GTX-B Yongsan~Sangbong, 2 groups to penetrate first

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Selected as the preferred bidder within the year for the private sector
2030 Maseok-Seoul Station 27 minutes
Extension of Line 7 to Cheongna… Open in 2027

The construction of a rail network connecting the outskirts of the metropolitan area and downtown Seoul is accelerating. With the start of construction of the metropolitan area express railway (GTX) linking Incheon to Namyangju (Maseok) in Gyeonggi-do has become visible, the Seoul Metro Line 7 Incheon Cheongna extension project is being pushed forward with the goal of opening in late 2027.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 22nd that it will confirm and announce the basic plan for the Yongsan-Sangbong section (19.95km), which is being promoted as a financial project, among the GTX-B (Incheon University entrance to Maseok 82.7km) route on the 23rd. Except for Yongsan-Sangbong on the GTX-B route, the sections from Incheon National University entrance to Yongsan (39.89 km) and Sangbong to Maseok (22.86 km) will be implemented as a privately funded project.

Yongsan-Sangbong, with a total project cost of 2.35 trillion won, is a GTX and Jungang Line connection section (4.27km), with a total of four new stations (Yongsan, Seoul Station, Cheongnyangni, and Sangbong). The convenience of passengers, such as transfers to existing routes, has been strengthened. Yongsan Station minimizes the transfer distance between Line 1, general railroad, and KTX, and connects it to Line 4 and the Shinbundang Line to be promoted underground. At Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station, horizontal transfers are possible with GTX-A and GTX-C lines and underground. Sangbong Station is planning to install a connecting passage considering the transfer of Line 7 and Gyeongui Jungang Line.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is planning to promote a lump-sum bidding (turnkey) for the early start of construction on the Yongsan-Sangbong section. In the private sector, following selecting a preferred bidder within the year, it was decided to proceed with follow-up procedures such as a concession agreement and detailed design. Considering that it takes an average of 5 to 6 years from the start of the main construction to completion, the opening of all GTX-B sections is expected in 2030. As it takes regarding 30 minutes from the entrance of Incheon National University to Seoul Station and regarding 27 minutes from Maseok to Seoul Station, it is expected that accessibility to downtown Seoul in the eastern and western areas of the metropolitan area such as Namyangju and Incheon will be greatly improved.

On the same day, the Metropolitan Area Transportation Committee (Daegwang Commission) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved the Cheongna International City extension project plan of Seoul Metro Line 7. With a total length of 10.7 km linking Seoknam Station and Cheongna International City Station, it is possible to increase the convenience of using the railroad in the northwestern part of Incheon. With a plan to install 7 stations including Gajeong Station (tentative name), the city of Incheon decided to start construction this month and open it in December 2027. On the Cheongna Extension Line of Line 7, a heavy-duty train consisting of 8 cars per train is put into operation and runs every 6 minutes during commuting and 12 minutes during normal times. You can transfer to Airport Railroad at Cheongna International City Station and Incheon Line 2 at Seoknam Station. In addition, the travel time from Cheongna to Guro (Gasan Digital Complex Station), the transfer station for Seoul Line 1, has been reduced from 78 minutes to 42 minutes, and it will be possible to travel to Gangnam without a transfer.

Reporter Sejong Park Seung-gi