Opening of Honam Express Rail Line

A High Speed Honam Rail Line has been constructed that covers the distance between Seoul and Mokpo, Jeonnam in two hours and 58 minutes.

The Office of Railroads held a completion and opening ceremony with a thousand people including Prime Minister Koh Gun, Construction and Transportation Minister Kang Dong-suk, Jeonnam Provincial Governor Park Tae-hyung, and residents. The group attended to celebrate the double-track installation and the express train construction of the Honam express line at the Mokpo station square on the morning of March 24.

Prime Minister Koh stated, “Due to the creation of a life zone that enables us to travel within a two hour mark anywhere across the nation, the interchange between Seoul and the countryside will become more dynamic.” He added, “The express train will serve as an engine that accelerates the development of country-life and regional balance.”

Prime Minister Koh went on a trial ride on the express railroad from Mokpo station to Songjung-ri station in Kwangju after attending the completion and opening ceremony.

Originally opened as a single line in 1914, the double tracking of the Honam line was completed in two-and-a-half years since the start of the express train construction, and 36 years after the double track construction started. The express train will be in service on the first of next month.

Using the Seoul (Yongsan) station as its starting point, the express train will run 34 round trips per day (Jeonbuk Iksan 4, Kwangju 16, Mokpo 14).

The travel time from Seoul to West Daejeon (160.8km) will be 49 minutes, to Iksan (243km) an hour and 38 minutes, to Songjung-ri (340.8km) two hours, to Kwangju (352.8km) two hours and 38 minutes, and to Mokpo (407.6km) two hours and 58 minutes.

The travel time between Seoul and Mokpo will be reduced by an hour and 44 minutes compared to the “Saemaul” train.

Using the coach train departing from Seoul as the standard, the fare to West Daejeon will be 19,800 won, to Iksan 27,000 won, to Songjung-ri 35,500 won, to Kwangju 36,600 won, and to Mokpo 41,400 won.

The first train departing from Seoul to Kwangju will leave at 5:25 a.m., the last train at 9:35 p.m. There will be a train every 55 minutes to Kwangju, and every two hours to Mokpo.

Unlike Kyungbu Expressway, which has its own exclusive rail link, the Honam line will run 140 to 150km per hour between West Daejeon and Mokpo (256.3km) thanks to the construction of an express double track.

shjung@donga.com srkim@donga.com