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South Korea merges KTX and SRT high-speed rail services
🇰🇷 South Korea /Economy & Trade

South Korea merges KTX and SRT high-speed rail services

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • South Korea's KTX and SRT high-speed rail services have officially merged under the unified "KORAIL Plus" brand, ending a decade of dual operations.
  • The merger, approved by the Fair Trade Commission, aims to improve efficiency, reduce redundant costs, and increase train capacity.
  • Passengers will benefit from lower fares, with KTX prices aligning with SRT levels (an average 10% reduction for KTX users), expanded seating availability, and integrated service benefits like mileage and discount programs.

South Korea's high-speed rail landscape has been unified as KTX and SRT services officially merge under the new "KORAIL Plus" brand. This integration, finalized after approval from the Fair Trade Commission, marks the end of a ten-year period of separate operations between Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and SR.

The dual system that has continued for over 10 years has ended.

— Article TextDescribing the end of separate KTX and SRT operations.

The merger is expected to resolve long-standing inefficiencies in track capacity utilization and eliminate redundant IT system costs. For passengers, the most significant changes include increased seating availability and reduced fares. The introduction of "coupled trains" (connecting two trains) and "complex trains" (splitting trains mid-route for different destinations) will add approximately 15,000 seats daily on weekdays and 17,000 on weekends. Service frequency will also increase, with up to 26 additional weekend services.

Starting September 1, all high-speed rail fares will be standardized to the current SRT level. This means KTX passengers will see an average fare reduction of 10%. Integrated service benefits, including mileage accumulation, discount programs, and commuter passes, will also be applied across both former services. For instance, the 5% mileage earned on KTX payments will now extend to SRT routes, and new benefits like discounts for transfers between high-speed and conventional trains (30%) and online special fares (up to 30%) will be introduced.

The integration is expected to resolve inefficiencies in track capacity utilization and eliminate redundant IT system costs.

— Article TextExplaining the anticipated benefits of the merger.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the Fair Trade Commission will jointly monitor the implementation of fare reductions and expanded seating capacity for the next three years. Further enhancements are planned, including the phased introduction of 31 new high-speed trainsets (EMU-320) starting in 2027 and increased operations following the completion of a second parallel track between Pyeongtaek and Osong by late 2028. The new "KORAIL Plus" app, an updated version of the KORAIL app, aims to offer a streamlined booking experience and eventually evolve into an integrated mobility service platform.

KTX users will see an average 10% fare reduction.

— Article TextDetailing the financial benefits for passengers.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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