The Seohae Line is a dual-track, electrified rail line in western Gyeonggi-do and Seoul, South Korea. The Seohae Line is being built in four sections simultaneously. The line runs 47 km (29 mi) south from Ilsan in Goyang City, crosses the Han River, passes Gimpo Airport, Sosa, Siheung, and ends in Wonsi in Ansan. There is a transfer to different lines at Daegok, Neunggok, Gimpo Int'l Airport, Bucheon Stadium, Sosa and Choji.[1] There are currently 21 stations (Ilsan-Wonsi). The line is operated by Korail, but the stations between Sosa and Wonsi are managed by SEO HAE RAIL CO.,LTD., which is a subsidiary of Seoul Metro.[2] The infrastructure is also owned by Korail so the line runs on the left like the rest of the South Korean mainline railway network.

Seohae Line
Overview
Native name서해선
Seohaeseon
StatusOperational
OwnerKorea Rail Network Authority
Termini
Stations21
Service
Operator(s)Korail, SEO HAE RAIL CO.,LTD., ERAIL Co., Ltd.
Rolling stockKorail Class 391000
History
OpenedJune 16, 2018
Technical
Line length47 km (29 mi) (131 km, future)
Number of tracks2
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification25 kV 60 Hz AC
Seohae Line
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSeohaeseon
McCune–ReischauerSŏhaesŏn

History

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After the completion of planning, the project was written out as a build–lease–transfer (BLT) project, and Daewoo was selected[3] as preferred bidder in September 2008.[1] Construction was scheduled to last from October 2009 to March 2013.[4] Due to the global financial crisis, it was difficult to gather investors to finance the project, and negotiations stalled.[1] An agreement was finally signed on December 21, 2010, with construction set to start in the first half of 2011.[1] Project costs are 1.5248 trillion South Korean won, the contractor has altogether seven years for design and construction, and will manage and maintain the line for the first 20 years of operation.[1]

The first section began construction in 2011 and opened on June 16, 2018.[5]

The second section runs north from Sosa to Daegok on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and Seoul Subway Line 3. There are transfers to several other lines. It was expected to open on June 29, 2021, but did not open until July 1, 2023.

Another extension (Daegok-Ilsan) was opened at the end of August 2023.

Future

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Another extension (Ilsan-Unjeong) was approved in January 2024.[6] There is currently no opening date noted.

On September 1, 2010, the South Korean government announced a strategic plan to reduce travel times from Seoul to 95% of the country to under 2 hours by 2020. As part of the plan, the first section is to be further upgraded for 230 km/h (140 mph) the Wonsi–Hwayang extension is to be projected for 250 km/h (160 mph), and the line may see KTX service.[7]

Tentative plans foresee the upgrade and incorporation of the Gyooe Line, a single-track non-electrified line without passenger service that connects Neunggok station (with a junction just before Daegok station) and Uijeongbu station in Uijeongbu. The Uijeongbu–Daegok–Sosa–Wonsi Line would then provide orbital metro service as a northern semicircle around Seoul, complementing the southern semicircle formed by the Suin–Bundang Line.

Another part of the tentative 2010 plans was a southern extension from Wonsi, connecting up with the Janghang Line before Hongseong station.[8][9] As of April 2023, the construction of this section was 92% completed and expected to be opened in the second half of 2024.[10]

Map of the Seohae Line and other surrounding lines

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Stations

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Urban section

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The section from Sosa to Wonsi opened on June 16, 2018. The first phase (Sosa to Daegok) of the Sosa to Ilsan extension opened on July 1, 2023. The second phase (Daegok to Ilsan) of the Sosa to Ilsan extension opened on August 26, 2023. The line currently utilizes seven four-car Class 391000 trains manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and ten four-car Class 391000 trains manufactured by Dawonsys.

Station
Number
Station Name
English
Station Name
Hangul
Station Name
Hanja
TransferDistance
in km
Total
Distance
Location
S07Ilsan일산 (Shared)---0.0Gyeonggi-doGoyang-si
S08Pungsan풍산1.91.9
S09Baengma백마1.73.6
S10Goksan곡산1.65.2
S11Daegok대곡 1.76.9
S12Neunggok능곡 1.88.5
S13Gimpo Int'l Airport김포공항 7.415.9SeoulGangseo-gu
S14Wonjong원종4.320.2Gyeonggi-doBucheon-si
S15Bucheon Stadium부천종합운동장 2.122.3
S16Sosa
(Seoul Theological Univ.)
소사
(서울신대)
2.725.0
S17Sosaeul
(Bucheon Univ. Sosa Campus)
소새울
(부천대 소사캠퍼스)
---1.726.7
S18Siheung Daeya시흥대야2.128.8Siheung-si
S19Sincheon신천1.430.2
S20Sinhyeon신현3.333.5
S22Siheung City Hall시흥시청3.637.1
S23Siheung Neunggok시흥능곡1.338.4
S24Dalmi달미2.440.8Ansan-si
S25Seonbu
(Hando Hospital)
선부
(한도병원)
1.642.4
S26Choji초지 1.744.1
S27Siu시우1.445.5
S28Wonsi원시1.547.0
S29Int'l Theme Park (TBC)국제테마파크國際−Hwaseong-si
S30Seohwaseongnamyang (December 2024)서화성남양西華城南陽

The line is being extended southward from Wonsi to Seohwaseongnamyang. Station names may be subject to change as the line is constructed and various sources give conflicting information.[11]

Conventional rail

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Station nameTransferDistance in kmLocation
RomanizedHangulHanjaStation distanceTotal distance
Songsan송산---0.0Gyeonggi-doHwaseong-si
Hwaseong City Hall화성시청
Hyangnam향남
Anjung안중Pyeongtaek-si
Inju인주Chungcheongnam-doAsan-si
Hapdeok합덕Dangjin-si
Hongseong홍성Janghang Line90.0Hongseong-gun

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e 소사~원시 복선전철 내년 상반기 착공예정 (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  2. ^ "소사원시운영(주)". Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  3. ^ "Daewoo E&C Financial Statements 2008" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Daewoo E&C Non-Consolidated Financial Statements[permanent dead link] December 31, 2008 and 2007
  5. ^ "서울 접근성 높인 소사원시선 역세권 아파트 'e편한세상 시흥'" (in Korean). Asiae. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  6. ^ http://www.vision21.kr/news/article.html?no=324175
  7. ^ "Bullet trains coming to a town near you by 2020". JoongAng Daily. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  8. ^ "South Korea's growing network". Railway Gazette International. 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  9. ^ Tebay, Andy (2023-07-03). "Seohae Line commuter rail extension opens in Seoul". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  10. ^ 철도공단 충청권 사업단, 8개 철도사업에 올해 7082억 투입 (in Korean). Rail Economy News. 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  11. ^ "대곡~소사 복선전철 마침내 첫삽, 2020년 개통". 22 December 2015.