The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 14th it will begin consolidation operations linking some KTX and SRT train sections starting on the 15th. This will increase the number of high-speed trains departing from Suseo Station. Also, people taking KTX from Suseo Station will be able to buy tickets at prices 10% cheaper than existing KTX fares.
Consolidation operations will be implemented once each for upbound and downbound services on certain sections of the Honam Line (Sat.-Sun.) and the Gyeongbu Line (Fri.-Sun.). The sections are ▲ Suseo–Gwangju Songjeong (upbound and downbound) ▲ Seoul–Busan (upbound and downbound) ▲ Suseo–Busan (upbound and downbound), three in total. They will be scheduled 10 times a week. The Suseo–Gwangju Songjeong section, which had been operated with a single train, will see seats increase from 410 to 820 with the introduction of consolidated trains.
The additional scheduled trains will total seven per week, including six on the Honam Line and one on the Gyeongbu Line. KTX-Sancheon trains will be added twice a week each on the Suseo–Gwangju Songjeong (weekends, upbound and downbound) section, and SRT trains will be added once each on Busan–Suseo (Mon., upbound), Suseo–Gwangju Songjeong (Mon., downbound), and Gwangju Songjeong–Suseo (Fri., upbound). There will be no timetable changes.
Fares will also become cheaper. Consolidation-operation trains will discount KTX fares by about 10%, aligning them with SRT fares. Tickets can be booked through KORAIL and SR Co.'s mobile apps and at station ticket counters.
Minister Kim Yun-duk of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, "Based on the results of the pilot operation, we will closely review safety and operational efficiency, establish an optimal integrated-operation plan, and complete the high-speed rail integration by September."