"A 10% Discount for Daily Riders Is a Big Deal"... KTX-SRT Merger Gets Positive Reviews on Day One [Report]

[Financial News] On the first day of joint operations between Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and SR Corporation on the 1st, passengers immediately noticed lower fares and more seats. The unified booking system also drew favorable reviews. Many said it was now easier to catch trains at Seoul Station because demand had been spread out through Suseo Station.
At 7 a.m. that day, the waiting hall at Yongsan Station was crowded with office workers commuting to the provinces and travelers. From that day, the names KTX and SRT were unified under KTX, and the existing KTX fares were lowered by an average of 10% to match SRT levels. On the first day of the merger, passengers pointed to the fare cut as the most tangible change.
A worker in his 30s who commutes between Yongsan and Osong every weekday said, "The fare cut was the biggest change I could feel," adding that "the ticket price dropped from 18,200 won to 16,600 won." He continued, "Who would dislike paying less for the same service?" and added that "when you also consider mileage points, it helps reduce commuting costs."
KORAIL and SR Corporation have now been operating high-speed rail under one roof for the first time in 10 years, since SR was launched in 2016. The SRT name has disappeared, and all high-speed trains now run as KTX, but fares have been aligned with the relatively cheaper SRT level. Mileage rewards of 5% of the payment amount, which had applied to existing KTX users, have also been expanded to all high-speed trains, including those departing from and arriving at Suseo Station.
There were also signs that the chronic ticket shortage during commuting hours had eased as seat supply increased. A worker in his 30s who commutes from Seoul Station to Osong said, "Until now, it was hard to get a ticket for the morning rush, to the point that friends would try booking together for me," adding that "with demand spread to Suseo Station, trains from Seoul Station seem a lot less crowded too."
Passengers who needed same-day tickets in a hurry also felt the change. A passenger in his 20s heading from Yongsan to Seodaejeon said, "Before, if I bought a ticket on the same day, I often had to stand for part of the trip and only get a seat for the rest," explaining that "today I could sit in one seat all the way to my destination, so the train felt a little less crowded."
With the integrated operation, the number of daily trains arriving at and departing from Seoul Station rose from 257 to 270 on weekdays and from 299 to 313 on weekends. Trains arriving at and departing from Suseo Station also increased from 122 to 132 on weekdays, while seat supply expanded from 50,000 to 65,000. On weekends, the number of services rose from 132 to 144, and seats increased from 55,000 to 73,000.
In fact, when the integrated booking app, Korail Talk, was checked at 7:20 a.m. that day for trains departing from Suseo Station, some seats were still available for same-day booking during certain morning commute hours.
A man in his 50s, identified as A, who said he usually uses trains departing from Suseo Station, said, "During commuting hours, if you didn't get a ticket at least two to three weeks in advance, it was hard to ride the SRT," adding that "if there were no tickets, I had to go to Seoul Station or Yongsan Station and take the KTX." He continued, "Back then, I had to keep both the SRT and KTX apps open and refresh them alternately," and said, "Now it seems more convenient because I can search and book trains in one app."
Still, some voiced caution about the disappearance of competition between high-speed rail operators. Beyond the immediate benefits of lower fares and more seats, they said it remains to be seen whether service quality and train management standards will be maintained over the long term.
A said, "It is true that I worry service could decline if competition disappears," adding, "We need to watch whether the current fares will be maintained, whether train comfort and management standards will continue, and whether service improvements can still happen without competition."

[email protected] Choi Ga-young Reporter