Incheon City Proposes 'Direct Operation of Suin Line-Bundang Line' to Government... One-Stop Use to Wangsimni

Promotion of Same-Level Transfer at Oido Station for Suin Line and Seoul Line 4 Users

Suwon Line and Bundang Line Route Map [Provided by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City announced on the 27th that it plans to propose to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to directly connect and operate the Suwon?Incheon double-track railway (Suin Line), scheduled for full opening this year, with the Bundang Line, enabling passengers to travel from Incheon to Wangsimni in Seoul without transfers.

In line with the government's railway policy to establish a metropolitan area wide railway network by linking existing railway lines, the city prepared this plan based on the 'Feasibility Study on Direct Operation of Suin Line with Bundang Line and Seoul Line 4,' which began in July 2018, aiming to improve transportation convenience for citizens in southern Incheon when accessing Seoul's Gangnam area.

The city noted that the Suin Line is being constructed with the premise of direct connection and operation with the Bundang Line, and since both lines operate trains with six cars, direct operation is expected to be possible without additional costs.

The current operation frequency on the Incheon?Oido section (82 local trains and 5 express trains per day) will include one additional express train, establishing a train operation plan that allows convenient travel from Incheon to Wangsimni without transfers.

However, direct connection and operation between the Suin Line and Seoul Line 4 was reviewed as difficult to implement immediately.

Since the train formations of the Suin Line and Seoul Line 4 differ?six cars and ten cars respectively?direct connection would require platform extensions in some sections, installation of screen doors, and suspension of operations at some stations. Additionally, the direct connection project between the Suin Line and Seoul Line 4 was found to lack economic feasibility relative to its costs.

Accordingly, the city plans to request Korea Railroad Corporation to establish a flat transfer plan at Oido Station, the transfer station between Seoul Line 4 and the Suin Line, to alleviate the inconvenience of passengers having to use stairs for transfers when the Suin Line is fully opened.

An Incheon city official stated, "Through direct operation connecting the Suin Line and Bundang Line, citizens in southern Incheon will be able to conveniently use the railway when accessing the Suseo High-Speed Railway (SRT) and visiting the Gangnam area," adding, "Furthermore, we will devote administrative efforts to ensure that there is no transfer inconvenience when using the Suin Line and Seoul Line 4 via flat transfers at Oido Station."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.