Airport Railroad Reaches 1.2 Billion Passengers... "Emerging as Core Airport Transportation Infrastructure"
by Park Haesook
Published 25 Mar.2026 15:08(KST)
22.3 Times Increase in Ridership Since 2007 Opening
Aiming for 160 Billion Won in Operating Revenue on 25th Anniversary
Since its opening in 2007, Airport Railroad has recorded a cumulative total of 1.19 billion passengers.
According to Airport Railroad on March 25, the company, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, saw a 22.3-fold increase in passengers and a 15.2-fold increase in fare revenue compared to the time of its opening. Notably, on March 20, the line set a new daily record with 371,266 passengers.
Airport Railroad began with the first phase section (Gimpo Airport to Incheon International Airport) in 2007. The entire route (Seoul Station to Incheon International Airport) was completed in 2010, followed by the extension to Incheon Airport Terminal 2 Station in 2018. Through these phased expansions, Airport Railroad has grown into a key component of the national transportation network.
Since receiving approval for its railway safety management system in 2014, Airport Railroad has continually renewed various certifications, including the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (KOSHA-MS), Outstanding Enterprise for Disaster Reduction, and Excellent Workplace for Health Promotion, thereby establishing credibility in its safety management. In particular, the company was recognized as an outstanding institution for seven consecutive years in the 'Korea Disaster Response Safety Training' program, and was also selected as an 'Outstanding Railway Safety Operator' by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for 2024-2025.
Airport Railroad has also strived to enhance customer-focused services, going beyond simply serving as a means of transportation. Since 2014, it has offered customer participation programs such as the Customer Monitoring Group (now the Youth Monitoring Group), Summer Railway School, and station tours. The company was also the first among all subway systems in Korea to introduce single-use transportation card credit card payments and has expanded various services to improve convenience, including enhancing onboard information signage for transportation-vulnerable passengers.
To mark its 25th anniversary, Airport Railroad plans to focus its capabilities on making 'maximum safety' and 'customer satisfaction' its top priorities. Its goals include achieving zero safety incidents and operational disruptions, maintaining a 99.99% on-time operation rate, earning an A grade in all four areas of the government safety assessment, and reaching 160 billion won in operating revenue.
In addition, Airport Railroad plans to strengthen its global network by collaborating with major railway operators overseas, including those in Japan and Taiwan, and to establish a foundation for continuous growth by pursuing key projects such as high-speed upgrades, large-scale replacement of signaling equipment, improvement of AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) systems, and the renewal of the Seoul Station City Airport Terminal.
Daesu Park, President of Airport Railroad, stated, "Building on the basics of 'safety' and 'punctuality,' we will further enhance the convenience and service quality that customers actually experience, and develop Airport Railroad into the standard for airport transportation in Korea."
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