Ride on presidential 'Train One'
President Moon Jae-in raises his fist in a wish for a successful PyeongChang Olympics on the presidential “Train One” on his way to Gangneung, Tuesday. / Yonhap
By Oh Young-jin
Have you ever heard of “Train One”? If you haven’t, don’t be disappointed. The special train for the President was introduced in 1979 but never has it been opened to people other than the leader and his entourage.
That changed when President Moon Jae-in invited sports editors and a selected number of citizens Tuesday to travel with him to promote the PyeongChang Winter Olympics that begin on Feb.9. The trip started at Seoul Station and ended in Gangneung. It then returned to Seoul. This train service will be the key to transportation for Olympic guests.
This is the boxed lunch served to citizens and sports editors during their trip with President Moon Jae-in from Seoul to Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Tuesday, on the presidential “Train One” to promote the PyeongChang Olympics in February. / Yonhap
Tuesday’s guests were served a “presidential boxed lunch” featuring the indigenous vegetables of Gangwon Province. The box was divided into 11 sections -- including one for cooked rice mixed with vegetables and covered by strips of beef, and one for two strawberries for dessert.
The presidential train consists of Korea’s fast train, the KTX. Two engines pull its eight coaches, two of which have been converted into private quarters for the President.
Korea’s latest top train model is used for presidential rail travel. The KTX was adopted in 2010.