station–Dongtan over an 83.1 km section. The Suseo–Dongtan section opened first in March 2024, with the entire line expected to open by the end of 2025. Travel time is reduced from the existing 80 minutes to 20 minutes.
- GTX-B Line: Connects Incheon Songdo–Seoul Station–Namyangju Maseok over an 80.1 km section. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025, with a target opening in 2030.
- GTX-C Line: Connects Suwon–Seoul Station–Yangju Deokjeong over a 74.8 km section. Construction began in 2024, with a target opening in 2028.
Technical Features
- Deep Underground Tunnels: Built at depths of 40–50 meters underground to minimize interference with surface traffic and reduce noise and vibration.
- High-Speed Operation: Operates at a maximum speed of 180 km/h, with station intervals designed at 3–7 km to maximize express service efficiency.
- Transfer System: Designed to allow transfers to existing subways, buses, and KTX at major stations. For example, GTX-A Suseo Station connects with SRT.
- Driverless Operation: Plans to introduce driverless operation systems in some sections to improve operational efficiency.
Economic Effects
GTX is expected to reduce social costs by over 1 trillion won annually through shortened travel times. Additionally, new town development and real estate value increases are anticipated around GTX station areas. For instance, apartment prices near GTX-A Dongtan Station rose by over 10% after its opening.
Operation and Fares
GTX is jointly operated by Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) and private operators. Fares are expected to be set 1.5 to 2 times higher than existing metropolitan subways, but are considered economical given the travel time savings. The government plans to ease user burdens through transportation card discount programs such as K-Pass.
Latest Trends
Since the opening of the GTX-A Suseo–Dongtan section in 2024, an average of 30,000 passengers per day have used it, showing early success. In 2025, the full opening of GTX-A and the start of GTX-B construction are scheduled. Additionally, the government is reviewing additional GTX-D Line (Incheon–Seoul–Hanam) and GTX-E Line (Goyang–Seoul–Seongnam). As of March 2025, the construction progress rate for the Paju–Seoul Station section of GTX-A has exceeded 70%, with work ongoing toward a target opening at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, GTX-C Line, which began construction in 2024, is proceeding without delays, aiming for a 2028 opening. Recently, last-mile transportation policies such as bus route reorganization and expansion of bicycle parking lots linked to GTX are also being promoted.
Related Topics
- [[Seoul Metropolitan Subway]]
- [[Korea Railroad Corporation]]
- [[Deep Underground Tunnel]]
- [[SRT]]
- [[K-Pass]]
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