Incheon, the center of transportation innovation

Incheon, the center of transportation innovation

Incheon Metropolitan City announced the second urban railway network construction plan, heralding a major change in the city’s transportation environment. The plan includes 10 new lines and 11 lines for feasibility review, and focuses on maximizing the efficiency of urban transportation by 2040.

Incheon has been touting its advantage of being able to travel anywhere within an average of 1 hour and 30 minutes. However, with the construction of this railway network, travel time between major areas is expected to be shortened to a maximum of 30 minutes. This is expected to greatly improve the quality of life of city residents and increase their dependence on public transportation.

The most notable new lines are Incheon Ring Line 3 and Yonghyeon-Seochang Line. Incheon Ring Line 3 connects Songdo and Geomdan, and instead of scaling down the original Grand Ring Line plan, it has been adjusted to run around Incheon from Songdo Moonlight Festival Park Station and Geomdan Lake Park Station. Yonghyeon-Seochang Line (planned as Incheon Line 4) connects Incheon Terminal, September District, and Seochang District, and will provide new transportation for residents of areas previously excluded from the railway infrastructure.

Tram lines are expected to support detailed connections within the city and greatly improve accessibility for residents. In particular, the following tram lines are being reexamined. Songdo Tram is planned to strengthen Songdo’s economic center by circulating between Songdo Moonlight Festival Park Station and major industrial clusters. Bupyeong Coastal Wharf Line Tram is expected to help balanced development of the old downtown area by connecting Bupyeong Station to Gajwa and Dong Incheon, and Incheon Station and Coastal Wharf. Yeongjong Tram connects Yeongjong Sky City and Unseo Station, and is expected to greatly enhance accessibility in the Yeongjong area through connections with the GTX-B Line and the Airport Railroad.

The 2nd Urban Railway Network Plan contains Incheon’s long-term urban development vision. This plan aims to achieve balanced urban development by connecting Incheon’s three city centers (Bupyeong, Guwol, Songdo) and five sub-centers (Yeongjong, Dongincheon, Cheongna, Geomdan, Gyeyang), and to establish Incheon as a key transportation hub in the metropolitan area based on a wide-area transportation network.

In particular, major lines such as the Bupyeong Coastal Pier Line and the Gajwa-Songdo Line will enable transfers with existing railways such as the Suin-Bundang Line, Gyeongin Line, and GTX-B Line, thereby greatly enhancing transportation convenience. At the same time, adjustments will be made to overlapping sections with metropolitan railways such as the Second Gyeongin Line.

With the announcement of the new plan, Incheon is further expanding its potential as a transportation hub, but due to lack of business feasibility, some routes will inevitably have to be reduced or re-examined. In particular, the Songdo Tram and some other routes are likely to face difficulties in the process of promotion due to insufficient business feasibility.

Incheon, the center of transportation innovation

[Korean Today] Current status of Incheon’s 2nd urban railway network review target routes © Reporter Kim Mi-hee

Nevertheless, citizens’ expectations are high. It is expected that the expansion of the urban railway network will significantly improve transportation accessibility, and this will be accompanied by the elimination of regional gaps and economic revitalization.

The second urban railway network plan is important not only to Incheon citizens but also to residents of the metropolitan area. If this plan is successfully implemented, Incheon will become a true transportation hub in the metropolitan area. In the process of promoting each route in the future, citizens’ opinions and participation will become even more important.

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