SEOUL-BUSAN | While Canada is considering implementing a first “fast train” at 200 km/h, South Korea is celebrating the 20e anniversary of its high-speed train, with a third generation of vehicles traveling at 320 km/h, the technology of which is entirely developed locally.
The advent of the high-speed train (TGV) “changed the paradigm” 20 years ago, says Seog-Jung Choi, director of safety and engineering at Korail, operator of the Korea Train Express network ( KTX), nicknamed “Bullet train”. South Korea is now considered a city country, he explains. That is to say, you can travel there and back in one day, from north to south, from east to west, thanks to a veritable canvas that covers the entire territory.
The new third-generation KTX high-speed train will be unveiled to the public this month. It will travel at 320 km/h, or 60 km/h faster than its predecessor. KTXs are designed and manufactured in Korea. They have been circulating in the area for 20 years.
Stephanie Martin
“I can easily have two to three meetings a day in Korea thanks to the high-speed train,” says Ministry of Transport spokesperson Hyeonsook Kim.
Seoul Station is a public transportation hub in South Korea, where you can take a high-speed train, commuter train, subway or bus. It is frequented by more than 100,000 passengers every day.
Stephanie Martin
400 km in 2h30
The newspaper was able to see this with a return trip to Busan, the second largest city in the country, located in the very south of the Korean peninsula, 400 km from Seoul. A journey that took 6 hours by regular train, but which lasted less than 2h30 by KTX.
The third generation of high-speed trains, developed entirely in Korea, will be launched this month. The wagons will travel at a top speed of 320 km/h.
Seoul Station is a public transportation hub in South Korea, where you can take a high-speed train, commuter train, subway or bus. It is frequented by more than 100,000 passengers every day. Fans of Korean cinema will recognize the KTX from the film “A Train to Busan”.
Stephanie Martin
In Canada, the Toronto-Quebec “rapid train” project, which is described as “one of the largest transport projects in the world” by the CEO of Via Rail TGF, Martin Imbleau, will travel on average at 200 km/h. At Korail, we have not received a request from Canada to share Korean expertise. “But if they ask us, we will be more than happy to work with them,” commented Mr. Choi.
The Journal met, at Seoul station, Pyung-Nam Park, Seog-Jung Choi and Eun-Kyung Koo, from Korail, the company which operates the KTX high-speed trains in South Korea.
Stephanie Martin
Advice in Canada
He advises Canada to carefully establish its needs and consider the demands of the public in the chosen corridor. In Quebec, several politicians, including the mayors of Quebec and Montreal, would prefer a TGV. In Korea too, “everyone wants high-speed trains,” says the director at Korail.
At the Korea Railroad Research Institute, researchers like Dr. Hyuck Keun Oh are working on even faster models. “The future of high-speed trains will be 370 km/h,” he says.
Stephanie Martin
Korea is actively engaged in research to further improve the performance of its trains. At the Korea Railroad Research Institute, researchers like Drs Hyuck Keun Oh and Sang-Soo Kim are working on even faster models.
“The future of high-speed trains will be 370 km/h. But for this, it will be necessary to change the infrastructure and the rails. Korea also plans to carry out this project in 2034,” indicates the Dr Oh.
At the Korea Railroad Research Institute, researchers like Dr. Sang-Soo Kim are working on train models that could reach 370 km/h.
Stephanie Martin