 |
| An SRT train approaches a platform at Suseo Station in southern Seoul, December 2022. Yonhap |
By Ko Dong-hwan
 |
The cities are currently served by KTX bullet trains starting from Seoul Station or Yongsan Station in central Seoul.
On Friday, SR, the operator of SRT, opened ticket reservations for the new routes, which will begin operations on Sept. 1. Each new line will operate two roundtrips a day.
The expansion will add 14 new destinations to the system's 18 existing stations.
Seven municipalities in North and South Jeolla provinces comprise stations for the Jeolla Line and six in North and South Gyeongsang provinces for the Gyeongjeon Line. Pohang Station is the only one newly launched on the Donghae Line.
The addition has expanded SRT's existing service network that uses the Gyeongbu Line ending in Busan and the Honam Line ending in Mokpo, with 18 stations altogether. Despite the service expansion, Gyeongbu and Honam still remain SRT's main routes by providing 20 to 40 roundtrips per day.
On Aug. 1, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved the opening of the three new SRT lines in accordance with the country's Railroad Safety Act.
The SRT expansion signals the country's aim to develop its overall railway network, which includes KTX, by also adding more SRT stations throughout the country. However, as of now, KTX still has more stations than SRT throughout the country.
The most notable change is happening on the Gyeongbu Line, which attracts the most passengers as the line finishes in Busan, the country's second-biggest city.
By the end of this year, the ministry plans to introduce the Electronic Multiple Unit (EMU)-320, a third-generation high-speed train by Hyundai Rotem, and 17 new KTX trains that are scheduled to come out in 2026 for the line.
Lee Yoon-sang, chief of the ministry's Railway Bureau, said the ministry also plans to complete the expansion of the tracks between Pyeongtaek Station and Osong Station in Gyeonggi Province, where traffic bottlenecks have been frequent, in 2027.
![[INTERVIEW] Korea has great opportunity to lead green transition](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/7321cddf734c43269db9ae00b4d9ddd7.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Namseoul University leads adoption of innovative IB education programs](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/5291e6a2f3df420e83c62c2c4f712591.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Song Kang discuss shortened screen time in 'Sweet Home 2'](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/e276a5e482b0485f9221a23f7de99c0d.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/df32c60c8204448e98ccdb9841366bec.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
