If GTX Opens, 36% of the Seoul Metropolitan Area Will Have Improved Access to Downtown Seoul

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] There are claims that the opening of the Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX) will bring significant changes to transportation usage and residential patterns across the metropolitan area. It is expected that 36.1% of the entire metropolitan area will see improved accessibility to the Jongno and Jung-gu Central Business Districts (CBD), and 26.8% will experience improved access to the Gangnam Business District (GBD) through the GTX opening.

The Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRHS) proposed directions for transportation policy considering the analysis of spatial and temporal area changes in the metropolitan area after GTX construction and the characteristics of each station in the weekly Land Policy Brief titled "Changes in Travel Patterns and Future Policy Tasks Following the Establishment of a Metropolitan High-Speed Transportation System," published on the 11th.

The study results indicate that by 2030, ten years from now, travel time within the zones will decrease and accessibility will improve due to the GTX opening. According to the research, public transportation trips around GTX stations are expected to increase by up to 10%, while private car trips are expected to decrease by about 5%. Additionally, the population benefiting from a reduction of more than 30% in travel time using GTX is estimated at approximately 2.7 million people heading toward Samseong Station and about 1.9 million people heading toward City Hall Station. If all three GTX lines A, B, and C are completed, the area with improved metropolitan accessibility is expected to reach 4,366 km² (36.1% of the total metropolitan area) based on City Hall Station and 3,243 km² (26.8%) based on Samseong Station.

Expected Changes in Land Use Area Due to Improved Accessibility to Central Seoul After GTX Opening (Provided by Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements)

In the analysis of the population and number of workers affected by the designation of GTX stations within a 3 km radius, the population is highest around Chang-dong Station (770,000), Sindorim Station (650,000), Kwangwoon University Station (620,000), and Cheongnyangni Station (600,000), in that order. The number of workers is highest around Seoul Station (700,000), Yangjae Station (590,000), Samseong Station (510,000), Sindorim Station (440,000), and Yeouido Station (360,000). Considering these population and worker characteristics, the research team suggested that "stations with a high residential population should prepare for changes such as residential relocation due to land price changes after station openings, while stations with a high number of workers should focus on policies improving access services connecting to workplaces."

During the investigation, the research team also conducted a survey targeting residents around GTX-A line stations to understand changes in travel behavior and residential relocation following the GTX opening. This survey was based on the assumption that although travel time decreases due to the GTX opening, rising housing costs around stations cause existing residents to move to outskirts, thereby expanding commuting zones.

As of last year, the average daily commuting time in South Korea was 115 minutes, with the Gyeonggi region averaging 134 minutes, the highest among OECD countries. The survey also found that commuting time and costs for residents in the Gyeonggi region were about 1.5 times higher than those in Seoul. Additionally, monthly rent tenants were found to be more sensitive to changes in housing and transportation costs than deposit-based tenants.

The survey results showed that residents living in Seoul positively considered relocating to new residential areas to reduce housing costs, whereas residents outside Seoul in the metropolitan area were less willing to move to outskirts.

Characteristics and Issues by Station on the GTX-A Line (Provided by the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements)

Kim Ho-jung, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, who led the study, explained, "The results of this study can be used to prepare hub alternatives that can disperse the existing concentration in the highly developed downtown and Gangnam areas in response to the spatiotemporal changes in the metropolitan area caused by the GTX opening." He added, "For stations already developed, transportation policies should encourage the use of public transportation rather than private cars for access. For stations located in the Gyeonggi region that support commuting to surrounding new towns, it is necessary to build transfer facilities linked with park-and-ride lots, considering the increased demand for access by private cars."

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