Gwangmyeong Station
Encyclopedia
Gwangmyeong Station is a train station in Gwangmyeong
, South Korea
. The station was newly built as a stop of national railway operator Korail
's KTX
high-speed service, 22 km (13.7 mi) south of Seoul Station
.
on Line 7
of the Seoul Subway
and is also the name of a station on Line 2 of the Pyongyang Metro
.
Construction cost was 406.8 billion won
.
After opening in April 2004, Gwangmyeong Station was used by only an average 4,521 passengers a day. However, ridership growth was one of the fastest among KTX stations, and the daily number of KTX passengers arriving or departing at the station reached 14,608 in 2008, surpassing Yongsan Station
, the Seoul terminus of Honam KTX services. In the first five years of service, until the end of February 2009, Gwangmyeong Station saw a total of 22,173,792 passenger boardings, again surpassing Yongsan Station.
In passenger surveys conducted in the first months after the launch of KTX service, the problem mentioned most often was the lack of adequate local access for intermediate stations, especially the lack of a subway connection to the two new stations Gwangmyeong and Cheonan-Asan
. Gwangmyeong Station was linked to Seoul Subway Line 1
by a shuttle service from Yongsan on December 15, 2006. However, the shuttle uses the same tracks as the KTX trains, resulting in a schedule with long waiting times between the arrival of KTX and subway trains, thus the service had little impact. A 2008 survey of KTX passengers arriving or departing at Gwangmyeong Station found that 57% used private cars, 11% took a taxi, 28% took a bus, and only 4% took the subway train.
When an additional KTX stop was proposed in 2004 at nearby Yeongdeungpo Station
, some locals living around Gwangmyeong Station feared that Korail would kill Gwangmyeong Station by migrating all services to the new station, and formed an action group against the plan. The action group gathered 880,000 signatures, forcing the government to drop the plans in late 2005. When Yeongdeungpo Station was made a KTX stop for new services via Suwon starting with November 1, 2010, protests resumed.
, joining the Gyeongbu Line
section of Line 1 at Siheung Station
in Seoul
. Gwangmyeong Station is not connected directly to other subway stations in the city of Gwangmyeong, namely Cheolsan
and Gwangmyeongsageori
, so it is necessary to change trains at Gasan Digital Complex Station
in Seoul
to travel there, or just take one of the many buses traveling to the station.
Gwangmyeong
Gwangmyeong is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It borders Seoul to the north and northeast, Anyang to the east and south, and Siheung to the southwest.-Districts:There are 18 administrative districts in Gwangmyeong...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The station was newly built as a stop of national railway operator Korail
Korail
Korea Railroad Corporation , promoted as Korail , is the national railroad operator in South Korea.Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea...
's KTX
Korea Train Express
Korea Train eXpress is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the first section of the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. The project was later split into two phases and combined with conventional line upgrades, adding a second route from Seoul to...
high-speed service, 22 km (13.7 mi) south of Seoul Station
Seoul Station
Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...
.
Disambiguation
Note that "Gwangmyeong Station" is the former name of Gwangmyeongsageori StationGwangmyeongsageori Station
Gwangmyeongsageori Station is a station on Line 7 of the Seoul Subway, even though the station itself is located in the heart of the neighboring city of Gwangmyeong...
on Line 7
Seoul Subway Line 7
Seoul Subway Line 7 of the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation was built 1990-96 and was completed 1 August 2000 ; the western section between Sinpung and Onsu was put into service on 29 February 2000...
of the Seoul Subway
Seoul Metropolitan Subway
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway or Metropolitan Subway in Seoul, 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 thirteen lines...
and is also the name of a station on Line 2 of the Pyongyang Metro
Pyongyang Metro
The Pyongyang Metro is the metro system in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It consists of two lines: the Chŏllima line runs from Kwangbok station in the southwest to Ragwŏn station in the northeast, and the Hyŏksin line runs north, from Puhŭng station on the banks of the Taedong to...
.
Construction
The location of Gwangmyeong Station was finalised on October 14, 1994, though construction did not begin until December 1999. The planned name of "Namseoul Station" (literally meaning South Seoul Station) was changed to "Gwangmyeong Station" on August 28, 2000, and the station building was completed on March 27, 2004.Construction cost was 406.8 billion won
South Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
.
Operation
The station opened with the start of KTX service on April 1, 2004.After opening in April 2004, Gwangmyeong Station was used by only an average 4,521 passengers a day. However, ridership growth was one of the fastest among KTX stations, and the daily number of KTX passengers arriving or departing at the station reached 14,608 in 2008, surpassing Yongsan Station
Yongsan Station
Yongsan Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. It is located in Yongsan Gu, and adjoins the Yongsan Electronics Market. The station is the terminus for high-speed and long-distance trains on a number of railway lines, including most trains on the Honam Line, its high-speed...
, the Seoul terminus of Honam KTX services. In the first five years of service, until the end of February 2009, Gwangmyeong Station saw a total of 22,173,792 passenger boardings, again surpassing Yongsan Station.
In passenger surveys conducted in the first months after the launch of KTX service, the problem mentioned most often was the lack of adequate local access for intermediate stations, especially the lack of a subway connection to the two new stations Gwangmyeong and Cheonan-Asan
Cheonan-Asan Station
Cheonan-Asan Station is a ground-level train station located mostly in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, although part of it lies in the neighboring city of Cheonan. This station serves high-speed KTX trains that run from Seoul to either Busan or Mokpo...
. Gwangmyeong Station was linked to Seoul Subway Line 1
Seoul Subway Line 1
Seoul Subway Line 1 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, formerly known as the Korea National Railroad of Seoul, is an operation channel which links central Seoul, South Korea to Soyosan Station in the northeast, Incheon in the southwest, and Asan via Suwon in the south. This line covers a large part...
by a shuttle service from Yongsan on December 15, 2006. However, the shuttle uses the same tracks as the KTX trains, resulting in a schedule with long waiting times between the arrival of KTX and subway trains, thus the service had little impact. A 2008 survey of KTX passengers arriving or departing at Gwangmyeong Station found that 57% used private cars, 11% took a taxi, 28% took a bus, and only 4% took the subway train.
When an additional KTX stop was proposed in 2004 at nearby Yeongdeungpo Station
Yeongdeungpo Station
Yeongdeungpo Station is a ground-level railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is located in Yeongdeungpo Dong, Yeongdeungpo Gu, and is a stop on the Gyeongbu Line, Honam Line and Seoul Subway Line 1...
, some locals living around Gwangmyeong Station feared that Korail would kill Gwangmyeong Station by migrating all services to the new station, and formed an action group against the plan. The action group gathered 880,000 signatures, forcing the government to drop the plans in late 2005. When Yeongdeungpo Station was made a KTX stop for new services via Suwon starting with November 1, 2010, protests resumed.
Building
Gwangmyeong Station is a glass structure surrounded by large car parking spaces. Standing on a plot of land measuring 264,131m², the interior of the 48,184m² building is open, with the tracks, which approach the station from both directions through cuttings, sunken below the main concourse, yet visible to passengers waiting at ground level. There are two stories above ground level and two below. The building measures 297m×148m in terms of internal available space. Originally meant to be the terminus for KTX lines, the size of the station was constructed accordingly. As the terminus changed to Seoul and Yongsan, the large difference between capacity and actual use the station and most prominently due to the size of the station, it has earned the nickname Gwangmyeong Airport by rail enthusiasts.Services
Gwangmyeong Station is served by KTX trains on both the Gyeongbu and Honam KTX services. Shuttle trains run every 30 minutes to YeongdeungpoYeongdeungpo Station
Yeongdeungpo Station is a ground-level railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is located in Yeongdeungpo Dong, Yeongdeungpo Gu, and is a stop on the Gyeongbu Line, Honam Line and Seoul Subway Line 1...
, joining the Gyeongbu Line
Gyeongbu Line
The Gyeongbu Line is the most important railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest. It was constructed by Japan in 1905, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan. The Gyeongbu Line is by far the most heavily travelled rail line in South Korea...
section of Line 1 at Siheung Station
Siheung Station
Geumcheon-gu office Station, formerly known as Siheung Station, is a station on the Line 1 of the Seoul Subway, as well as the Gyeongbu Line...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. Gwangmyeong Station is not connected directly to other subway stations in the city of Gwangmyeong, namely Cheolsan
Cheolsan Station
Cheolsan Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 7. It is one of the three metro stations in the suburban city of Gwangmyeong.-Vicinity:*Exit 1 : Wangjaesan Park, Cheolsan Market*Exit 2 : Gwangmyeong Police Station, Gwangdeok Elementary School...
and Gwangmyeongsageori
Gwangmyeongsageori Station
Gwangmyeongsageori Station is a station on Line 7 of the Seoul Subway, even though the station itself is located in the heart of the neighboring city of Gwangmyeong...
, so it is necessary to change trains at Gasan Digital Complex Station
Gasan Digital Complex Station
Gasan Digital Complex Station is on Gyeongbu Line, Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 and Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 7. Its former name is Garibong Station.-References:...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
to travel there, or just take one of the many buses traveling to the station.