3.06 Million Passengers in 10 Days of Integrated High-Speed Rail Operations... Up 13% Year-on-Year

[Financial News] Ten days after the start of integrated high-speed rail operations, the number of high-speed train passengers has increased by more than 350,000 compared to last year. With the expansion of seat supply for trains arriving at and departing from Suseo Station, improvements in the chronic difficulty of booking tickets are also expected.
KORAIL announced that the total number of high-speed train passengers during the first 10 days (September 1–10) following the integration of high-speed railways was recorded at 3,057,000. This represents a 13.1% (approximately 353,000) increase compared to the same period last year (2,704,000).
Looking at the breakdown by route, the increase in passengers on trains arriving at and departing from Suseo Station stands out. Passenger numbers on the Suseo line surged by 24.2% (157,000 people), rising from 649,000 last year to 806,000 this year. Passenger numbers on the Seoul line KTX, centered around the existing Seoul Station, Yongsan Station, and Haengsin Station, also increased by 8.3% (156,000 people), rising from 1,876,000 to 2,032,000, indicating an even increase in passenger numbers nationwide.
As commuting convenience has greatly improved, centered on the Suseo line, the number of commuter pass users has also increased significantly. The number of commuter pass users rose from 179,000 last year to 219,000 this year, an increase of 22.3% (40,000 people). This is attributed to the improved convenience for commuters following the full-scale introduction of unreserved seating on trains along the Suseo line.
The key factor behind this increase in passengers is cited to be the massive expansion of available seats centered on the Suseo line. Available seats on the Suseo line increased by 30.8% (161,000 seats) from the existing 521,000 to 682,000. Available seats on the Seoul line remained at 1,976,000, showing a level similar to the previous year (1,972,000 seats).
As the supply volume increased, the severe congestion at Suseo Station has also eased somewhat. The average utilization rate (number of passengers / number of available seats) of trains on the Suseo line decreased by 6.3 percentage points from 124.5% last year to 118.2% this year, indicating that reservation conditions have further improved.
The number of train runs has also increased. On weekdays, the average daily number of runs increased by 23 from the previous 379 to 402, and on weekends, it has been expanded by 20 from 437 to 457.
Lee Min-sung, Head of KORAIL's Passenger Business Division, stated, "The integration of high-speed rail allowed us to operate trains more efficiently and increase seat supply," adding, "Going forward, we will continue to closely analyze passenger demand and travel patterns to create convenient railway services that customers can truly experience."
Meanwhile, the expansion of high-speed train seat supply is expected to continue. Starting next year, 31 new high-speed train sets, each with approximately 90 more seats than the existing KTX-Sancheon, will be introduced sequentially, and the number of high-speed train runs and seat supply are expected to continue expanding in conjunction with the expansion of railway infrastructure, such as the double-tracking of the Pyeongtaek–Osong section.

[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter