KTX, SRT set to begin interchange test at Suseo, Seoul stations

An SRT train arrives at Seoul Station during a test run on Feb. 3, ahead of the start of passenger service at the station, Feb. 25. Yonhap

Korea’s fastest railway service, KTX, will begin selling tickets Wednesday to passengers using Suseo Station in southern Seoul — a major hub for the country’s other high-speed rail service, SRT. KTX trains had previously never operated at Suseo Station.

SRT will likewise begin ticket sales the same day for passengers using Seoul Station, the main hub for KTX, marking the first time the two services have shared each other’s key terminals.

The interchange between the country’s two major high-speed rail brands comes as the government moves toward merging them into a single, integrated platform for passengers. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been working with KTX operator Korea Railroad (KORAIL) and SRT operator SR on the initiative.

The first KTX train bound for Suseo Station will depart Busan Station on Feb. 25. Forty-seven minutes after arriving, the train will begin another two-and-a-half-hour return trip to Busan. An SRT train heading to Seoul Station will also depart Busan on the same day and will head back to Busan 30 minutes after arrival.

Both trains will make eight intermediate stops on each trip, the same as they did before the interchange operation took effect.

The KTX train, with 955 seats, and the SRT train, with 410 seats, will each make the round trip once a day. KORAIL will open ticket sales for the KTX service using Suseo Station through its smartphone app and website, while SR will do the same for the SRT service using Seoul Station on its online platforms.

The interchange operation serves as a pilot phase of the government’s railway integration plan. The government announced a road map for the plan in December, saying the integration will increase seat availability for passengers, as SRT has consistently faced seat shortages. The government aims to complete the integration process by the end of this year.

As the interchange operation is a test ahead of the launch of a fully integrated service with expanded seat capacity and schedules, fares for both trains will be offered at a 10 percent discount.

The government said it conducted a dry run of the interchange operation on Feb. 3 and confirmed its safety and operational readiness.

KORAIL and SR officials said they will “improve seat booking systems for the interchange operation as soon as possible so that passengers can experience greater convenience from the integrated railway services.”