Gyeongchun Line

The Gyeongchun Line is a regional rail line between Seoul and Chuncheon operated by Korail. The name of the line is derived from Gyeong (京, meaning the capital, Seoul) and Chuncheon. The line was reconstructed in a new alignment in its entirety in the 2000s. Rail service operates 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.

Gyeongchun Line
Overview
Native name경춘선（京春線）
Gyeongchunseon
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger rail
Commuter rail, Intercity rail
SystemSeoul Metropolitan Subway
StatusOperational
LocaleSeoul
Gyeonggi
Gangwon (South Korea)
TerminiSangbong, Kwangwoon University, Cheongnyangni
Chuncheon
Stations20
Operation
OpenedJuly 20, 1939 (original route)
December 21, 2010 (realigned route)
ClosedDecember 20, 2010 (original route)
OwnerKorea Rail Network Authority
Operator(s)Korail
Technical
Line length80.7 km (50.1 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification25 kV/60 Hz AC catenary
Route map

 Main Line 
Jungang Line, Mangu Line
-0.6 Sangbong
 Gyeongui–​Jungang 
0.0 Mangu  Gyeongui–​Jungang 
Jungang Line
 ( Gyeongui–​Jungang )
 2.1 Sinnae
 Sinnae-Namyangju Expressway
 ↑Seoul/Guri↓
 4.7 Galmae
 since 2010
 The old main line
13.9
5.6
 Galmae
 until 1974
 ↑Guri/Namyangju↓
 6.1 Byeollae
 Seoul Ring Expressway
 7.7 Toegyewon
 11.0 Sareung
 14.6 Geumgok
Pyeongnae Rail Yard
18.6 Pyeongnae–Hopyeong
 since 2006
Pyeongnae
 until 2006
22.8 Cheonmasan
 25.0 Maseok
Damnae
 closed in 1974
↑Namyangju/Gapyeong↓
 32.4 Daeseongni
Cheongpyeong Lake
 closed in 1969
 39.9 Cheongpyeong
44.7 Sangcheon
49.5 Sangsaek
 closed in 1974
51.8 Gapyeong
 since 2010
53.4 Gapyeong
 until 2010
↑Gapyeong
Bukhan River
↓Chuncheon
58.0 Gyeongang
 until 2010
56.6 Gulbongsan
 since 2010
59.4 Baegyangni
 since 2010
Baegyangni
 until 2010
64.7 Gangchon
Uiam
 closed in 1974
72.1 Kimyujeong
 77.4 South Chuncheon
 until 2010
 78.0 South Chuncheon
 since 2010
 80.7 Chuncheon
 Seongdong ― Toegyewon 
 0.0 Seongdong
 closed in 1971
 1.2 Gosangjeon
 closed in 1971
 3.7 Wolgok
 closed in 1971
 Gyeongwon Line ()
 6.2 Kwangwoon Univ.
Gyeongwon Line ()
 8.3 Singongdeok
 closed in 2010
 10.6 Hwarangdae
 closed in 2010
 ↑Seoul/Guri↓
 Main Line
 13.9 Galmae
 until 1974
 ↑Guri/Namyangju↓
 Byeollae
 Toegyewon
 Main Line
  •  Gyeongchun ; (Kwangwoon Univ. -) Sangbong - Chuncheon

History
Trestle on the old Gyeongchun Line

The original Gyeongchun Line was opened along its full length of 87.3 km (54.2 mi) 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.[3] 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 180 km/h (112 mph).[3][4][5] 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.[6] The remaining 17.9 km of the upgraded line was built with a separate budget of 574.124 billion won.[7] 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.[7]

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.[5] The complete new alignment opened and the old one closed on December 21, 2010.[3]

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.

On September 26, 2016, the line was extended to Cheongnyangni Station to improve access to regional trains 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

When the new Gyeongchun Line opened on December 21, 2010, passenger service was integrated into the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system, bringing that system from Seoul all the way into Gangwon-do.[3] 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.[3] Compared to the previous Mugunghwa-ho train service on the Gyeongchun Line, fares dropped by half.[3] For the service, Hyundai Rotem supplied Korail with fifteen eight-car Class 361000 EMU trains, out of which only thirteen trains remain in service on the line today, and one train pending re-entry into service.

On February 28, 2012, Korail introduced ITX 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 180 km/h (112 mph).[5][10] The base fare is 9800 won between Chuncheon and Yongsan, currently it has a 30% discount. The express service was phased out along with the advent of the ITX service, but was brought back in early 2017.

Stations

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.

Abandoned platform of Singongdeok station, Gyeongchun line
Station
number		 Station name ITX-CheongChun Express Local Transfer Line
name		 Station
dist.		 Total
dist.		 Location
Romanized Hangul Hanja in km
K117 Cheongnyangni 청량리淸凉里 ● ● ● Gyeongui–Jungang
(stop going via)		  Gyeongui–​Jungang   Bundang 
Mugunghwa-ho and ITX-Saemaeul services
 2.4 -2.4 Seoul Dongdaemun-gu
K118 Hoegi 회기回基
|
 ● ● Jungang
Line		 1.4 -2.6
K119 Jungnang 중랑中浪
|
 ● 1.8 -0.8 Jungnang District
K120 Sangbong 상봉上鳳 ▲ ● ●  Gyeongui–​Jungang 
Mangu Line branch trains
 0.8 0.0
K121 Mangu 망우忘憂
|
 ●  Gyeongui–​Jungang 
 0.6 0.6
P122 Sinnae 신내新內
|
 ● Gyeongchun
Line		 2.1 2.7
P123 Galmae 갈매葛梅
|
 ● 2.6 5.3 Gyeonggi Province Guri-si
P124 Byeollae 별내別內
|
 ●
(2023)		 1.4 6.7 Namyangju
P125 Toegyewon 퇴계원退溪院 ▲ ● ● 1.6 8.3
P126 Sareung 사릉思陵 ▲ ● ● 3.3 11.6
P127 Geumgok 금곡金谷
|
 ● 3.6 15.2
P128 Pyeongnae–Hopyeong 평내호평坪內好坪 ♢ ● ● 4.0 19.2
P129 Cheonmasan 천마산天摩山
|
 ● 4.2 23.4
P130 Maseok 마석磨石 ▲ ● ● 2.2 25.6
P131 Daeseong-ri 대성리大成里
|
 ● 7.4 33.0 Gapyeong County
P132 Cheongpyeong 청평淸平 ♢ ● ● 7.5 40.5
P133 Sangcheon 상천上泉
|
 ● 4.8 45.3
P134 Gapyeong 가평加平 ● ● ● 7.1 52.4
P135 Gulbongsan 굴봉산屈峰山
|
 ● 4.7 57.1 Gangwon Province Chuncheon
P136 Baegyang-ri 백양리白楊里 ♢
|
 ● 2.9 60.0
P137 Gangchon 강촌江村 ♢ ● ● 5.3 65.3
P138 Gimyujeong 김유정金裕貞
|
 ● 7.4 72.7
P139 Namchuncheon 남춘천南春川 ● ● ● 5.9 78.6
P140 Chuncheon 춘천春川 ● ● ● 2.7 81.3
ITX-CheongChun: Intercity Train Express, Cheongchun
  • ●: regular stop
  • ▲: limited weekday service
  • ♢: some trains pass
  • | : 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 광운대光云大 Mangu
Line		 — -4.3 Seoul Nowon District
K120 Sangbong 상봉上鳳  Gyeongui–​Jungang 
 0.0 4.3 Jungnang District
Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line

Former alignment
Station name Connecting services Station type
Romanized Hangul Hanja
Kwangwoon Univ. 광운대 城北 via Gyeongwon Aboveground
Singongdeok 신공덕 新孔德 Aboveground
Hwarangdae 화랑대 花郞臺 Aboveground
Toegyewon 퇴계원退溪院 Aboveground
Sareung 사릉思陵 Aboveground
Geumgok 금곡金谷 Aboveground
PyeongnaeHopyeong 평내호평坪內好坪 Aboveground
Maseok 마석磨石 Aboveground
Daeseong-ri 대성리大成里 Aboveground
Cheongpyeong 청평淸平 Aboveground
Sangcheon 상천上泉 Aboveground
Gapyeong 가평加平 Aboveground
Gulbongsan 굴봉산屈峰山 Aboveground
Baegyang-ri 백양리白楊里 Aboveground
Gangchon 강촌江村 Aboveground
Gimyujeong 김유정金裕貞 Aboveground
Namchuncheon 남춘천南春川 Aboveground
Chuncheon 춘천春川 Aboveground

See also
  • Korail
  • Transportation in South Korea
  • List of Korea-related topics

References
  1. "경영원칙 - 경영공시 - 영업현황 - 영업거리현황". Korail. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
  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. "Historic railway line chugs on into history". JoongAng Daily. 2010-12-09. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
  4. "Korea's railways face a bright future". International Railway Journal. 2008-07-01. Archived from the original on 2009-04-16. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  5. "South Korea's growing network". Railway Gazette International. 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  6. "경춘선 복선전철". Korea Rail Network Authority. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  7. "망우∼금곡 복선전철". Korea Rail Network Authority. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  8. "Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020". JoongAng Daily. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-02-10. Retrieved 2016-12-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. loveaselin (9 September 2011). "[Full HD] 경춘선 좌석급행 2층열차 / Gyeongchun Line's new trains coming" – via YouTube.
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