AREX
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| AREX | |
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|---|---|
| Info | |
| Type | passenger |
| Terminals | Incheon International Airport Gimpo International Airport |
| No. of stations | 6 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | March 23, 2007 |
| Owner | Airport Express Co. |
| Operator(s) | Airport Express Co. |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 37.6km |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) |
| Electrification | 37.6km (AC 25000V 60Hz) |
| AREX | ||||||||
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AREX is a South Korean railway line that links Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport, with a future section extending to Seoul Station. The line is operated by the Airport Railroad Co. Ltd., whose largest shareholders are Hyundai (27%), Daelim (18%) and POSCO (12%); it is fully privatized.
Contents |
[edit] History
After significant delays, construction of the line started in 2002. The first 37.6 km segment from Incheon Airport to Gimpo opened on March 23, 2007,[1] with the remaining length of 20.4 km to Seoul Station scheduled to be operational in January 2010.
The line is being constructed by IKFC (Incheon Korean French Consortium), a consortium headed by Eukorail. Eukorail includes as partners the French company Alstom and the South Korean company ROTEM, and also built the KTX high-speed train line.
The line was initially announced in July 1998 as the Incheon International Airport Railroad (인천국제공항철도), abbreviated I'REX, but was renamed in June 2006.
[edit] Services
Both express and commuter services are operated. Journeys from Incheon to Gimpo presently take 28/33 minutes on express and commuter services respectively, both currently costing ₩3,100.[2] When the full line opens, Express services will operate with 30-to-60 minute headways, taking 45 minutes and a fare of ₩10,650 for the journey to the city, while commuter services (₩4,250) will operate at 5-to-30 minute intervals, taking 53 minutes.
The trains have a design speed of 120 km/h. Express trains have overhead shelves and comfortable seats similar to those in KTX high-speed trains. Commuter trains are similar to subway trains and do not have overhead shelves. The AREX line is shown in blue on Seoul subway maps, but is not considered a part of the subway network, and thus offers neither free transfers nor free tickets for elderly and handicapped people.
[edit] Stations
| Number | Name | Korean | Commuter 일반 |
Express 직통 |
Connecting lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in Seoul | |||||
| A01 | Seoul Station (future) | 서울역 | X | X | Line 1, Line 4, KTX |
| A02 | Gongdeok (future) | 공덕 | X | - | Line 5, Line 6, Gyeongui Line (planned) |
| A03 | Hongik University (future) | 홍대입구 | X | - | Line 2, Gyeongui Line (planned) |
| A04 | Digital Media City (future) | 디지털미디어시티 | X | - | Line 6, Gyeongui Line (planned) |
| A05 | Gimpo Airport | 김포공항 | X | X | Line 5 / Line 9 (planned) |
| in Incheon | |||||
| A06 | Gyeyang | 계양 | X | - | Incheon Subway Line 1 |
| A07 | Geomam | 검암 | X | - | Incheon Subway Line 2 (planned) |
| A08 | Unseo | 운서 | X | - | |
| A09 | Incheon Int'l Airport Cargo Terminal | 공항화물청사 | X | - | |
| A10 | Incheon International Airport | 인천국제공항 | X | X | |
Earlier plans to link Yongsan Station have been dropped. There are plans to offer through services via Gimpo Airport from the commuter line to Seoul Subway Line 9 (under construction).
[edit] Phase 2 construction
Phase 2 of the line from Gimpo to Seoul Station is due for completion in 2010. At Gimpo airport the line is deep in tunnel, it heads north east and rises to the surface to cross the Han river on a new bridge. The line curves to the east and descends into tunnel to go below Susaek bridge. The line is being built in a cut and cover tunnel running parallel to mainline railway to Susaek station. From Susaek to Gajwa railway station there is a short section being constructed using the "Tubular Roof and Trench Tunnelling method". From Gajwa there is another short section not in cut and cover before the open trench reappears. The trench follows the line of the previously existing Yongsan railway line traces of which can still be found at a couple of the roads that cross the work sites. At Hongik University there is more major excavation for the new station which will connect with Subway line 2. The trench continues to Gongdeok where there will be another station. The line then continues in bored tunnel under the hill to come out on the west side of Seoul Station.
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[edit] References
- ^ Gimpo-Incheon airport rail opens (English). Korea Herald (2007-03-24). Retrieved on 2007-03-23.
- ^ 영업계획 (Korean). AREX. Retrieved on 2007-03-08.
[edit] External links
- AREX
- Korea's first airport railway to open in 2007: the first railway concession project is underway in Korea., published by the International Railway Journal
- Seoul's airport rail link takes off Railway Gazette International, May 2007]
- Pictures and Videos of the AREX line
