"Standing for Two Hours from Daegu to Seoul"... Fierce Battle for Auxiliary Seats as KTX Remains Perpetually Packed

KTX Utilization Reaches 110%, SRT Hits 131%
Now an Everyday Mode of Transport Like Buses,
But Track Capacity Is Stretched to the Limit
"Stable Travel Times... Absorbing Commuting, Tourism, and Business Demand"

On the afternoon of May 7, at the platform of Seoul Station, passengers waiting in front of each car boarded the high-speed train all at once as soon as it arrived. Even though it was a weekday, competition was fierce to secure the two auxiliary seats installed at the connection between train cars. As departure time approached, the standing car became utterly chaotic. Passengers were crowded around a single auxiliary seat—some leaning against the wall looking at their mobile phones, others perched on top of their bags, all mixed together.

In the first quarter of this year, the number of railway passengers surpassed 42 million, setting a new all-time record. High-speed trains are operating at full capacity not only during holidays and long weekends but also on regular days. Thanks to KTX's strengths—urban accessibility and punctuality—experts note that mobility patterns have fundamentally changed, going beyond a temporary surge in demand.

Passengers are packed into the standing car of the KTX train heading from Seoul to Busan. Although it is a weekday, the seats are fully occupied, and more than four people are gathered in the space between the compartments. Photo by Ji-eun Oh

According to the Korail ticket reservation application "Korail Talk" as of May 12, most major trains running between Seoul Station and Yongsan Station are sold out. On Friday the 15th, all southbound trains after noon and before 4 p.m. on the 16th are fully booked, and most northbound trains on Sunday have also been reserved.

According to combined statistics from Korail and SR, the total number of train passengers—including KTX, SRT, KTX-Eum, ITX-Saemaeul, and Mugunghwa-ho—reached 42.11 million in the first quarter of this year. This is a 2.1% increase from 41.25 million in the first quarter of last year, and the highest first-quarter figure ever recorded. Of these, KTX passengers numbered 20.39 million, surpassing 20 million for the first time in any quarter since its opening in 2004. SRT passengers also steadily increased, reaching 6.16 million.

Passengers interviewed at Seoul Station complained that every weekend feels like a holiday rush. Oh Minjin, a 25-year-old graduate student, said, "Even if my schedule is just a bit tight, reserving a ticket itself is a battle. The standing car is so crowded and intense that I once had to stand nearly two hours from Daegu to Seoul, and I've never managed to sit in an auxiliary seat even once," she sighed.

This is the result of high-speed rail shifting from a special long-distance means of travel to a routine daily mode of transportation, steadily increasing demand. Kim Junghwa, professor of Transportation Engineering at Kyonggi University, explained, "Because of its excellent urban accessibility, more people from the regions are traveling to the cities to use medical systems and other services."

Punctuality is also a key factor attracting passengers. Kim Yangsu, professor at Songwon University’s Department of Railway Operation Systems, stated, "Since travel time is more stable than by express bus, demand for rail is concentrated here. Rail is now absorbing a wide range of needs, from business trips and tourism to daily commuting."

The problem is that supply cannot keep up with demand. As of last year, the average daily seat supply for high-speed rail was about 202,000 for KTX and about 52,000 for SRT. Including standing passengers, the usage rate reached 110.5% for KTX and 131.0% for SRT. Korail operates 187 trains on the Gyeongbu Line and 96 on the Honam Line on weekdays (211 and 97, respectively, on weekends), but the seat shortage during peak hours remains unresolved.

Passengers are boarding the KTX train heading from Seoul to Busan. The number of KTX users reached 20.39 million in the first quarter of this year, surpassing 20 million for the first time on a quarterly basis since its opening in 2004. Photo by Oh Jieun

Railway track capacity is also nearing its limit, making it difficult to add more trains. The section between Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province, where the Gyeongbu and Honam Lines overlap, is considered a major bottleneck. The government is working on expanding the Pyeongtaek–Osong section into a quadruple-track line by constructing additional underground tunnels. Once this project is completed, it is expected that up to 352 train services per day will be possible. A Korail official said, "During periods of high demand, we temporarily add train services within the safety limits. We expect that once the quadruple-tracking of the Pyeongtaek–Osong section is finished, the supply shortage will be partially resolved."

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