Transfer Troubles End! Direct Express Train from Jinju to Suseo Opens on September 1

Starting September 1, a high-speed train traveling directly from Jinju Station in Gyeongnam to Suseo Station in Seoul will be in operation.

The Gyeongnam Province announced that the Suseo-bound SRT high-speed train, which allows travel from Jinju to Suseo without transfers, will be launched on that day.

According to Gyeongnam Province, this train will depart from Jinju Station, a major station on the Gyeongjeon Line, and connect directly to Suseo Station in Seoul, passing through Masan Station, Changwon Station, Changwon Jungang Station, Gimhae Jinyeong Station, and Miryang Station.

After the launch, there will be four round trips per day, and ticket reservations will begin in August.

High-speed train route map. [Provided by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Until now, the SRT high-speed trains bound for Suseo have only operated on the Gyeongbu and Honam Lines since their opening in 2016.

Residents of Gyeongnam who wanted to travel to Gangnam in Seoul or the southeastern region of Gyeonggi had to transfer to the SRT at Dongdaegu Station or take the KTX and then transfer to a bus or subway at Gwangmyeong Station or Seoul Station.

The province continuously requested the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to operate high-speed trains bound for Suseo on the Gyeongjeon Line, and the ministry eventually issued licenses for three new routes on the SRT, including the Donghae Line, Gyeongjeon Line, and Jeolla Line.

Previously, Governor Park Wan-su, during his time as a member of the National Assembly, twice led resolutions urging the approval of the Suseo-originating high-speed train on the Gyeongjeon Line in June 2017 and January 2022, and emphasized the necessity of the project while serving on the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee of the 20th National Assembly.

After being elected governor, Park selected this as a campaign pledge, met with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to request the launch of the Suseo-originating SRT, and the ministry incorporated the introduction of the Suseo-originating high-speed train into its work plan earlier this year.

A provincial official stated, “With the operation of the Suseo-bound high-speed train on the Gyeongjeon Line and the connection to the Southern Inland Railway, it will be possible to travel from anywhere in the province to the Seoul metropolitan area within two hours. Accessibility to major cities including Gangnam in Seoul will greatly improve, significantly contributing to regional development through linkage with the tourism industry in the southern coastal area and job creation.”

Governor Park said, “The operation of this Suseo-bound high-speed train will greatly alleviate the inconveniences experienced by Gyeongnam residents when using railways,” adding, “We will continue to discuss with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport about increasing the number of trains and expand transportation networks such as railways and roads to lead regional industrial development and enable residents to experience better transportation services.”

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