The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 14th it will start a "pilot coupled operation" that consolidates KTX cars with SRT cars starting on the 15th of next month. With coupled operation, the number of seats increases even with the same number of runs, allowing more passengers to be accommodated.
This coupled operation comes ahead of the integration of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), the KTX operator, and SR Co., the SRT operator, and is intended to prepare for smooth operations. The plan is to check safety when cross consolidating while also expanding seat supply.
The coupled operation will apply to Suseo↔Gwangju Songjeong on Saturdays and Sundays. This route is normally operated only by SRT, but KTX trains will be consolidated to it. That is because passenger demand surges on weekends.
Busan·Pohang→Seoul and Seoul→Busan·Masan, operated Friday through Sunday, will also use coupled operation. On the Busan·Pohang→Seoul route, KTX departs separately from Pohang and Busan and is consolidated at Dongdaegu to continue together to Seoul. It has been a train consolidated KTX-to-KTX, but starting next month the KTX departing Busan will be replaced by SRT.
Also, the route that departs Seoul and then splits at Dongdaegu to go separately to Busan and Masan had all been operated as KTX, but starting next month the train from Seoul to Busan will be replaced by SRT.
With the pilot coupled operation, the Honam Line (Suseo↔Gwangju Songjeong) will add 1,796 seats per week, and the Gyeongbu Line (Busan·Pohang→Seoul, Seoul→Busan·Masan) will add 410 seats. Tickets for the pilot coupled operation go on sale at 7 a.m. on the 15th of this month.
SRT fares under the pilot coupled operation will remain the same as before, and KTX fares will be about 10% lower. SRT fares are originally 10% cheaper than KTX, and fares for the pilot coupled trains will be standardized to the SRT level. However, KTX trains with these lower fares will not accrue mileage, the same as SRT does now.
Kim Yun-duk, Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), said, "We will push ahead with the high-speed rail integration with greater speed through September so the public can experience benefits such as expanded seat supply sooner."