High-Speed Rail Usage Increases 12.6% in Two Months After Integration

Average daily ridership on South Korea's high-speed rail has increased by 12.6% over the past two months compared to the same period last year. Ridership on the Suseo Line has surged nearly 30%, with fare discounts and mileage benefits amounting to 51.5 billion won.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) announced these results on November 5, detailing the performance of the high-speed rail integration after 60 days of operation. From September 1 to October 30, the average daily ridership reached 322,000, an increase of 36,000 (12.6%) from the previous year. Monthly growth rates were recorded at 11.9% in September and 13.3% in October.

Notably, the average daily ridership on the Suseo Line, which has seen expanded train services and seat availability, rose by approximately 90,000, marking a 29.5% increase. The average number of passengers transferring between high-speed and conventional trains also grew significantly, from 6,110 before the integration to 9,441 afterward, a rise of 54.4%.

The financial burden on commuters has also decreased. Over the two-month period since the integration, benefits from fare discounts and mileage have totaled around 51.5 billion won. Public discounts for children, teenagers, seniors, and pregnant women, previously limited to KTX routes, have now been extended to SRT routes, and transfer discounts between high-speed and conventional trains have been unified.

Efforts are underway to improve the user experience of the integrated booking app, KORAIL+. The Ministry and KORAIL have enhanced features such as maintaining train types and adjacent station settings, as well as round-trip booking capabilities. They plan to improve the ability to pre-check refund amounts and simplify the booking process by the end of the year. Measures to address access delays experienced during the Chuseok holiday booking period and to strengthen fraud prevention against macro booking are also being implemented.

Additionally, the train travel environment and safety management are being upgraded. Plans include remodeling the restrooms on KTX-1 trains and increasing cleaning staff, while inspections of major stations and emergency response training are being conducted to identify operational risks. A customer satisfaction survey conducted after the integration showed positive responses of 81.6% in September and 82.2% in October.

Hong Ji-seon, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, "The effects of the integration are beginning to show, with over 320,000 people using the trains daily and reduced transportation costs. We will address issues such as booking inconveniences and prioritize safety to ensure the benefits of the integration reach the public."