Korea Train eXpress Facts for Kids

Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is South Korea's super-fast train system. It's like a bullet train that helps people travel across the country very quickly. The KTX is run by a company called Korail.

A high-speed train in South Korea means it can go 200 kilometers per hour (about 124 miles per hour) or faster. The KTX trains are designed to travel at amazing speeds!

Building this fast train system started on June 30, 1992. The KTX trains began carrying passengers on April 1, 2004. This made South Korea one of the first countries in the world to have trains that could go over 300 kilometers per hour (about 186 miles per hour). Other countries with similar trains at that time included Japan, France, Germany, Spain, and China.

The main KTX line is 410 kilometers (about 255 miles) long. It connects the capital city, Seoul, with Busan in the south. Along the way, it stops at important cities like Gwangmyeong, Cheonan, Asan, Daejeon, Daegu, and Gyeongju.

KTX trains usually travel at speeds up to 305 kilometers per hour (190 mph). However, the tracks and system are built to handle speeds up to 350 kilometers per hour (217 mph). The first KTX trains were based on a French design called TGV Reseau. Some parts of these trains were even built right in Korea!

Later, South Korea developed its own high-speed train called the HSR-350x. This train reached a speed of 352.4 kilometers per hour (219 mph) in tests. This led to a new type of KTX train called the KTX Sancheon. Even faster, the HEMU-430X train reached 421.4 kilometers per hour (261.8 mph) in 2013. This made South Korea one of only a few countries to develop such a fast train.

History of KTX

In the 1970s, many people and businesses were located along the path between Seoul and Busan. This area had a lot of traffic, both for goods and passengers. The government needed a way to solve this big traffic problem.

Ideas for a new fast railway line between Seoul and Busan came from France and Japan. These countries already had experience with subway systems in Korea. The Korean government then asked KAIST, a science university, to study the idea. This study happened from 1978 to 1981.

The study found that a new, double-track railway was needed. It also suggested that a high-speed train for passengers would be a good idea. A plan to build a high-speed railway between Seoul and Daejeon was included in South Korea's 5th Korean Five Year Plan.

It took another 10 years for the high-speed railway project to really begin. Many people felt that more studies were needed because the project would cost a lot of money. Also, South Korea was busy preparing for the Seoul Olympics in 1988, which used up many resources.

However, one of the people running for president promised to start the high-speed railway project. After he became president, the project began in full. In 1989, special groups were created to manage the preparations. In 1991, a law was passed to create the Korea High-Speed Railway Construction Authority. This organization then took charge of building the KTX.