KTX and SRT to merge by 2027 as gov't enacts high-speed rail integration plans

Home > Business > Industry

KTX and SRT to merge by 2027 as gov't enacts high-speed rail integration plans

Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 14:15 Updated: 02 Dec. 2025, 17:09

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

An SRT train and a KTX-Sancheon train wait side by side for departure at Pohang Station in September 2023. [NEWS1]

The government will integrate Korea’s two high-speed rail systems — KTX and SRT — by 2027, officials said Monday. The merger fulfills a presidential campaign pledge and reflects longstanding demands from the railway union.

The move will dismantle the competitive structure created in 2016 with the launch of SRT, effectively restoring Korail’s monopoly over high-speed rail operations for the first time in more than a decade.

According to multiple government officials and railway industry sources, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to announce a high-speed rail integration road map within the year. The plan is expected to include operational integration measures such as launching new routes that allow KTX trains to depart from Suseo Station and SRT trains to depart from Seoul Station and Yongsan Station beginning early next year.

Currently, SRT operates only out of Suseo Station, while KTX runs exclusively from Seoul Station and Yongsan Station. Cross-operation is projected to slightly increase the total number of train services. The government also intends to link the separate KTX and SRT ticketing systems so passengers can book tickets for both trains through a single app.

“We plan to begin with operational integration first, while preparing for a full institutional merger of Korail and SR so that the process is completed by 2027,” said a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Under the plan, Korail will absorb SR, the state-owned operator of SRT.

SR was established in 2013 under the Lee Myung-bak administration to introduce competition and improve efficiency in rail operations, and it began running trains in late 2016 during the Park Geun-hye administration.

President Lee Jae Myung and the liberal Democratic Party pledged to merge KTX and SRT during both the 20th and 21st presidential elections. Former President Moon Jae-in also signed an agreement with labor groups during the 19th presidential race promising to unify the high-speed rail systems.

The railway union and civic groups continue call for the integration of Korea’s high-speed rail systems in July 2023. [NEWS1]

The railway union has argued for years that operating KTX and SRT separately generates more than 40 billion won ($27.2 million) in redundant annual costs and causes passenger inconvenience due to fragmented services. Union leaders claim integration would reduce inefficiencies and allow for up to 16,000 additional seats to be supplied each day through more efficient train scheduling — a position shared by Korail management.

The Transport Ministry initially considered a broader restructuring of the rail industry modeled after countries like Germany, rather than a simple integration, according to several government insiders. However, the presidential office reportedly pushed for a swift timeline to fulfill the administration’s campaign pledge.

Experts warn that the merger requires a deeper review.

“Restoring a monopoly in the rail sector could lead to higher prices or lower service quality, ultimately reducing consumer benefits,” said Kim Joo-young, a Professor at the Department of Transportation Planning and Management in Korea National University of Transportation. “A thorough analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of integration is necessary.”

Other specialists dispute claims made by the railway union.

“The idea of supplying 16,000 extra seats is purely theoretical and ignores current physical and operational constraints,” said Park Min-kyu, a professor of railway operations at Halla University. “Expanding tracks and adding new rolling stock should come before integration if the goal is to ease seat shortages.”

The opening ceremony for SR in December 2016. [YONHAP]

Korail and SR ordered 31 next-generation high-speed train sets in 2023, which are scheduled to be delivered gradually starting late next year. Major projects to eliminate bottlenecks — including the Osong–Pyeongtaek and Gwangmyeong–Susaek sections — are also underway. Some experts say integration should not be rushed solely to address short-term shortages.

“When the new trains arrive and bottlenecks are removed, most of the seat shortages on both SRT and KTX will be alleviated,” said Lee Jang-ho, a professor of Transportation Engineering at Korea National University of Transportation. “It would be wiser to reassess the integration after those improvements take effect.”

Some also warn that integration could increase the railway union’s leverage during strikes.

“During the 2019 rail strike, KTX service was reduced but SRT continued operating, which significantly lessened inconvenience for the public,” said an industry official. “If the systems are merged, passengers will suffer more during strikes and the union’s influence will only grow.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG KAP-SAENG [[email protected]]