Gyeongchun Line Explained

Box Width:	22em
Color:	0066b3
Gyeongchun Line
Native Name:	Gyeongchunseon
Type:	Heavy rail, Passenger rail Commuter rail, Intercity rail
System:	Seoul Metropolitan Subway,
Status:	Operational
Locale:	Seoul Gyeonggi Gangwon (South Korea)
Start:	Mangu Station Line
End:	Chuncheon
Stations:	20
Open:	July 20, 1939 (original route) December 21, 2010 (realigned route)
Close:	December 20, 2010 (original route)
Owner:	Korea Rail Network Authority
Operator:	Korail
Stock:	Class 361000, ITX-Cheongchun, Mugunghwa-ho
Tracklength:	80.7km (50.1miles)
Tracks:	Double track
Electrification:	25 kV/60 Hz AC catenary
Speed:	1800NaN0

The Gyeongchun Line is a regional rail line between Seoul and Chuncheon, South Korea, operated by Korail. Its name is derived from Gyeong (Korean: 京, 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 87.3km (54.2miles) between Kwangwoon University on the Gyeongwon Line to Chuncheon by the privately owned Gyeongchun Railway on 20 July 1939.^{[1] [2]} Chuncheon was the most popular destination for students on orientation trips, bringing passengers to the line. 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 1800NaN0.^{[3] [4]} 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.^[5] The remaining 17.9 km of the upgraded line was built with a separate budget of 574.124 billion won.^[6] 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.^[6]

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.^[4] The complete new alignment opened and the old one closed on December 21, 2010.^[7]

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.^[8] 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.^[8]

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.^[9]

Services

Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line

Box Width:	22em
Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line
Type:	Heavy rail, Passenger rail Commuter rail, Intercity rail
Status:	Operating
Locale:	Seoul Gyeonggi Gangwon (South Korea)
First:	December 21, 2010
Operator:	Korail
Start:	Sangbong, Kwangwoon University, Cheongnyangni
Stops:	21
End:	Chuncheon
Line Used:	Jungang Line, Gyeongchun Line
Distance:	90.0km
Baggage:	Overhead racks baggage storage
Stock:	Class 361000
El:	25 kV/60 Hz catenary
Speed:	1800NaN0
Map State:	collapsed

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).^[10] It brings that the system from Seoul all the way into Gangwon Province.^[7] 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.^[7] Compared to the previous Mugunghwa-ho train service on the Gyeongchun Line, fares were reduced by half.^[7] 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.^[9]

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 1800NaN0.^{[4] [11]} 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.^[12]

Mugunghwa service

Some special Mugunghwa trains which deploy military troops takes the Gyeongchun Line.^[13]

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.

Station number	Station name			ITX-Cheongchun (Limited Express)	Express	Local	Transfer			Line name	Station dist.	Total dist.	Location
	Romanized	Hangul	Hanja								in km
K117	Cheongnyangni	Korean: [[:ko:청량리역|청량리]]		●	●	○		Gyeongui–Jungang	Mugunghwa-ho, ITX-Saemaeul and Nuriro services	Jungang Line	2.4	-2.4	Seoul	Dongdaemun-gu
K118	Hoegi	Korean: [[:ko:회기역|회기]]		||style="text-align:center;"|●|style="text-align:center;"|○| | style="text-align: center;" | 1.4| -2.6|-| style="text-align: center;" | K119| Jungnang| Korean: [[:ko:중랑역|중랑]] || |style="text-align:center;"|||style="text-align:center;"||	○				1.8	-0.8	Jungnang District
K120	Sangbong	Korean: [[:ko:상봉역|상봉]]		▲	●	●			Mangu Line branch trains	0.8		0.0
K121	Mangu	Korean: [[:ko:망우역|망우]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				0.6	0.6
P122	Sinnae	Korean: [[:ko:신내역|신내]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				Gyeongchun Line	2.1		2.7
P123	Galmae	Korean: [[:ko:갈매역|갈매]]		||style="text-align:center;"|●|style="text-align:center;"|●| colspan="3" | | style="text-align: center;" | 2.6| style="text-align: center;" | 5.3| rowspan = "12" style="text-align: center;" | Gyeonggi Province| style="text-align: center;" | Guri-si|-| style="text-align: center;" | P124| Byeollae| Korean: [[:ko:별내역|별내]] || |style="text-align:center;"||	●	●				1.4	6.7	Namyangju
P125	Toegyewon	Korean: [[:ko:퇴계원역|퇴계원]]		▲	●	●				1.6	8.3
P126	Sareung	Korean: [[:ko:사릉역|사릉]]		▲	●	●				3.3	11.6
P127	Geumgok	Korean: [[:ko:금곡역 (남양주)|금곡]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				3.6	15.2
P128	Pyeongnaehopyeong	Korean: [[:ko:평내호평역|평내호평]]		○	●	●				4.0	19.2
P129	Cheonmasan	Korean: [[:ko:천마산역|천마산]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				4.2	23.4
P130	Maseok	Korean: [[:ko:마석역|마석]]		▲	●	●				2.2	25.6
P131	Daeseong-ri	Korean: [[:ko:대성리역|대성리]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				7.4	33.0	Gapyeong County
P132	Cheongpyeong	Korean: [[:ko:청평역|청평]]		○	●	●				7.5		40.5
P133	Sangcheon	Korean: [[:ko:상천역|상천]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				4.8	45.3
P134	Gapyeong	Korean: [[:ko:가평역|가평]]		●	●	●				7.1		52.4
P135	Gulbongsan	Korean: [[:ko:굴봉산역|굴봉산]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				4.7	57.1	Gangwon Province	Chuncheon
P136	Baegyang-ri	Korean: [[:ko:백양리역|백양리]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				2.9	60.0
P137	Gangchon	Korean: [[:ko:강촌역|강촌]]		○	●	●				5.3			65.3
P138	Gimyujeong	Korean: [[:ko:김유정역|김유정]]		||style="text-align:center;"||	●				7.4	72.7
P139	Namchuncheon	Korean: [[:ko:남춘천역|남춘천]]		●	●	●				5.9			78.6
P140	Chuncheon	Korean: [[:ko:춘천역|춘천]]		●	●	●				2.7			81.3
ITX-Cheongchun Intercity Train Express, Cheongchun ●: regular stop ▲: limited service (weekdays only) ○: limited service | : all trains pass |} 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 Korean: [[:ko:광운대역|광운대]] Mangu Line — -4.3 Seoul Nowon District K120 Sangbong Korean: [[:ko:상봉역|상봉]] 0.0 4.3 Jungnang District Former alignment Station name Connecting services Station type Romanized Hangul Hanja Kwangwoon Univ. Korean: [[:ko:광운대역|광운대]] via Gyeongwon Aboveground Singongdeok Korean: [[:ko:신공덕역|신공덕]] Aboveground Hwarangdae Korean: [[:ko:화랑대역 (한국철도공사)|화랑대]] Aboveground Toegyewon Korean: [[:ko:퇴계원역|퇴계원]] Aboveground Sareung Korean: [[:ko:사릉역|사릉]] Aboveground Geumgok Korean: [[:ko:금곡역 (남양주)|금곡]] Aboveground Pyeongnaehopyeong Korean: [[:ko:평내호평역|평내호평]] Aboveground Maseok Korean: [[:ko:마석역|마석]] Aboveground Daeseong-ri Korean: [[:ko:대성리역|대성리]] Aboveground Cheongpyeong Korean: [[:ko:청평역|청평]] Aboveground Sangcheon Korean: [[:ko:상천역|상천]] Aboveground Gapyeong Korean: [[:ko:가평역|가평]] Aboveground Gulbongsan Korean: [[:ko:굴봉산역|굴봉산]] Aboveground Baegyang-ri Korean: [[:ko:백양리역|백양리]] Aboveground Gangchon Korean: [[:ko:강촌역|강촌]] Aboveground Gimyujeong Korean: [[:ko:김유정역|김유정]] Aboveground Namchuncheon Korean: [[:ko:남춘천역|남춘천]] Aboveground Chuncheon Korean: [[:ko:춘천역|춘천]] Aboveground See also Korail Transportation in South Korea References

Notes and References

1. Web site: 경영원칙 - 경영공시 - 영업현황 - 영업거리현황 . . 2010-12-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722192217/http://info.korail.com/2007/kra/ope/ope08000/w_ope08606.jsp . 2011-07-22 .
2. 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
3. Web site: Korea's railways face a bright future . 2008-07-01 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20090416195911/http://www.railjournal.com/altfeature1.shtml . 2009-04-16 . 2010-08-29 . dead .
4. Web site: South Korea's growing network . 2008-09-08 . . 2010-08-29 . 2012-12-05 . https://archive.today/20121205072403/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/10/south-koreas-growing-network.html . dead .
5. Web site: 경춘선 복선전철 . Korea Rail Network Authority . 2010-10-24.
6. Web site: 망우~금곡 복선전철 . Korea Rail Network Authority . 2010-10-24.
7. Web site: Historic railway line chugs on into history . 2010-12-09 . . 2010-12-16.
8. Web site: Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020 . 2010-09-02 . . 2010-10-27.
9. Web site: Archived copy . 2016-12-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170210210902/http://www.letskorail.com/etc/excel/160926_10_Sangbong-Chonchen.xls . 2017-02-10 .
10. News: Gisam. Hong. December 13, 2019. 서울 지하철 6호선 신내역 21일 개통...경춘선과 만난다. Seoul Metro Line 6 Sinnae station opens - connects Gyeongchun Line. ko. News1 News. Seoul. January 27, 2021. 서울 지하철 6호선이 신내역 개통을 통해 수도권 전철 경춘선과 만난다..
11. Web site: [Full HD] 경춘선 좌석급행 2층열차 / Gyeongchun Line's new trains coming]. loveaselin. 9 September 2011. YouTube.
12. News: Sanghak. Lee. July 13, 2018. 경춘선'ITX-청춘'8월부터 요금 올라...춘천~용산 8천300원. Fare of Gyeongchun Line 'ITX-Cheongchun' increases - 8,300 won for Chuncheon to Yongsan. ko. Yonhapnews. Seoul. January 27, 2021.
13. Web site: [철도] 경춘선 건설무궁화호 남춘천역 통과 영상 (19.02.21)]. [Railroad] Gyeongchun Line Gyeonseol Mugunghwa-ho train passes through Namchuncheon station(19.02.21). PDC HANEUL TV. January 27, 2021. March 2, 2016. YouTube.