The Seohae Line (Korean: 서해선) is a dual-track, electrified rail line in western Gyeonggi-do and Seoul, South Korea. The Seohae Line is being built in four sections simultaneously. The line runs 47 km (29 mi) south from Ilsan in Goyang City, crosses the Han River, passes Gimpo Airport, Sosa, Siheung, and ends in Wonsi in Ansan. There is a transfer to different lines at Daegok, Neunggok, Gimpo Int'l Airport, Bucheon Stadium, Sosa and Choji.[1] There are currently 21 stations (Ilsan-Wonsi). The line is operated by Korail, but the stations between Sosa and Wonsi are managed by SEO HAE RAIL CO.,LTD., which is a subsidiary of Seoul Metro.[2] The infrastructure is also owned by Korail so the line runs on the left like the rest of the South Korean mainline railway network.
| Seohae Line | |
|---|---|
  | |
 Korail Class 391000 EMU. | |
| Overview | |
| Native name | 서해선 Seohaeseon |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | Korea Rail Network Authority |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 21 |
| Service | |
| Operator(s) | Korail, SEO HAE RAIL CO.,LTD., ERAIL Co., Ltd. |
| Rolling stock | Korail Class 391000 |
| History | |
| Opened | June 16, 2018 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 47 km (29 mi) (131 km, future) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25 kV 60 Hz AC |
| Seohae Line | |
| Hangul | 서해선 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 西海線 |
| Revised Romanization | Seohaeseon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sŏhaesŏn |
History
editAfter the completion of planning, the project was written out as a build–lease–transfer (BLT) project, and Daewoo was selected[3] as preferred bidder in September 2008.[1] Construction was scheduled to last from October 2009 to March 2013.[4] Due to the global financial crisis, it was difficult to gather investors to finance the project, and negotiations stalled.[1] An agreement was finally signed on December 21, 2010, with construction set to start in the first half of 2011.[1] Project costs are 1.5248 trillion South Korean won, the contractor has altogether seven years for design and construction, and will manage and maintain the line for the first 20 years of operation.[1]
The first section began construction in 2011 and opened on June 16, 2018.[5]
The second section runs north from Sosa to Daegok on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and Seoul Subway Line 3. There are transfers to several other lines. It was expected to open on June 29, 2021, but did not open until July 1, 2023.
Another extension (Daegok-Ilsan) was opened at the end of August 2023.
Future
editAnother extension (Ilsan-Unjeong) was approved in January 2024.[6] There is currently no opening date noted.
On September 1, 2010, the South Korean government announced a strategic plan to reduce travel times from Seoul to 95% of the country to under 2 hours by 2020. As part of the plan, the first section is to be further upgraded for 230 km/h (140 mph) the Wonsi–Hwayang extension is to be projected for 250 km/h (160 mph), and the line may see KTX service.[7]
Tentative plans foresee the upgrade and incorporation of the Gyooe Line, a single-track non-electrified line without passenger service that connects Neunggok station (with a junction just before Daegok station) and Uijeongbu station in Uijeongbu. The Uijeongbu–Daegok–Sosa–Wonsi Line would then provide orbital metro service as a northern semicircle around Seoul, complementing the southern semicircle formed by the Suin–Bundang Line.
Another part of the tentative 2010 plans was a southern extension from Wonsi, connecting up with the Janghang Line before Hongseong station.[8][9] As of April 2023, the construction of this section was 92% completed and expected to be opened in the second half of 31 October 2024.[10]
Map of the Seohae Line and other surrounding lines
edit
Stations
editUrban section
editThe section from Sosa to Wonsi opened on June 16, 2018. The first phase (Sosa to Daegok) of the Sosa to Ilsan extension opened on July 1, 2023. The second phase (Daegok to Ilsan) of the Sosa to Ilsan extension opened on August 26, 2023. The line currently utilizes seven four-car Class 391000 trains manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and ten four-car Class 391000 trains manufactured by Dawonsys.
| Station Number |
Station Name English |
Station Name Hangul |
Station Name Hanja |
Transfer | Distance in km |
Total Distance |
Location | ||
| S07 | Ilsan | 일산 | 一山 |  (Shared)
|
--- | 0.0 | Gyeonggi-do | Goyang-si | |
| S08 | Pungsan | 풍산 | 楓山 | 1.9 | 1.9 | ||||
| S09 | Baengma | 백마 | 白馬 | 1.7 | 3.6 | ||||
| S10 | Goksan | 곡산 | 谷山 | 1.6 | 5.2 | ||||
| S11 | Daegok | 대곡 | 大谷 | 
|
1.7 | 6.9 | |||
| S12 | Neunggok | 능곡 | 陵谷 |
|
1.8 | 8.5 | |||
| S13 | Gimpo Int'l Airport | 김포공항 | 金浦空港 |    
|
7.4 | 15.9 | Seoul | Gangseo-gu | |
| S14 | Wonjong | 원종 | 遠宗 | 4.3 | 20.2 | Gyeonggi-do | Bucheon-si | ||
| S15 | Bucheon Stadium | 부천종합운동장 | 富川綜合運動場 | 
|
2.1 | 22.3 | |||
| S16 | Sosa (Seoul Theological Univ.) |
소사 (서울신대) |
素砂 | 
|
2.7 | 25.0 | |||
| S17 | Sosaeul (Bucheon Univ. Sosa Campus) |
소새울 (부천대 소사캠퍼스) |
--- | 1.7 | 26.7 | ||||
| S18 | Siheung Daeya | 시흥대야 | 始興大也 | 2.1 | 28.8 | Siheung-si | |||
| S19 | Sincheon | 신천 | 新川 | 1.4 | 30.2 | ||||
| S20 | Sinhyeon | 신현 | 新峴 | 3.3 | 33.5 | ||||
| S22 | Siheung City Hall | 시흥시청 | 始興市廳 | 3.6 | 37.1 | ||||
| S23 | Siheung Neunggok | 시흥능곡 | 始興陵谷 | 1.3 | 38.4 | ||||
| S24 | Dalmi | 달미 | 達味 | 2.4 | 40.8 | Ansan-si | |||
| S25 | Seonbu (Hando Hospital) |
선부 (한도병원) |
仙府 | 1.6 | 42.4 | ||||
| S26 | Choji | 초지 | 草芝 |  
|
1.7 | 44.1 | |||
| S27 | Siu | 시우 | 時雨 | 1.4 | 45.5 | ||||
| S28 | Wonsi | 원시 | 元時 | 1.5 | 47.0 | ||||
| S29 | Int'l Theme Park (TBC) | 국제테마파크 | 國際− | Hwaseong-si | |||||
| S30 | Seohwaseong | 서화성 | 西華城 | ||||||
The line is being extended southward from Wonsi to Seohwaseongnamyang. Station names may be subject to change as the line is constructed and various sources give conflicting information.[11]
Conventional rail
editOpened on November 2, 2024.
| Station name | Transfer | Distance in km | Location | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romanized | Hangul | Hanja | Station distance | Total distance | |||
| Seohwaseong | 서화성 | 西華城 | --- | 0.0 | Gyeonggi-do | Hwaseong-si | |
| Hwaseong City Hall | 화성시청 | 華城市廳 | 7.3 | 7.3 | |||
| Hyangnam | 향남 | 鄕南 | 11.4 | 18.7 | |||
| Anjung | 안중 | 安仲 | Pyeongtaek Line | 19.1 | 37.8 | Pyeongtaek-si | |
| Inju | 인주 | 仁州 | 17.5 | 55.3 | Chungcheongnam-do | Asan-si | |
| Hapdeok | 합덕 | 合德 | 8.8 | 64.1 | Dangjin-si | ||
| Hongseong | 홍성 | 洪城 | Janghang Line | 24.6 | 88.7 | Hongseong-gun | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e 소사~원시 복선전철 내년 상반기 착공예정 (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
- ^ "소사원시운영(주)". Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
- ^ "Daewoo E&C Financial Statements 2008" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
- ^ Daewoo E&C Non-Consolidated Financial Statements[permanent dead link] December 31, 2008 and 2007
- ^ "서울 접근성 높인 소사원시선 역세권 아파트 'e편한세상 시흥'" (in Korean). Asiae. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
- ^ "[비전21뉴스] 파주시, 서해선(대곡-소사) 파주 연장 확정!".
- ^ "Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020". JoongAng Daily. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
- ^ "South Korea's growing network". Railway Gazette International. 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Tebay, Andy (2023-07-03). "Seohae Line commuter rail extension opens in Seoul". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
- ^ 철도공단 충청권 사업단, 8개 철도사업에 올해 7082억 투입 (in Korean). Rail Economy News. 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
- ^ "대곡~소사 복선전철 마침내 첫삽, 2020년 개통". 22 December 2015.