Gyeongchun Line

Gyeongchun Line

Overview
Native name 경춘선（京春線）
Gyeongchunseon
Type Heavy rail, Passenger rail
Commuter rail, Intercity rail
System Seoul Metropolitan Subway
Status Operational
Locale Seoul
Gyeonggi
Gangwon (South Korea)
Termini Mangu
Chuncheon
Stations 20
Operation
Opened July 20, 1939 (original route)
December 21, 2010 (realigned route)
Closed December 20, 2010 (original route)
Owner Korea Rail Network Authority
Operator(s) Korail
Technical
Line length 80.7 km (50.1 mi)
Number of tracks Double track
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification 25 kV/60 Hz AC catenary
Route map

Legend
 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 Line
Korean name
Hangul 경춘선
Hanja 京春線
Revised Romanization Gyeongchun-seon
McCune–Reischauer Kyŏngch'un sŏn

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.

History

Trestle on the old Gyeongchun Line

The original Gyeongchun Line was opened along its full length of 87.3 km between Seongbuk Station, on the Gyeongwon Line, to Chuncheon on July 20, 1939.[1][2] In South Korea, Chuncheon was the most popular destination for students on orientation trips, bringing passengers to the line.[3]

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 EMUs, out of which only 13 remain in service on the line today.

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.

Stations

Current Services

Service via the Gyeongui-Jungang Line

The following stations are along the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.

abandoned platform of Singongdeok station, Gyeongchun line
Station
number		 Station name ITX Local Transfer Line
name		 Station
dist.		 Total
dist.		 Location
Romanized Hangul Hanja in km
K110
 Yongsan 용산 龍山 ● No service
Gyeongwon
Line
—
−12.7
Seoul
Yongsan-gu
K114
 Oksu 옥수 玉水 ▲
7.1
−5.6
Seongdong-gu
K116
 Wangsimni 왕십리 往十里 ▲
 Bundang 
3.2
−2.4
K117
 Cheongnyangni 청량리 淸凉里 ● ♢
2.4
0
Dongdaemun-gu
K118
 Hoegi 회기 回基 ♢
Jungang
Line
1.4
1.4
K119
 Jungnang 중랑 中浪 ♢
1.8
3.2
Jungnang-gu
Line continues to Sangbong Station
The negative sign is only a convention for distance notation, from Cheongnyangni Station.

Current Alignment (opened December 21, 2010)

Station
number		 Station name ITX Local Transfer Line
name		 Station
dist.		 Total
dist.		 Location
Romanized Hangul Hanja in km
119
 Kwangwoon
University		 광운대 光云大
no service
 ▲
Mangu
Line
—
Seoul
Nowon
-gu
K120
 Sangbong 상봉 上鳳 ▲ ●
 Gyeongui–​Jungang 
4.3
0.0
Jungnang
-gu
K121
 Mangu 망우 忘憂 ●  Gyeongui–​Jungang 
0.6
0.6
P122
 Sinnae 신내 新內 ●
(TBD)
Gyeongchun
Line
2.1
2.7
P123
 Galmae 갈매 葛梅 ●
2.6
5.3
Gyeonggi
-do
Guri-si
P124
 Byeollae 별내 別內 ●
(2022)
1.4
6.7
Namyangju
-si
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
-gun
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
-do
Chuncheon
-si
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: Intercity Train Express Cheongchun
  • ●: regular stop
  • ▲: limited rush hour service
  • ♢: some trains pass
  • (blank) : all trains pass
Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongchun Line

Former alignment

Station name Connecting services Station type
Romanized Hangul Hanja
Seongbuk 성북 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
Pyeongnae–Hopyeong 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
Gyeonggang (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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gyeongchun Line.

References

  1. ↑ "경영원칙 - 경영공시 - 영업현황 - 영업거리현황". Korail. 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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "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 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  5. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 "망우∼금곡 복선전철". Korea Rail Network Authority. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
  8. 1 2 "Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020". JoongAng Daily. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  9. ↑ http://www.letskorail.com/etc/excel/160926_10_Sangbong-Chonchen.xls
  10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRGcA84G318
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