The first metropolitan express rail line (GTX) in the country, GTX-A, has surpassed a cumulative passenger count of 7.7 million in just one year since its opening. In particular, the demand for the Unjeong Central–Seoul Station section, which is in its third month of operation, surged, driving the overall utilization of GTX-A.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 1st that the total cumulative passengers using GTX-A from March 30 of last year to March 29 of this year reached 7.71 million.
In the Suseo–Dongtan section (north), a total of 4,093,217 passengers were recorded in the first year of operation, averaging 11,214 passengers per day. Initially, the average daily ridership during weekdays was about 7,700, but as of the end of last month, it has increased to 16,171, which is about 75.1% of the forecasted demand of 21,523.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport analysis indicates that the southern section's demand is falling short of initial projections, as the central axis of GTX-A, the Suseo–Seoul Station section, is not yet connected. This section is scheduled to open next year by allowing non-stop passage through Samseong Station.
On the other hand, the Unjeong Central–Seoul Station section (north), which opened on December 28 of last year, recorded a cumulative passenger count of 3,617,566 within just three months of its operation. The average daily ridership reached 39,321, sharply increasing from 33,596 (67.1% of forecast) in early January to 45,600 (91.1%) by the end of March.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the average daily ridership proportions for each section over the past year were highest for the Unjeong Central–Seoul Station section (23.8%), followed by KINTEX–Seoul Station (15.3%) and Suseo–Dongtan (11.3%). This indicates a clearer concentration of demand in the northern section compared to the southern section.
The surge in demand was also significantly influenced by large events held in places like Goyang KINTEX and Unjeong. For example, on March 22 (Saturday), when 'Comic World' was held, 64,270 people used the Unjeong Central–Seoul Station section, recording 164.7% of the holiday forecasted demand. On the 29th of the same month, a concert by singer G-Dragon at Goyang Sports Complex attracted 59,134 people (151.5%).
The stations with the highest passenger numbers were Seoul Station (31.4%), Unjeong Central Station (15.9%), and KINTEX Station (10.2%). By day of the week, ridership was highest on Friday (16.4%) and Saturday (16.3%), with the busiest times on weekdays being from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Commuting demand made up 41.3% of weekday passengers.
The number of operating trains has also increased. Since December 28 of last year, the Suseo–Dongtan section operates 60 round trips daily, while the Unjeong Central–Seoul Station section increased to 141 round trips starting on the 1st of last month. As a result, the interval between trains during rush hours has been reduced from 10 minutes to 6 minutes and 15 seconds.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has also been conducting facility improvements, including the opening of Guseong Station in June of last year, the addition of entrance and exit facilities at Dongtan Station in December, and the expansion of entrances at Yeonsinnae Station in March. It aims to fully open Samseong Station by 2028.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized that GTX-A operated 2.78 million kilometers over the last year, equivalent to 70 laps around the earth, without a single railway accident.
Yoon Jin-hwan, head of the railway department at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, noted, "GTX-A is faithfully fulfilling its role in alleviating commuting between Seoul and northern and southern Gyeonggi Province," and added, "We will prioritize safety and quality to complete the yet-to-be-opened sections, such as Changneung Station and Samseong Station, as soon as possible so that more citizens can benefit from GTX."