Gwangju City Welcomes Increased Gyeonggang Line Train Service, Shorter Intervals... Fundamental Measures for Track Capacity Expansion Pursued

Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on March 19 that it welcomes, together with its citizens, the upcoming increase in Gyeonggang Line trains and the reduction in train intervals, which will take effect from the 23rd. The city stated that it plans to focus its administrative resources on structural improvements, such as securing track capacity and strengthening train turnaround functions, using this occasion as a catalyst.

Gwangju City Welcomes Increase in Gyeonggang Line Trains and Reduced Interval Between Services. Provided by Gyeonggi Gwangju City.

The city explained that this measure is the first step toward alleviating congestion during citizens' morning commutes, with two additional weekday trains and a reduction in the maximum interval between trains during the 9 a.m. hour from 28 minutes to 19 minutes. The city added, "This increase in trains marks a meaningful first step in responding to long-standing demands from Gwangju citizens and alleviating commuting inconveniences," and expressed gratitude to related parties—including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea Railroad Corporation, National Railway Authority, and local lawmakers—for their cooperation in improving Gyeonggang Line services.

Until now, the city has made continuous requests to relevant agencies for increased train capacity, more frequent service, and shorter intervals during rush hours, visiting these agencies multiple times. The city assessed that the latest train increase is the result of such efforts and collaboration with local political leaders.

The city views this measure as the starting point rather than a temporary improvement. The Gyeonggang Line, currently operated with 12 trainsets, faces structural limitations. The city explained that, in the future, if the Suseo-Gwangju Line, Wolgot-Pangyo Line connection, GTX D Line (Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway), and Gyeonggang Line extension projects are implemented, bottlenecks and capacity shortages from shared track use are expected to worsen.

Accordingly, the city has already proposed to the central government fundamental measures to resolve track capacity shortages, such as converting the Gyeonggang Line into a four-track system and establishing a separate line for the GTX D Line. In addition, the city is pursuing policies aimed at improving track capacity and alleviating bottlenecks over the mid- to long-term.

Furthermore, the city is considering launching a preliminary feasibility study for quadruple-tracking the Gyeonggang Line. Through this study, the city plans to analyze demand growth, potential track saturation, and construction and operational strategies, and, based on the results, will recommend that related projects be included in the 5th National Rail Network Construction Plan.

In addition, the city is also advancing the Gonjian Station facility improvement project. Gonjian Station is undergoing upgrades such as the installation of platform safety doors on the main line and expansion of signaling equipment, with completion targeted for the second half of 2026. The city views Gonjian Station as a key hub within the Gyeonggang Line, being the only station with a secondary main line, enabling it to serve as a critical point for train passing and turnaround operations.

The city plans to enhance operational flexibility during rush hours by increasing mid-route turnarounds and repeat operations once the facility upgrades and signaling system improvements at Gonjian Station are completed.

Mayor Bang Sehwan stated, "While we expect this increase in trains to partially resolve citizen inconveniences, our goal is fundamental improvement of rail services. We will steadily expand infrastructure, including quadruple-tracking, establishing separate lines, and strengthening turnaround functions, to transform the southeastern metropolitan area into a major rail hub."

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