KTX and SRT will be integrated into a single train service starting in September. Ahead of the integration, SR Corp., Korail, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) began test runs on actual commercial routes on April 30, with trial coupled operations carrying passengers set to begin on May 15.
SR Corp. announced on April 30 that the era of "coupled operation," in which KTX and SRT trains are connected and run as a single train, is moving into full swing. SR Corp., Korail, and MOLIT began test runs on actual commercial routes that day. The test runs mark a key preparatory step toward launching integrated operations in September.
The test runs will take place four times through May 14. Starting with the Gwangju Songjeong-Suseo route on April 30, one round trip each will follow on the Seoul-Busan route on May 6, the Seoul-Gwangju Songjeong route on May 12, and the Gwangju Songjeong-Seoul route on May 14. Staff from SR Corp., MOLIT, and Korail will board the trains to intensively check whether key systems such as communications, braking, and emergency controls operate properly under actual service conditions.
Trial coupled operation involves physically connecting SRT and KTX trains to run as a single train, a step beyond the current cross-operation format in which SRT trains run to Seoul Station and KTX trains to Suseo Station. Following the announcement of the high-speed rail integration roadmap last December, the two operators repeatedly conducted connection and driving tests at train depots, completing supplementary software development and verification this month.
Trial coupled operations with passengers on board will begin on May 15. After system improvements reflecting the test run results, the operators plan to finalize the optimal integrated operation plan by September.
Jung Wang-guk, CEO of SR Corp., said the integration "will provide more seats for passengers in the southeastern metropolitan area and expand options for Suseo and Seoul users," pledging thorough safety inspections. Kim Tae-byung, director general of MOLIT's Railway Bureau, said, "We will prepare so that the trial coupled operation becomes the foundation of integrated operations that the public can use with confidence." Korail CEO Kim Tae-seung also emphasized, "We will carry out the remaining procedures without setbacks to achieve a swift and safe integration."
