Korail facts for kids
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Headquarters of Korea Railroad Corporation
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| Government-owned corporation | |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1 September 1963 (as Korean National Railroad) 1 January 2005 (renamed as Korail) |
| Headquarters | Soje-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea |
| Revenue | |
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Operating income
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 ₩ 103,400,000,000 (2015) |
| ₩ 380,759,519 (2010) |
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Number of employees
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| Korea Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Operation | |
| Infrastructure company | KR |
| Statistics | |
| Ridership | 969,145,101 |
| Passenger km | 31,415,965,207 |
| Freight | 10,553,675,728 ton km |
| System length | |
| Total | 4,128.6 km (2,565.4 mi) |
| Double track | 2,706.5 km (1,681.7 mi) |
| Electrified | 3,043.0 km (1,890.8 mi) |
| High-speed | 1,264.7 km (785.8 mi) |
| Track gauge | |
| Main | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| High-speed | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | |
| AC 25,000 V 60 Hz | 3,023.8 km (1,878.9 mi) |
| DC 1,500 V | 19.2 km (11.9 mi) |
| Features | |
| No. stations | 691 |
| Highest elevation | 855 m (2,805 ft) |
| at | 37°12′0″N 128°56′59.83″E / 37.20000°N 128.9499528°E |
| Korea Railroad Corporation | |
| Hangul | |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Hanguk cheoldo gongsa |
| McCune–Reischauer | Han’guk ch'ŏlto kongsa |
| Korean Railroad (KORAIL) | |
| Hangul |
한국철도
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| Hanja |
韓國 鐵道
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| Revised Romanization | Hanguk cheoldo |
| McCune–Reischauer | Han’guk ch'ŏlto |
The Korea Railroad Corporation, also known as KORAIL, is the main company that runs trains in South Korea. It's a public company, meaning it's owned by the government. KORAIL operates many different types of trains, including fast intercity trains, regional trains, and even subway-like services in big cities. Its main office is in Daejeon.
Contents
History of KORAIL
Before 1963, South Korea's railways were managed by a government office. On September 1, 1963, this office became a new agency called the Korean National Railroad (KNR).
In the early 2000s, the South Korean government decided to change KNR. In 2003, KNR started using the blue KORAIL logo we see today. Then, on January 1, 2005, KNR was split into two parts:
- Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), which took over running all the trains.
- Korea National Railway (KNR), which became responsible for building and taking care of the railway tracks.
How KORAIL Works
KORAIL earns money from train tickets, which are priced based on how far you travel. The company aims to provide good service for everyone who uses the trains in South Korea.
KORAIL Train Services
KORAIL offers several types of train services across South Korea. These include high-speed trains, intercity trains, regional trains, and urban (city) railway services.
KTX: Korea Train eXpress
KTX stands for Korea Train eXpress. These are KORAIL's fastest trains. KTX trains travel on special high-speed lines, connecting major cities quickly. They also have branches that go to other important areas.
ITX: Intercity Train eXpress
ITX trains are for travel between cities. The first ITX train, called ITX-Cheongchun, started running in 2012.
Before ITX, there were trains called Saemaul-ho. Many of these have now become part of the ITX family, known as ITX-Saemaeul. A new ITX train, ITX-Maum, was also introduced recently.
Mugunghwa-ho and Nuriro: Regional Trains
The Mugunghwa-ho and Nuriro trains are KORAIL's regional services. The Mugunghwa-ho trains are named after South Korea's national flower, the hibiscus. They were once express trains but now serve more local routes.
Nuriro trains are newer and are meant to take over from some Mugunghwa-ho services in the future.
Urban Railway Services
KORAIL also runs metro-style services in large cities like Seoul and Busan. These trains are like subways and are connected to the local subway systems. This means you can often transfer between KORAIL lines and city subway lines easily.
Seoul Urban Lines
KORAIL operates parts of several subway lines in Seoul, allowing people to travel across the city and to nearby areas.
Line 1 connects different parts of the city and beyond.
Line 3 includes the Ilsan Line.
Line 4 has lines like the Jinjeop Line, Ansan Line, and Gwacheon Line.- Bundang This corridor includes the Bundang Line and Suin Line.
- Gyeongchun The Gyeongchun Line runs from Seoul to Chuncheon.
- Gyeongui–Jungang This corridor includes the Gyeongui Line, parts of the Gyeongwon Line, Jungang Line, and Yongsan Line.
- Gyeonggang The Gyeonggang Line connects Pangyo and Yeoju.
Busan Urban Lines
Donghae Line is part of the urban rail service in Busan.
Sightseeing Trains
KORAIL has special trains just for tourists! These trains offer unique experiences and beautiful views. Some popular sightseeing trains include the Sea Train, DMZ Train, V-Train, S-Train, A-Train, and G-Train.
Rail Passes for Travelers
KORAIL offers a special pass called the Korea Rail Pass (or KR Pass) for foreign visitors. This pass lets them ride most KORAIL trains, including KTX, for a set period. However, it doesn't cover subway services or the special tourist trains.
For foreigners who live in South Korea for a longer time, there's a similar pass called the Happy Rail Pass.
Working at KORAIL
Most KORAIL employees are part of the Korean Railway Workers' Union. Sometimes, the union and KORAIL management have disagreements, which can lead to workers stopping work for a short time to discuss their concerns.
KORAIL's Other Businesses
KORAIL has a few other companies that help with its operations:
- Korail Networks: This company handles ticketing and manages the loyalty program for frequent train riders.
- Korail Retail: This company manages advertisements and runs "Storyway" convenience stores at train stations.
- Korail Tour Service: This company provides train crew for KTX and Saemaeul-ho trains and offers travel services.
International Connections
KORAIL's railway lines once connected to what is now North Korea. Before the division of Korea, lines like the Gyeongui Line and Gyeongwon Line extended north.
There have been efforts to reconnect these lines between North and South Korea. In 2007, test trains ran on reconnected parts of the Gyeongui Line and the Donghae Bukbu Line. Freight service even started for a short time between South Korea and the Kaesong Industrial Region in North Korea.
In 2018, officials from both Koreas began surveys to explore connecting the railways again. A ceremony was held in Kaesong, North Korea, to mark the start of efforts to reconnect roads and railways.
There are no direct railway connections between South Korea and Japan. While a tunnel connecting the two countries has been suggested for a long time, it remains a plan for the future.
See also
In Spanish: Korail para niños
- List of suburban and commuter rail systems
- Korean State Railway, North Korea's national rail operator
- Daejeon Korail FC, Korea National League football team.
- Korea Rail Network Authority
- KTX Family Card, frequent riders program
- Transportation in South Korea
