Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Conducting Feasibility Study on GTX-B Extension to Chuncheon... Gangwon-do's Expectations Rise

Minister Won Hee-ryong, "Active Position on Extending Metropolitan Rail Using Existing Tracks"
Gangwon Province to Shorten '5th National Railroad Network Plan' by 2 Years
Chuncheon~Sokcho East-West High-Speed Rail Linked East-West Transversal Metropolitan Rail Construction

GTX-B Route Map [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] Gangwon Province's anticipation is growing regarding the feasibility study for extending the metropolitan area wide express transit (GTX-B) line to Chuncheon, utilizing the existing Gyeongchun Line railway tracks.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is currently conducting a research project on the GTX-B extension while publicly announcing a draft amendment to the 'Special Act on Metropolitan Area Wide Transportation Management.'

The 'GTX Expansion Integrated Planning Study,' which reviews the extension of existing GTX-A, B, and C lines and explores new D, E, and F lines, is scheduled for completion by June next year.

The possibility of extending to Chuncheon depends on the study results, which include the removal of the '40 km radius limit from metropolitan area regional centers' and the deletion of 'regional centers.'

On the 5th, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong attended the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee meeting and stated that he holds a fundamentally positive stance on extending metropolitan railways using existing tracks, emphasizing the necessity and extension plan for the GTX-B line to Chuncheon.

Democratic Party lawmaker Heo Young also stressed, "Since over 40% of the GTX-B line, planned to operate from Incheon Songdo to Gyeonggi Maseok, must use the existing Gyeongchun Line tracks, extension is possible simply by deploying additional trains."

Plans already exist to utilize the Gyeongchun Line between Sangbong and Maseok, and to reduce congestion with ITX, EMU-260, and electric trains, the GTX-B extension to Chuncheon is necessary.

Furthermore, linked with the Chuncheon-Sokcho East-West High-Speed Railway, it adds the effect of establishing an east-west transverse metropolitan railway without additional budget.

Meanwhile, Gangwon Province is activating a dedicated 'GTX Task Force' at the provincial level and plans to advance the establishment of the 5th National Railway Network Plan, originally scheduled for 2026, to 2024, two years earlier.

The Railway Policy Team will be reorganized and operated as the 'GTX Railway Policy Team' to strengthen GTX-related functions and manage the overall project, including the selection process of operators for the GTX Gangwon extension line.

In line with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's plan for early GTX construction, a response policy will be prepared to promote the GTX extension to Chuncheon and Wonju, and continuous proposals will be made to the Ministry to include the Gangwon GTX extension line in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan.

Son Chang-hwan, Director of the Construction and Transportation Bureau, stated, "We will ensure that the GTX lines are expanded in Gangwon Province in response to the government's early GTX expansion policy."

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