| Seoul Metropolitan Subway(수도권 전철) | |
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| Info | |
| Owner | Seoul Subway: Seoul Metropolitan City Government National Railway: Korea Rail Network Authority |
| Locale | Seoul, South Korea Incheon, Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongnam-do |
| Transit type | Rapid transit |
| Number of lines | 14 |
| Number of stations | 436 |
| Daily ridership | 8 million |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 1974 |
| Operator(s) | Seoul Metro SMRT Korail Metro 9 Incheon Rapid Transit |
| Technical | |
| System length | 755 km (469 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 81⁄2 in)
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The Seoul Metropolitan Subway, in Seoul, South Korea, is one of the most heavily used rapid transit systems in the world, with well over 8 million trips daily on the system's fourteen lines (total figures for Seoul Metro, SMRT, Metro 9, Korail, AREX, and Incheon lines). The system totals 755 km (469 mi) over the fourteen lines, and spans across Seoul and out into the provinces of Gyeonggi-do, northern Chungcheongnam-do, and the city of Incheon. Inside the city limits, over 70% of the total metro track is underground, while a majority of track in Gyeonggi-do is aboveground.
All directional signs in the Seoul Subway are written in both Korean and English. Station signs and some maps also display traditional Chinese. The pre-recorded voice announcement in the trains indicating the upcoming station, possible line transfer and exiting side are all in Korean followed by English, and in some cases Japanese then Chinese.
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Operators
The subway is operated by four different organizations:
- Korail; 코레일(한국철도공사) (Bundang Line, Jungang Line, most of Line 1, and parts of Lines 3 & 4). An average of 2,177,000 people use Korail's Seoul commuter lines daily [1].
- Seoul Metro; 서울메트로 (Line 2, underground section of Line 1, and large parts of Lines 3 & 4). The corporation runs a total of 199 trains at 115 stations on lines 1-4. Generally, operation intervals are 2.5 -3 minutes during rush hours and 4-6 minutes during non-rush hours. An average of 3,879,000 passengers use subway lines 1-4 daily [1].
- Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation; 서울특별시도시철도공사, 서울도시철도 (SMRT) (Lines 5, 6, 7, and 8). An average of 2,037,000 passengers use subway lines 5-8 daily [1].
- Incheon Rapid Transit Corporation for Incheon Line 1.
- Airport Railroad Company Limited for the AREX Airport Railroad Express.
The operators for lines currently under construction (see below) are as follows:
- Shin Bundang Line Corporation for the New Bundang Line
- Yongin Light Rail Corporation for the EverLine Rapid Transit System
Lines & Channels
The subway lines, their operators, colors, and lengths are as follows:
History
Korail, the forerunner of Seoul Metro, began operating Line 1 in 1974. Lines 2, 3, and 4 followed in the late 1970s and 1980s. SMRT was formed in 1994 to take over operation of lines 5 to 8.
Trains
Ticket
Ticket prices start at 1000 won for a trip up to 10 km, with 100 won added for each subsequent 5 km. Half-priced children's tickets are available. Riders may also enter the system using a transportation card such as T-money, Upass, and KB Free Pass. There is a 100 won discount for using a transportation card. The city government also uses Seoul Citypass as a transportation card. Senior citizens and disabled people qualify for free transit and can get a free ticket or enter and exit using side gates rather than turnstiles.
Travel on AREX (Airport Express) requires a separate ticket, and there is no discount when transferring to or from the line. However, if transferring from a Seoul Metro station to the AREX (Airport Express), it is possible to stay inside the turnstiles and pay using your T-money card.
Metro operators have replaced older magnetic strip paper ticket with new RFID tickets since May 1, 2009. 500 won deposit is included in the price, and is refunded when the ticket is returned at any station. The current single-use ticket is a credit-card sized plastic card with the same RFID technology, which are obtained from automated machines in every subway station.
New construction
One new subway line and several light rail lines are currently under construction and have yet to open:
- New Bundang Line will be a new line from Gangnam in Seoul to Jeongja in Bundang, Seongnam. Construction is due to be completed in 2010.
- Light rail lines are under construction in Uijeongbu and Ui-dong.
- EverLine Rapid Transit System will be a new line branching off the Bundang Line extension and running east into Yongin and then to the theme park Everland. [2]
Several existing lines are also currently undergoing extension:
- Line 3 will be extended east from Suseo to Garak Market and Ogeum, interchanging with lines 8 and 5 respectively, by 2009. [3]
- By 2008, the Bundang Line will be extended north from Seolleung to Wangsimni and south to Yongin and Suwon, with eventual plans for it to link up with a new "Suin" (Suwon-Incheon) line in two parts all the way to Incheon, completing, together with a section of Line 4, a southern outer semicircle. [4]
- Line 7 will be extended west by 9.8km (6.1 miles) through Bucheon, from Onsu to meet the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong-gu Office. Nine new stations will be added by 2010.
- Line 9 will be extended from Gangnam to Sports Complex Stadium by 2013, and then onward to Bangi Station by 2015.
- AREX will be extended from Gimpo International Airport to Seoul Station by 2010.
- The Gyeongui Line will be extended into Yongsan, where it will link up with the Jungang Line and continue eastward.
- The Jungang Line will be further extended to the east, past Guksu to Yongmun.
There are several major works still in the planning stage:
- A 10km (6.25 mile) extension to the New Bundang Line (see above) northward from Gangnam to Yongsan is under consideration. If approved, the project is estimated to cost at least 400 billion won [5].
- An extension of the Jungang Line may be further elongated past Yongmun to Wonju city, Gangwon Province. [6]
- Sin Ansan Line will be connecting Ansan, Siheung, Seoul Station, and Cheongnyangni Station. At its terminus at Cheongnyangni, the line will be connected to a new light rail line called Myeonmok light Rail Line
- From Wangsimni Station (transfer station of Line 2, Line 5, Jungang Line) Bundang Line and Dongbuk Light Rail Line is planned.[7]
- Daegok-Sosa-Wonsi Line is about to start construction in Gyeonggi-do, west of Seoul, linking Ilsan, Gimpo Airport, Bucheon, Siheung, and Ansan cities from north to south.
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Seoul Subway |
- Incheon Subway
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of urban rail systems by length
- Seoul Metropolitan Subway stations
- Top 10 metro systems in terms of annual passenger rides
- Top 10 metro systems in terms of number of stations
- Transportation in South Korea
References
External links
- Official Homepages
- City Government
- Seoul Subway: Visitseoul.net
- English-language WMV video describing Seoul Subway history, current construction and future projects
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