KTX and SRT to Operate as One… More Seats and 10% Fare Discount

Pilot Coupled Operation Ahead of High-Speed Rail Integration
Ticket Reservations Open at 7:00 a.m. on May 15

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, along with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and SR, announced on April 14 that they will begin a pilot coupled operation, connecting KTX and SRT trains as a single unit starting from May 15. As a result, the number of train seats will increase, and some KTX fares will be reduced by 10%.

Coupled operation refers to a method where two trains are linked together and operated as one. This allows for an increase in the number of available seats for passengers without increasing the frequency of train operations. Through this pilot service, the government and both organizations aim to enhance passenger convenience and verify safety issues.

Comparison Before and After Coupled Operation of Honam Line KTX-SRT. Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

The pilot service will be implemented on certain sections of the Honam Line and the Gyeongbu Line. On the Honam Line, it will apply to some trains running between Suseo and Gwangju Songjeong on Saturdays and Sundays. An SRT train with 410 seats will be coupled with a KTX-Sancheon train of the same capacity, providing a total of 820 seats.

On the Gyeongbu Line, the service will be introduced on certain northbound trains from Busan and Pohang to Seoul and southbound trains from Seoul to Busan and Masan, operating from Friday to Sunday. The previous method of coupling two KTX trains will be changed to coupling a KTX and an SRT train. Although the seat capacity remains the same, the focus will be on inspecting safety when different train models are coupled together. For some trains on Mondays and Fridays, additional available SRT cars will be coupled to increase seat supply.

Tickets can be reserved starting at 7:00 a.m. on May 15 through the KORAIL and SR mobile applications, websites, station ticket counters, and unmanned ticket machines. Since the front and rear trains are different types, passengers must search for both KTX and SRT online to view all available trains. For coupled trains, the price of KTX tickets will be lowered by about 10% to match SRT fares. KTX trains departing from or arriving at Suseo Station will also offer a 10% discount. However, tickets purchased at the discounted rate will not be eligible for mileage accrual.

Since December last year, the government has been repeatedly conducting coupling operations and test runs to ensure safety. During the final inspection before official operation, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport staff will personally inspect the entire process from reservation to boarding and disembarking to prevent any inconvenience to actual passengers.

Yoonduk Kim, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "In this second phase of integrated high-speed rail operation, we will carefully monitor to ensure there are no safety issues or inconveniences for users during the pilot coupled operation. We will also accelerate the integration of high-speed railways so that the public can experience benefits such as increased seat supply as early as possible, aiming for completion by September."

Tae-seung Kim, CEO of KORAIL, said, "This pilot coupled operation is an important step to enhance the efficiency of high-speed rail operations and verify increased seat supply. We will work closely with relevant agencies to improve services and ensure safety in a way that the public can truly feel."

Wang-guk Jung, CEO of SR, commented, "Through this pilot coupled operation, the weekly seat supply for high-speed trains departing from or arriving at Suseo Station will increase by 2,870 seats without requiring additional track capacity. We will support the integration of high-speed rail operations to provide better rail services for the public."

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