South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to provide discounts to commuters and the socially disadvantaged when the high-speed commuter rail network Great Train eXpress (GTX) A line opens in March 2024. He added that the creation of metropolitan economic zones via which commuters will be able to reach the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon Province, and Chungcheong Province within an hour using the GTX, which had been his presidential campaign pledge, will be accelerated.

“The GTX A line will open first from Suseo to Dongtan in March next year,” Yoon said at a public meeting on metropolitan transportation held at Dongtan Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province on Monday. “It will take 19 minutes to travel from Dongtan to Suseo. He also said that GTX B construction is scheduled to start early next year, and GTX C at the end of this year. He mentioned that all procedures, including preliminary feasibility studies, will be completed during his presidency and preparations for construction will be finalized for more lines, including the D line, which starts in Gimpo and connects the southern part of the metropolitan area, the E line, which connects Incheon to Guri and Namyangju, and the F route, which circulates around the metropolitan area.

Yoon said that the GTX fare using the K-Pass is “expected to be around 4,000 won ($3.08), but the amount is burdensome for many people.” He unveiled plans to provide fare discounts of 20 percent for commuters, 30 percent for young people going to and from school, and up to 53 percent for low-income groups and people in need, with the rest to be shared by central and local governments.

By Woo Je-yoon and Choi Jieun

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