Incheon Airport Maglev Train Resumes After 3 Years... Urban Railway to Track

The Incheon International Airport Maglev Train, which had suspended operations in July 2022, resumed service on October 17, 2025.

The maglev train, which opened in 2016, operated a 6.1-kilometer route with six stations from Incheon Airport Terminal 1 Station to Yongyu Station, running 103 times a day at 15-minute intervals free of charge. However, since February 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, it operated only during commuting hours.

As the average daily ridership, which was in the 4,000s in 2019, plummeted to around 300 after the onset of COVID-19, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Incheon International Airport Corporation developed a plan to ensure the continued operation of the maglev train. This involved changing its classification from an "urban railway" (operating speed of 80 km/h) to a "track" (operating speed below 40 km/h).

Tracks, which are subject to the Track Transportation Act, have fewer safety management requirements compared to urban railways, which are classified as public transportation, thereby reducing operating costs.

Incheon Airport Maglev Train Route Map. Incheon City

In May, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Incheon City, and Incheon International Airport Corporation signed an "Agreement on Ownership, Operation, and Maintenance of the Incheon Airport Maglev Train," and in July, obtained approval for exclusive track operation from Jung-gu District Office in Incheon. The airport corporation, which is responsible for operating the maglev train, plans to flexibly adjust the train schedule according to future demand.

An official from Incheon City stated, "With the resumption of the Incheon Airport Maglev Train, we expect to see improvements in transportation convenience for local residents, enhanced airport accessibility, and increased inflow of tourists."

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