Completion of Initial Plan for the First Metropolitan Railway in the Third New Town…Improved Transportation for Residents and Expected Regional Revitalization
Gyeonggi Province announced on the 3rd that the “Goyang Eunpyeong Line” metropolitan railway project has received approval for its basic plan from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
The “Goyang Eunpyeong Line” is a 15km metropolitan railway connecting Saejeol Station on Seoul Subway Line 6, passing through Changneung District, to Goyang City Hall. It includes three transfer stations like Line 3 and a total of eight stations. The project involves an investment of 1.7167 trillion won and aims to open by 2031.
This railway project was initiated as part of measures to improve metropolitan transportation in northwest Seoul, following the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s announcement of a new housing supply plan for the third new town in 2019. The province anticipates that the project will kick into full gear, starting with this approval and proceeding with basic and detailed designs sequentially.
Upon completion, the expansion of the metropolitan railway network connecting Gyeonggi Province and Seoul is expected not only to alleviate traffic congestion in areas like Goyang Changneung District and Eunpyeong District in northwest Seoul but also to significantly reduce commuting times.
If both the “Goyang Eunpyeong Line” and the “Seobu Line,” connecting Eunpyeong to Gwanak, open and link, the commute from Hwajeong Station in Goyang to Yeouido Station will be drastically reduced from the current 53 minutes to 30 minutes. This contributes significantly to one of Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon’s pledges: reducing commuting time by one hour through the expansion of the metropolitan transportation network.
The “Goyang Eunpyeong Line” underwent a preliminary feasibility study by public institutions in 2021, after which Gyeonggi Province began work on the basic planning from 2022. Currently, the line is being developed with the premise of a direct connection to the “Seobu Line” being pursued by Seoul.
A provincial official stated, “The Goyang Eunpyeong Line is a core project aimed at improving transportation for residents in Changneung District of the third new town and the northwest metropolitan area. We will do our utmost to ensure timely opening to complete the metropolitan railway axis in the northwest region, promoting regional development and revitalization.”