GTX-B 'Yongsan~Sangbong' 33 minutes → 5 minutes... 2.4 trillion won basic plan confirmed

Improving Accessibility to Seoul Within 30 Minutes from Incheon and Namyangju

Metropolitan Area Express Railway Line B Route Map

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 22nd that it will finalize and officially announce the basic plan for the Yongsan?Sangbong section of the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Train (GTX) Line B on March 23.

The project involves an investment of 2.3511 trillion KRW to construct 19.95 km between Yongsan and Sangbong, as well as a 4.27 km connecting section to the Jungang Line, with a total of four new stations to be established.

The Ministry explained that this basic plan was developed to maximize passenger convenience, including transfers with existing lines, compared to the preliminary feasibility study.

At Yongsan Station, transfer distances to Line 1, conventional rail, and KTX have been minimized, and transfer convenience will be enhanced through an underground connecting passage with Line 4 and the Shinbundang Line (planned for future development).

Additionally, Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station will each have connecting passages installed, enabling horizontal underground transfers with Lines A and C through shared platforms. Sangbong Station will have connecting passages installed considering transfers to Line 7 and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line.

To shorten the construction start time for the Yongsan?Sangbong section, the project will proceed through a comprehensive bidding method such as a Turn Key approach after reviewing the bidding method for large-scale construction. The private investment section aims to select a preferred negotiation partner within the year, followed by implementation agreements and detailed design.

Upon opening of GTX Line B, travel time between Yongsan and Sangbong will be reduced by more than half compared to existing lines (from 33 to 15 minutes), and accessibility to downtown Seoul from eastern and western metropolitan areas such as Namyangju and Incheon is expected to improve significantly to within 30 minutes.

Furthermore, it is anticipated that sharing the GTX-B line with future Jungang and Gangneung Line trains will enable securing capacity on existing surface lines and increasing the number of operating vehicles.

Kang Hee-eop, Director of the Railway Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "GTX Line B, along with Lines A and C, is expected to play a key role in improving transportation conditions in the metropolitan area," adding, "Since this is a project that local residents have long awaited, we will expedite the follow-up procedures."

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