Korail
Encyclopedia
Korea Railroad Corporation (Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...

: 한국철도공사, Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...

: 韓國鐵道公社), promoted as Korail (코레일), is the national railroad operator in 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...

.

Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea. The railroad's headquarters are located in Daejeon
Daejeon
Daejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the...

.

History

What is now known as Korail was started as Railroad Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation with the establishment of South Korean government. On September 1, 1963, the bureau became an agency that was known as Korean National Railroad (KNR) in English. In 2003, KNR adopted the current "Korail" logo in blue, but the "Korail" name was adopted before 2003. On January 1, 2005, KNR was split into Korea Railroad Corporation, which succeeded railroad operation with the Korail logo and name, and Korea Rail Network Authority
Korea Rail Network Authority
Korea Rail Network Authority is a railroad construction and management company in South Korea formed by the merger of KNR Construction Headquarter and Korean Express Railroad Construction Corporation. Its main clients are Korail and Seoul Metro....

, which succeeded maintaining tracks.

Lines

Korail operates all the long distance lines in South Korea as well as local lines. 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...

 with its high-speed parallel line, running between the two largest cities, 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...

 and Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

, is by far the most heavily travelled line. Other main lines include Honam Line
Honam Line
The Honam Line is a major railway line serving the Honam region in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Gwangju and Mokpo.-History:...

 and Jeolla Line
Jeolla Line
The Jeolla Line is a railway line in North and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Yeosu...

, stretching into Jeolla
Jeolla
Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...

 region, the Janghang Line
Janghang Line
The Janghang Line is a railway line serving South Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Cheonan to the railway junction city of Iksan. The Janghang Line is served by frequent Saemaul-ho and Mugunghwa passenger train services between Seoul and Iksan...

 and the Jungang Line
Jungang Line
The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...

.

The South Korean government plans to invest $US 88 billion in the network from 2011 to 2020, with extensive double-tracking and electrification.

The current list of railway lines with regular passenger service is as follows (urban and metropolitan lines excepted):
  • 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...

    경부선 : Seoul-Busan. Fully electrified double track.
    • Gyeongbu High-speed Line 경부고속선 : Seoul-Busan (Seoul-Daejeon and Okcheon-Chilgok in first phase). Fully electrified double track high speed.
  • Honam Line
    Honam Line
    The Honam Line is a major railway line serving the Honam region in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Gwangju and Mokpo.-History:...

    호남선 : Daejeon-Mokpo. Fully electrified double track. Parallel high-speed line
    Honam Line (KTX)
    The Honam High Speed Railway is an in-construction high-speed railway between Osong and Mokpo in South Korea...

     is being built.
    • Gwangju Line 광주선 : Gwangju Songjeong-Gwangju main station. Fully electrified single track branch line, for KTX and intercity services into central Gwangju.
  • Jeolla Line
    Jeolla Line
    The Jeolla Line is a railway line in North and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Yeosu...

    전라선 : Iksan-Yeosu. Partially double track.
  • Janghang Line
    Janghang Line
    The Janghang Line is a railway line serving South Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Cheonan to the railway junction city of Iksan. The Janghang Line is served by frequent Saemaul-ho and Mugunghwa passenger train services between Seoul and Iksan...

    장항선 : Cheonan-Iksan. This line formerly finished at Janghang station, but extended into Iksan when the link between Janghang and Gunsan completed in December 2008. Former Janghang and Gunsan lines consolidated into new Janghang Line.
  • Gyeongchun Line
    Gyeongchun Line
    The Gyeongchun Line is a railway line connecting Seoul to Chuncheon in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Chuncheon. The line was reconstructed in a new alignment in its entirety in the 2000s...

    경춘선 : Seoul-Chuncheon. Fully electrified line reopened in 2010.
  • Jungang Line
    Jungang Line
    The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...

    중앙선 : Seoul-Gyeongju. Partially electrified double track.
  • Chungbuk Line
    Chungbuk Line
    The Chungbuk Line is a railway line serving North Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Jochiwon on the Gyeongbu Line to Bongyang on the Jungang Line, serving the major cities of Cheongju and Chungju en route. Cheongju International Airport is located near the rail...

    충북선 : Jochiwon-Jecheon. Fully electrified double track. This line links Gyeongbu and Jungang main lines and therefore plays a great role in freight transport.
  • Yeongdong Line
    Yeongdong Line
    The Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, thence proceeding north to Gangneung.At Yeongju, the line connects with the...

    영동선 : Yeongju-Gangneung. Partly electrified. The most mountainous route in Korea.
  • Taebaek Line
    Taebaek Line
    Taebaek Line is a single-track electrified railway mainline connecting Jecheon Station to Baeksan Station in South Korea. At its two ends, the Taebaek Line connects to the Jungang Line and Yeongdong Line. The line was originally two spur lines, which were built across difficult mountainous terrain...

    태백선 : Jecheon-Cheolam. Fully electrified, as a shortcut leading to Gangneung.
    • Jeongseon Line 정선선 : Jeungsan-Auraji. It's famous as a scenic route, but was originally built for coal mining.
  • Gyeongbuk Line
    Gyeongbuk Line
    The Gyeongbuk Line is a railway line serving North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. The line runs from Gimcheon on the Gyeongbu Line via Sangju, Yeomchon , and Yecheon to Yeongju on the Jungang Line....

    경북선 : Gimcheon-Yeongju.
  • Daegu Line
    Daegu Line
    The Daegu Line is a railway line in South Korea. The line connects Dongdaegu Station on the Gyeongbu Line in Daegu to Yeongcheon on the Jungang Line...

    대구선 : Daegu-Yeongcheon.
  • Donghae Nambu Line
    Donghae Nambu Line
    The Donghae Nambu Line is a railway line connecting Busan to Pohang in South Korea.The line runs along South Korea's east coast.-History:...

    동해남부선 : Pohang-Busan.
  • Gyeongjeon Line
    Gyeongjeon Line
    The Gyeongjeon Line is a railway line serving South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. It covers a total of 324.8 km, from Samnangjin Station in Miryang, South Gyeongsang, to Gwangju·Songjeong Station in Gwangju, South Jeolla.-History:An east-west railway along Korea's...

    경전선 : Gwangju-Samnangjin. This line stretches along the southern coast and links Jeolla
    Jeolla
    Jeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...

     and Gyeongsang
    Gyeongsang
    Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....

     regions. Usually, this line is regarded as a set of branch lines, which feed local traffic into adjacent major lines.

  • Gyeongui Line
    Gyeongui Line
    The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...

    경의선 : Munsan-Dorasan (near DMZ).
  • Gyeongwon Line
    Gyeongwon Line
    The Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...

    경원선 : Soyosan-Sintan-ri (near DMZ)


The above two lines were country's main lines before division, but after division, only local trains have been in service. Now these two lines are almost regarded as metro lines, with Tonggeun
Tonggeun
The Tonggeun is a class of short-run commuter trains operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. On timetables, the name is always translated as "Commuter." They typically operate once or twice daily in each direction, along a few tens of kilometers of track...

 (Commuter) services in some sections.

Subway lines

In addition to conventional long-distance passenger and freight services, Korail also operates the following commuter only lines connected to the Seoul Metropolitan 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...

:
  • Gyeongin Line
    Gyeongin Line
    The Gyeongin Line is a railway mainline in South Korea, currently connecting Guro Station in Seoul and Incheon. Passenger transport along the line is integrated into Seoul Subway Line 1.-History:...

     (1900- conventional rail); 경인선 (Guro-Incheon); 구로-인천 is connected with Line 1
  • Ansan Line
    Seoul Subway Line 4
    Seoul Subway Line 4 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a long line crossing from the southwest to the northeast across the Seoul National Capital Area. The southern portion of the line is divided into the Gwacheon and Ansan Lines, but this does not affect the trains which run on it, most of...

     (1988- conventional rail); 안산선 (Geumjeong
    Geumjeong Station
    Geumjeong Station is a ground-level metro station on lines 1 and 4 of the Seoul Subway network in South Korea. The station is in Gunpo, a city approximately south of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, between the cities of Anyang and Suwon....

    -Oido
    Oido Station
    Oido Station is the current southwestern terminus of the Seoul Subway Line 4. Located almost 30 kilometers southwest of Seoul, it takes over an hour by commuter rail between this station and Seoul Station...

    ); 금정-오이도 is connected with Line 4
  • Gwacheon Line
    Seoul Subway Line 4
    Seoul Subway Line 4 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a long line crossing from the southwest to the northeast across the Seoul National Capital Area. The southern portion of the line is divided into the Gwacheon and Ansan Lines, but this does not affect the trains which run on it, most of...

     (1994- underground); 과천선 (Seonbawi
    Seonbawi Station
    Seonbawi Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 4. Most of its passengers use the station as a transfer point between various buses and Line 4. Besides a few bus stops, there really isn't much else in the vicinity of this station....

    -Geumjeong
    Geumjeong Station
    Geumjeong Station is a ground-level metro station on lines 1 and 4 of the Seoul Subway network in South Korea. The station is in Gunpo, a city approximately south of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province, between the cities of Anyang and Suwon....

    ); 선바위-금정 is connected with Line 4
  • Bundang Line
    Bundang Line
    Bundang Line is a commuter subway line of Korail, the national railway of South Korea. The name 'Bundang Line' refers to the fact that the line was constructed for the commuters of Bundang ward in Seongnam. The line starts in southeastern Seoul, travels through northern Seongnam, and finally...

     (1994- underground); 분당선 (Seolleung
    Seolleung Station
    Seolleung Station is a Seoul Subway station, on Line 2 and the Bundang Line. The station is named after the nearby Seonjeongneung, the Joseon Dynasty royal tombs Seolleung and Jeongneung ....

    -Bojeong
    Bojeong Station
    Bojeong Station is a temporary station of the Bundang Line; it is located in the train depot in the far northern end of Yongin, South Korea. It was built in order to relieve traffic congestion in the suburbs of Yongin, with the city bearing most of the construction costs...

    ); 선릉-보정
  • Ilsan Line
    Seoul Subway Line 3
    Seoul Subway Line 3 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is an operation system which connects Goyang, northwestern Seoul to the city center, Gangnam, and southeastern Seoul. Construction began in 1980, and most of the current line opened over two stages in 1985, along with Brother subway Line 4...

     (1996- partially underground); 일산선 (Jichuk
    Jichuk Station
    Jichuk Station is located just northwest of Seoul on Seoul Subway Line 3. It is within walking distance to Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Jichuk station has a subway depot for Line 3 trains nearby....

    -Daehwa
    Daehwa Station
    Daehwa Station is an underground metro station on the Ilsan Line, operating as an extension of Line 3 of the Seoul Subway, in Daehwa Dong, Ilsan Seo Gu, Goyang, South Korea. The station is Line 3's northwestern terminus and its 6 exits offer access to, among other places, KINTEX...

    ); 지축-대화 is connected with Line 3


Also, the following portions of the conventional lines listed below are linked with sections of 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...

 and Jungang Line
Jungang Line
The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...

, and carry both subway and regular trains:
  • Gyeongwon Line
    Gyeongwon Line
    The Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...

    ; 경원선 (Soyosan
    Soyosan Station
    Soyosan Station is a ground-level metro station on Line 1 of the Seoul Subway in Sangbongam Dong, Dongducheon, South Korea. It is named after the nearby Soyosan , a mountain beside the U.S. Army base Camp Casey...

    -Hoegi
    Hoegi Station
    Hoegi Station is a station on the Seoul Subway Line 1 and the Jungang Line. The two island platforms are side-by-side with each other, and are connected by an overpass...

    ); 소요산-회기 is connected with Line 1 and (Cheongnyangni
    Cheongnyangni Station
    Cheongnyangni Station is the Seoul terminus for passenger trains serving the eastern part of South Korea. The station is located just east of downtown Seoul, on the Gyeongwon Line....

    -Yongsan
    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...

    ); 청량리-용산 is part of the Jungang Line
  • 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...

    ; 경부선 (Namyeong
    Namyeong Station
    Namyeong Station is a ground-level metro station on Seoul Subway Line 1 in Galwol Dong, Yongsan Gu, Seoul, South Korea. Subways of Line 1 move on Gyeongbu Line from this station. The station's sole exit offers access to a range of schools and Yongsan Railway Office...

    -Cheonan
    Cheonan Station
    Cheonan Station is the main train station in central Cheonan, South Korea, and the junction of the Gyeongbu and Janghang Lines. It has also been served by Seoul Subway Line 1 since 2005.- References :...

    ); 남영-천안 is connected with Line 1
  • Janghang Line
    Janghang Line
    The Janghang Line is a railway line serving South Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Cheonan to the railway junction city of Iksan. The Janghang Line is served by frequent Saemaul-ho and Mugunghwa passenger train services between Seoul and Iksan...

    ; 장항선 (Cheonan
    Cheonan Station
    Cheonan Station is the main train station in central Cheonan, South Korea, and the junction of the Gyeongbu and Janghang Lines. It has also been served by Seoul Subway Line 1 since 2005.- References :...

    -Sinchang
    Sinchang Station
    Sinchang Station is a railway station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 and the Janghang Line in Asan, South Korea. It is the southern terminus for metro trains on Line 1. Its secondary name is Soonchunhyang University Station, named for nearby Soonchunhyang University.- References :...

    ); 천안-신창 is connected with Line 1
  • Jungang Line
    Jungang Line
    The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...

    ; 중앙선 (Cheongnyangni
    Cheongnyangni Station
    Cheongnyangni Station is the Seoul terminus for passenger trains serving the eastern part of South Korea. The station is located just east of downtown Seoul, on the Gyeongwon Line....

    -Yongmun
    Yongmun Station
    Yongmun Station is a station on the Jungang Line in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It is the eastern terminus of the commuter railway, running from Seoul to Yangpyeong County. Mugunghwa trains also stop at this station....

    ); 청량리-용문 is part of the Jungang Line
  • Gyeongui Line
    Gyeongui Line
    The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...

    ; 경의선 (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:...

    -Munsan
    Munsan Station
    Munsan Station is a railway station on Gyeongui Line, and the northern terminus of the metro line with the same name. It is notable for being the closest station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway to the border with North Korea, only a few kilometers away....

    ); 서울-문산 is part of the Gyeongui Line


Korail covers a total of 104 metro stations with its 150 commuter trains. The operation intervals are from 1.7 to 8 minutes during rush hours and 3.6 to 15 minutes during non-rush hours. An average of 2,177,000 people use Korail's commuter lines every day.

Train Classes

The highest level of Korail trains is KTX (Korea Train Express). KTX trains run along Gyeongbu Line and Honam Line. Saemaul-ho (새마을호), which borrowed its name from New Community Movement
New Community Movement
The New Community Movement, also known as the New Village Movement or Saemaeul Movement, was a political initiative launched on April 22, 1970 by South Korean president Park Chung Hee to modernize the rural South Korean economy...

, provides the fastest and most comfortable service in selected conventional rail lines. Mugunghwa-ho
Mugunghwa-ho
The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are the cheapest class of trains to operate cross-country. Prior to the introduction of the KTX in 2004, they were the most common passenger train along most railroad lines...

 (무궁화호), the most popular grade, is the slowest in Korail service order. Almost every rail line has one or more regular Mugunghwa-ho schedule. Commuter
Tonggeun
The Tonggeun is a class of short-run commuter trains operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. On timetables, the name is always translated as "Commuter." They typically operate once or twice daily in each direction, along a few tens of kilometers of track...

(통근열차) is low-cost metropolitan area commuting grade, operated with diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...

s (DMU).

In early June 2009, Korail introduced the brand-new Nuriro-ho (누리로) service, operating between Seoul
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:...

 and Sinchang
Sinchang Station
Sinchang Station is a railway station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 and the Janghang Line in Asan, South Korea. It is the southern terminus for metro trains on Line 1. Its secondary name is Soonchunhyang University Station, named for nearby Soonchunhyang University.- References :...

. Nooriro is almost identical to Mugunghwa with the same trip cost, but over a relatively shorter distance; therefore it initially is positioned between inter-city Mugunghwa and local commuter train of 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...

 system. Korail also introduced 8 newly built electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...

 sets based on Hitachi A-train
Hitachi A-train
The A-train is a family of multiple units designed and built by Hitachi Ltd. initially for use on the railway system in Japan. The A-train family comprises trains for both commuter services and limited express services. Hitachi has given the family a modular design which enables both production and...

 to be used for Nuriro service. (ko:TEC)

Major Stations

  • Seoul/Gyeonggi : Seoul, Yongsan, Gwangmyeong, Noryangjin, Yeongdeungpo, Guro, Suwon, Incheon, Cheongnyangni, Uijeongbu, Deokso, Bupyeong, Dongducheonjungang
  • Gangwon : Chuncheon, Wonju, Donghae, Gangneung
  • Chungcheong : Cheonan, Cheonan-Asan, Jochiwon, Sintanjin, Daejeon, Seodaejeon, Janghang, Jecheon, Cheongju, Chungju
  • Jeolla : Iksan, Songjeongni, Gwangju, Mokpo, Gunsan, Jeonju, Suncheon, Yeosu
  • Gyeongsang : Gimcheon, Daegu, Dongdaegu, Samnangjin, Busanjin, Busan, Andong, Yongju, Gyeongju, Pohang, Ulsan, Changwon, Gimhae, Jinhae, Masan, Jinju

Labour relations

Most of the railroad's employees are members of the Korean Railroad Workers' Union, which is frequently at odds with Korail management. Strikes, such as the South Korean railroad strike of 2006
South Korean railroad strike of 2006
The South Korean railroad strike of 2006 was a four-day walkout by members of the Korea Railway Workers' Union employed by the Korean National Railroad. It lasted from March 1 to March 4, when most of the workers voluntarily returned to work. During the strike, Korail's passenger service was...

, are not uncommon.

Subsidiaries

  • Korail Airport Railroad, which operates A'REX
    AREX
    AREX, spelled A'REX as a brand name, is a South Korean railway line that links Seoul with Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport. The section between the two airports opened on March 23, 2007, the extension to Seoul Station opened December 29, 2010...

    .
  • Korail Networks, for ticketing management and Korail frequent riders program
    KTX Family Card
    KTX Family Card is the loyalty program and membership card of Korail. This card is issued by Korail Networks, subsidiary of Korail.- History :...

    .
  • Korail Tour Service, for KTX/Saemaul-ho train crew and travel service.
  • Korail Retail, for advertisement management and running "Storyway" convenience store.

International service

North Korea: Yes, same gauge - but not generally available
Until the division of Korea
Division of Korea
The division of Korea into North Korea and South Korea stems from the 1945 Allied victory in World War II, ending Japan's 35-year colonial rule of Korea. In a proposal opposed by nearly all Koreans, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to temporarily occupy the country as a trusteeship...

 following the end of the Second World War, the Gyeongui Line
Gyeongui Line
The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...

 and Gyeongwon Line
Gyeongwon Line
The Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...

 extended into what is now North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

. The Gyeongui Line
Gyeongui Line
The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...

 connected 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 Kaesong
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...

, Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...

, and Sinuiju
Sinuiju
Sinŭiju is a city in North Korea, neighboring with Dandong City, China via international border and is the capital of North P'yŏngan Province...

 on the Chinese border, while the Gyeongwon Line
Gyeongwon Line
The Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...

 served Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...

 on the east coast. Another line—the Kumgang-san Line—connected the town of Cheorwon, now on the border of North
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

 and 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...

, on the Gyeongwon Line
Gyeongwon Line
The Gyeongwon Line is a railway line serving northeastern Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The line is operated by Korail. The name of the line came from Gyeongseong and Wonsan, the original terminus of the line in what is now North Korea.-History:The Gyeongwon line was opened along its full...

, to Mt. Geumgang, now in the North
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

.

The Gyeongui Line
Gyeongui Line
The Gyeongui Line is one of the oldest railway lines in Korea. When opened in 1906 it linked Seoul in what is now South Korea to P'yŏngyang and Sinŭiju in what is now North Korea...

 is one of two lines whose southern and northern halves are now being reconnected, the other line being the Donghae Bukbu Line
Donghae Bukbu Line
The Donghae Bukbu Line is a former railway line that connected the present-day city of Anbyon in Kangwon Province, North Korea, with Yangyang, Gangwon Province, South Korea. It has not carried trains since the division of Korea. The line originally connected to the Gyeongwon Line running from...

. On 17 May 2007, two test trains ran on the reconnected lines: one on the west line from Munsan
Munsan
Munsan is an eup in Paju City, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It lies along the edge of the Demilitarized Zone, near Panmunjom and the Joint Security Area. Munsan lies along the south bank of the Imjin River. At the time of the Korean War it was known as Munsan-ni.Munsan has a heavy military presence...

 to Kaesong
Kaesong
Kaesŏng is a city in North Hwanghae Province, southern North Korea , a former Directly Governed City, and the capital of Korea during the Koryo Dynasty. The city is near Kaesŏng Industrial Region and it contains the remains of the Manwoldae palace. It was formally named Songdo while it was the...

; the second on the east from Jejin to Kumgang
Kumgang
Kumgang or Geumgang may refer to:*Kumgang County, a county in Kangwon province, North Korea*Kumgang mountain, a mountain in Kangwon province, North Korea*Kumgang fat minnow, a freshwater fish, in Kangwon province, North Korea....

.

In December 2007, regular freight service started on the Gyeongui line, from South Korea into the Kaesong Industrial Park
Kaesong Industrial Region
Kaesŏng Industrial Region is a special administrative industrial region of North Korea. It was formed in 2002 from part of Kaesŏng Directly Governed City.-Kaesŏng Industrial Park:...

 in the north. The service has been underutilized, however: as it was reported in October 2008, on 150 out of 163 return trips that had been done so far, the train carried no cargo at all. The total amount of cargo carried over this period had been merely 340 tons. This absence of interest in the service has been explained by the customers' (companies operating in Kaesong) preference for road transport. In November 2008, North Korea shut down the link.

A Trans-Korean Main Line
Trans-Korean Main Line
The Trans-Korean Main Line is a project to build railway infrastructure in North Korea, and allow rail freight to travel between South Korea and Russia; it is hoped to halve the time taken to transport freight from eastern Asia to Europe and earn substantial transit fees.In 2001, the leaders of...

, spanning North Korea and connecting to Russian Railways
Russian Railways
The Russian Railways , is the government owned national rail carrier of the Russian Federation, headquartered in Moscow. The Russian Railways operate over of common carrier routes as well as a few hundred kilometers of industrial routes, making it the second largest network in the world exceeded...

, is planned.
Japan
Rail transport in Japan
Rail transport in Japan is a major means of passenger transport, especially for mass and high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolitan areas.-Overview:...

 No
There's no railroad connection between South Korea and Japan. But 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...

 and JR West have a joint rail pass which includes discounted KTX and Shinkansen
Shinkansen
The , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...

 ticket with Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...

-Shimonoseki/Fukuoka
Fukuoka
Fukuoka most often refers to the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture.It can also refer to:-Locations:* Fukuoka, Gifu, a town in Gifu Prefecture, Japan* Fukuoka, Toyama, a town in Toyama Prefecture, Japan...

 ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

 ticket. A Korean Strait undersea tunnel was proposed, but both government and rail companies seems to have no interest in this ultra-long tunnel project.

See also

  • List of Korea-related topics
  • List of suburban and commuter rail systems
  • Transportation in South Korea
    Transportation in South Korea
    Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services and air routes that criss-cross the country.-History:...

  • Korea Rail Network Authority
    Korea Rail Network Authority
    Korea Rail Network Authority is a railroad construction and management company in South Korea formed by the merger of KNR Construction Headquarter and Korean Express Railroad Construction Corporation. Its main clients are Korail and Seoul Metro....

  • KTX Family Card
    KTX Family Card
    KTX Family Card is the loyalty program and membership card of Korail. This card is issued by Korail Networks, subsidiary of Korail.- History :...

    , frequent riders program.
  • Incheon Korail
    Incheon Korail
    Incheon Korail FC is a South Korean soccer club based in Incheon. The team currently play in the Korea National League, the second division of Korean football. It is owned and operated by Korail, South Korea's national railroad operator, and play their home games at Incheon Munhak Stadium.Founded...

    , K-2 league football team.

External links

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