KTX, SRT to integrate, boost seat availability in 2026

An SRT train departs Suseo Station in southeastern Seoul in this undated photo. Courtesy of SR Corp.

The government will launch a unified booking platform for KTX and SRT trains by March and plans to further integrate the two high-speed railway systems by the end of next year to improve public transport availability.

The measure comes as SRT trains operated by the state-run SR Corp., which depart from Suseo Station in southeastern Seoul, continue to suffer from a severe shortage of available seats. Authorities have concluded that integrating SR Corp. into KTX operator Korea Railroad (KORAIL), which is also state-run, will help resolve the chronic issue.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Monday unveiled a road map for the integration. The labor unions of KORAIL and SR Corp., consumer groups and various experts participated in drawing up the plan to integrate the two companies and unify their separate service platforms.

The plan includes an integrated online platform enabling passengers to book seats on both KTX and SRT trains. To support this, Suseo Station will become a stop for KTX trains departing from Seoul Station. The government said that the new link between the two major stations will increase train operations on the route and improve seat availability for users of both systems.

Passengers departing from a KTX train crowd a platform at Seoul Station in this April 1, 2024, photo. Yonhap

Test runs of the new routes as well as the integrated online platform are scheduled to begin next June.

According to the government, the integration will be completed before 2027, after gathering input from all stakeholders and completing the necessary legal procedures. However, authorities noted that the timeline could be delayed depending on how quickly the labor unions of the two companies reach an agreement on the terms of the integration.

To facilitate the integration process, the ministry plans to commission an external study to establish a basic merger blueprint, including human resources and financial structures for the unified organization.

A new committee comprising labor, management and government will be formed, and a dedicated division will be created within the ministry to manage legal processes such as the Public Institutions Management Committee's review of the merger plan and approval of a railroad safety management system for the new entity.

"The government has decided to pursue the merger after hearing from experts and employees of KORAIL and SR. The merger will not be a simple absorption but a strategic integration aimed at enhancing the global competitiveness of Korea’s railway industry," Transport Minister Kim Yun-duk said.

"The government will ensure that no SR employees face any disadvantages during the merger process.”