Seoul Station (Korean서울역) is a major railway station in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The station is served by the Korail Intercity Lines and the commuter trains of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway.

Seoul

서울
Korean name
Hangul
서울역
Hanja
서울驛
Revised RomanizationSeoul-yeok
McCune–ReischauerSŏul-yŏk
General information
LocationBongnae-dong and Dongja-dong, Seoul
South Korea
Coordinates37°33′11″N 126°58′21″E / 37.55319°N 126.97260°E / 37.55319; 126.97260
Operated by
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade and underground (Subway and AREX)
History
OpenedJuly 8, 1900 (1900-07-08) (original station building)

Services

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Seoul Station is the terminus of most KTX trains including:

  • All trains along the Gyeongbu High Speed Line to Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Pohang, Masan and Jinju.
  • Some trains exclusively Honam High Speed Line and Jeolla lines to GwangjuSongjeong, Mokpo, Suncheon and Yeosu Expo.
  • Almost all trains along the Gyeonggang line to Pyeongchang, Jinbu, Gangneung & Donghae; and
  • All KTX trains operating along sections of the conventional Gyeongbu line.

Some KTX services operating along sections of the conventional Honam Line bound for GwangjuSongjeong, Mokpo and Yeosu Expo arrive and depart Yongsan Station.[1]

ITX-Saemaeul

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Seoul Station is the terminus of all ITX-Saemaeul trains along the Gyeongbu and Gyeongjeon Lines to Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Pohang, Masan and Jinju. ITX-Saemaeul trains on the Honam and Jeolla lines arrive and depart Yongsan Station. ITX-Saemaeul trains to the east of Korea serve Cheongnyangni Station.[2]

Mugunghwa-ho

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Seoul Station is the terminus of all Mugunghwa-ho trains along the Gyeongbu and Gyeongjeon Lines to Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Pohang, Masan and Jinju; along the and along the Chungbuk Line to Jecheon. Mugunghwa-ho trains on the Honam and Jeolla lines arrive and depart Yongsan Station. Mugunghwa-ho trains to the east of Korea serve Cheongnyangni Station.[3]

Korail Tourist Trains

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Seoul Station is the terminus of a number of Korail's tourist trains, including:

  • The DMZ train to Dorasan and Baekmago[4]
  • The O-train which loops the centre of the peninsula via Jecheon, Buncheon and Cheoram[5]
  • The S-train to Yeosu[6]

AREX Airport Railway

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AREX operate two trains from Seoul Station. AREX Express trains run non-stop to Incheon Airport stopping only at Incheon Terminal 1 and Incheon Terminal 2.[7] AREX All-Stop trains are commuter style trains that stop 11 times, including at Seoul's Gimpo Airport.[8]

AREX Express passengers have exclusive access to Seoul Station's City Air Terminal which allows passengers travelling on most Korean airlines from Incheon Airport to check bags and receive boarding passes before boarding the train. Access to the underground Airport Railroad Station and City Air Terminal is either from the central station concourse or via a dedicated drop off area and car park on the west side of the station.

Seoul Subway

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Seoul Subway serves the station with Line 1 and Line 4, and an hourly train on the Gyeongui–Jungang Line.

Around 2015, a large bus transfer center was built in front of the station's main entrance. It has about nine platforms that services different bus routes in Seoul. It is separated from the main roads with a barrier around the platforms. Yet having a rather complicated structure with many bus platforms, the transfer center is built in a simple manner as it is not a separate terminal building.[9]

Station layout

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Korail

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서울
Seoul
 
 
General information
Location43–205, Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (1 Namdaemunno)
Owned byKorea Rail Network Authority
Operated byKorail
Line(s)
Platforms14 + 1 Gyeongui–Jungang Line platform
Tracks
Construction
Structure typeGround
Other information
Station codeP313 (Gyeongui–Jungang Line)
History
OpenedSeptember 12, 1988
Passengers
  • 93,171 (Korail Intercity)[10]
  • 13,263 (Gyeongui–Jungang Line)[11]
Services
Preceding station   Korea Train Express Following station
Haengsin
Terminus
Gyeongbu KTX Gwangmyeong
towards Busan
Gyeongbu KTX
via Gupo
Gyeongjeon KTX Gwangmyeong
towards Jinju
Donghae KTX Gwangmyeong
towards Pohang
Terminus Gyeongbu KTX
via Suwon
Yeongdeungpo
towards Busan
Gyeonggang KTX Cheongnyangni
towards Donghae or Gangneung
Jungang KTX Cheongnyangni
towards Andong
Preceding station   Following station
Terminus Mugunghwa-ho
Yongsan
towards Busan
Yeongdeungpo
towards Jecheon
Yeongdeungpo
towards Jinju
Preceding station Seoul Metropolitan Subway Following station
Sinchon
towards Munsan
Gyeongui–Jungang Line Terminus
Gyeongui–Jungang Line
Gyeongui Express Line
Sinchon
| | | | | | 1 |
Terminus

Sinchon
Seobu | | 14·13 | | 12·11 | | 10·9 | | 8·7 | | 6·5 | | 4·3 | | 2·1 |
Namyeong
Platform No. Line Train Destination
1 Seoul Subway Gyeongui-Jungang Line B Express·A Express·Local
1·2 Seoul Subway Line 1 Former Cheonan·Sinchang Express A unusing
3·12 Mainline trains

Gyeongbu Line

KTX·ITX-Saemaeul·Mugunghwa-ho
13·14 Mainline trains

Gangneung Line

KTX

AREX

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서울역
Seoul Station
 
Entrance for AREX
General information
Owned byKorea Rail Network Authority
Operated byAirport Railroad Co., Ltd.
Platforms2
Tracks3
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Other information
Station codeA01
History
OpenedDecember 29, 2010
ElectrifiedYes
Passengers
29,796[11]
Services
Preceding station Seoul Metropolitan Subway Following station
Terminus AREX Gongdeok
AREX
Express
Incheon Int'l Airport Terminal 1

Terminus

  Local       Express

Gongdeok ↓ / Incheon Int'l Airport Terminal 1

Line Train Destination
AREX Local
Express
Exit Only
AREX Local
AREX Express
  • Platform numbers are not assigned; instead, platforms are classified as "express" or "local"

Platform layout (AREX)

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AREX platform level Eastbound local AREX Local Alighting passengers only
Island platform, doors will open on the right
Westbound local AREX Local toward Incheon Int'l Airport Terminal 2 (Gongdeok)
Express AREX Express toward Incheon Int'l Airport Terminal 2 (Incheon Int'l Airport Terminal 1)
AREX Express Alighting passengers only
Side platform, doors will open on the right

Seoul Metro

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서울역
Seoul Station
서울역
Seoul Station
 
Line 1 platform
General information
LocationBongnaedong 2-ga, Jung-gu (Line 1)
Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu (Line 4)
Seoul
Operated bySeoul Metro
Platforms
  • 1 (Line 1)
  • 1 (Line 4)
Tracks
  • 2 (Line 1)
  • 2 (Line 4)
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
History
OpenedAugust 15, 1974 (Line 1)
October 18, 1985 (Line 4)
ElectrifiedYes
Passengers
  • 133,833 (Line 1)[11]
  • 32,687 (Line 4)[11]
Services
Preceding station Seoul Metropolitan Subway Following station
City Hall
towards Yeoncheon
Line 1 Namyeong
towards Incheon
City Hall Namyeong
towards Sinchang or Seodongtan
City Hall
towards Dongducheon
Line 1
Gyeongwon Express
Namyeong
towards Incheon
City Hall Line 1
Gyeongbu Express
Namyeong
towards Sinchang
Hoehyeon
towards Jinjeop
Line 4 Sookmyung Women's University
towards Oido
Platform Line Destination
Line 1 Platform
To Sinchang / Incheon Line 1
To Yeoncheon Line 1
Line 4 Platform
To Jinjeop Line 4
To Oido Line 4

Platform layout (Seoul Metro)

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Line 1 platforms Southbound Line 1 toward Incheon, Sinchang or Seodongtan (Namyeong)
Island platform, doors will open on the right
Northbound Line 1 toward Yeoncheon, Uijeongbu or Kwangwoon University (City Hall)
Line 4 platforms Northbound Line 4 toward Jinjeop (Hoehyeon)
Island platform, doors will open on the left
Southbound Line 4 toward or Oido (Sookmyung Women's Univ.)

History

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The former Seoul station, Namdaemun Station, started operating in a 33 m2 (10 pyeong) wooden building in July 1900 with the extension of the Gyeongin Line north of the Han River. The Gyeongbu Line opened in 1905, and the Gyeongui Line opened in 1921 – both lines connecting to the station. The construction of the current "Old Seoul Station" began on June 1, 1922, and was finished on September 30, 1925.[12] In 1923, the station reverted to the name "Gyeongseong Station," when the name of the city of Seoul changed from Hanseong to Gyeongseong ("Keijō" in Japanese).

The station was renamed "Seoul Station" on November 1, 1947. The station was expanded throughout the post-Korean War era; the Southern Annex of Seoul Station was completed on December 30, 1957, and the Western Annex was completed on February 14, 1969. In 1975, the Korea National Railroad's office moved from Seoul Station to the new West Annex office. A raised walkway connecting the Seoul Station and the West Annex was completed in 1977, and Korea's first privately funded station was erected in 1988 in time for the Seoul Olympics. In 2004, a new terminal adjacent to the existing one was completed to coincide with the introduction of KTX high-speed rail service.[12]

Old Seoul Station

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Old Seoul Station
(Keijō Station)

구서울역사
 
Old Seoul Station, in 1924
General information
Other namesCulture Station Seoul 284
Location1 Tongil-ro, Bongnaedong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Coordinates37°33′21″N 126°58′18″E / 37.5559°N 126.9716°E / 37.5559; 126.9716 (Old Seoul Station)
Operated byChōsen Government Railway (1925-1945)
Korea National Railroad (1945-1988)
History
OpenedSeptember 30, 1925
ClosedSeptember 12, 1988
Previous namesKeijō (Gyeongseong)
Seoul (1925-1988)

The old Seoul Station (Korean구서울역사; Hanja舊서울驛舍, literally meaning "old Seoul Station building"), also known as "Culture Station Seoul 284" (Korean문화역서울 284), originally named Keijō (Gyeongseong) station and designed by Tsukamoto Yasushi of Tokyo Imperial University, was finished in November 1925. This red brick building, designed in an eclectic style, features a Byzantine-style central dome and a centralized and symmetrical layout.[13] The floor of the Central Hall on the ground floor was covered with granite and the walls were covered with man-made stone. The wooden floor inside the building's VIP Lounge was covered with birch wood and a western style restaurant was located on the 2nd floor.[12]

On September 25, 1981, the old station was designated as Historic Site 284.[12] A restoration project of the old station began in September 2007 to "transform the former Seoul Station, which had lost its functionality as a train station since the opening of the new KTX station, into a premier national multidisciplinary cultural facility". On the same year, the management was transferred from the Cultural Heritage Administration to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. After the design for former Seoul Station's remodeling was developed in 2009, the remodeling construction began.[14]

On August 9, 2011, the station was reopened as a culture complex with its original exterior, after a two-year restoration project by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the state-run Korea Craft and Design Foundation (KCDF).[15] On April 2, 2012, "Culture Seoul Station 284" was officially launched "as a space for diverse artistic and cultural creation and exchange". The official name, which combines the station's historic, spatial, and urban symbolisms, was selected through a national open call. By combining the notion of a cultural space with the old Seoul Station's historic site number 284, the name aims to embody the concepts of preserving its appearance and value as a historic site while simultaneously cultivating the meaning of the station as a place of various cultural intersections. The restored station is a 9,202m2 building with two stories above ground and one story below ground level.[14] The former station, before the renovation, has the main lobby, a waiting room, and a VIP room on the first floor, and a barber shop and restaurants on the second floor. Post-renovation, the first floor contains a venue for performances, exhibitions and events, and a multipurpose hall on the floor above.[16]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "KTX | Seoul to Busan, Daeju etc. Train | Reviews, Photos & Information". trainreview.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  2. ^ "TrainReview's Guide to ITX-Saemaeul trains".
  3. ^ "TrainReview's guide to Mugunghwa-ho trains".
  4. ^ "TrainReview's guide to the DMZ train".
  5. ^ "TrainReview's guide to the O-Train".
  6. ^ "TrainReview's guide to the S-Train (Seoul - Yeosu)". TrainReview.
  7. ^ "AREX Express | Seoul - Incheon Airport Train | Reviews, Photos & More". trainreview.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  8. ^ "AREX All Stop | Seoul - Incheon Airport Train | Reviews, Photos & More". trainreview.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  9. ^ "서울역 버스환승센터 - 회현동 - 36 tips". Foursquare.com. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  10. ^ Monthly Number of Passengers between General Railroad Stations Archived October 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Korea Transportation Database, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  11. ^ a b c d Monthly Number of Passengers between Subway Stations Archived October 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Korea Transportation Database, 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  12. ^ a b c d "History". Culture Station 284. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  13. ^ "서울역사 (Seoul Station Building)". Seoul Metropolitan Government. 2003. Archived from the original on August 16, 2004. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  14. ^ a b "Restoration Project". Culture Station 284. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  15. ^ "Historic Seoul Station reopens". The Hankyoreh. August 10, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  16. ^ "Old Seoul Station Gets New Lease of Life". The Chosun Ilbo. August 10, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
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