“Take the Train to the Provinces” ... Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) Rail Travel Tops 230,000 Passengers

[Financial News] Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL)’s “Rail Travel for Local Communities,” which takes travelers to areas with declining populations, has emerged as a new flagship product for revitalizing regional tourism.
 KORAIL said on the 15th that the “Rail Travel for Local Communities” program had attracted 237,000 users through September this year, surpassing last year’s full-year total of 220,000 ahead of schedule. That was a 67% increase from around 142,000 in the same period a year earlier. Monthly users, averaging around 10,000 in the program’s first year, have continued to climb sharply, reaching 20,000 last year and 26,000 this year.
 The most visited destinations were Namwon in North Jeolla Province (22,600 people) and Miryang in South Gyeongsang Province (22,500), while Samcheok in Gangwon Province (16,000) rapidly emerged as a new popular destination. Among the individual packages, “Miryang-Busan Inland Tour (2 Days, 1 Night)” and “Yeongdong Winery Tour” drew strong interest from visitors.
 By season, demand was concentrated in spring and during local festivals. Around 119,000 people used the service in April and May, accounting for roughly half of the total, while seasonal offerings such as the Taebaek Snow Festival in winter and the Yeongdong Wine Cave experience in summer attracted rail travelers.
 To keep the train-travel boom going this autumn, KORAIL has introduced recommended itineraries linked to the “Travel Month” campaign and local festivals. Customized packages are being offered that take visitors to enjoy the southern region’s autumn atmosphere and explore local historic sites, including Jeongseon’s “Mindungsan Silver Grass Flower Festival,” Iksan’s “Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival,” and Hampyeong’s “Korea Chrysanthemum Festival.”
 A range of substantial discounts is also available to ease the cost burden on travelers. Fares on five themed trains, including the Baekdudaegan Canyon Train, the West Sea Golden Train, and the Jeongseon Arirang Train, are 50% off, and the Naeilro Pass comes with a 20,000-won discount. In addition, travelers who verify visits to tourist attractions in any of 41 population-decline areas nationwide can receive discount coupons worth 100% of their train fare. Details are available on the KORAIL website and the KORAIL+ booking app.
 Lee Min-seong, head of KORAIL’s Passenger Business Division, said, “We are continually developing a diverse range of products that let people enjoy the changing seasons while traveling by train,” adding, “We will strengthen cooperation with local governments and related organizations so that visits by train travelers can provide tangible support to local economies.”
 Meanwhile, the success of “Rail Travel for Local Communities” is considered significant because it goes beyond simply increasing rail ridership and helps boost consumer spending in small regional cities at risk of disappearing. According to an analysis by the Korea Tourism Organization, rail-linked tourists spend more time at their destinations and more at restaurants and traditional markets than typical day-trippers. The analysis also finds that railways are narrowing the gap between population-decline areas with limited public-transit access and the Seoul metropolitan area, playing a key role in creating a “relational population.”
[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter