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Rail passengers reach record high in first quarter on expanded service, higher oil prices

Published: 12 Apr. 2026, 14:50

A passenger runs to board a KTX train at Seoul Station on March 7. [NEWS1]

The number of passengers using Korea's railroad services reached a record high of more than 42 million in the first quarter of the year, data showed Sunday, partly driven by expanded train operations and rising oil prices that reduced private vehicle use.

The number of passengers on Korea's high-speed KTX and other railroad lines totaled 42.11 million from January through March, up 2.1 percent from the 41.25 million recorded during the same period last year, according to data from the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) and SR.

Korail said passenger numbers increased partly due to expanded services, including the KTX-Eum train on the Donghae Line between the eastern city of Gangneung and the southeastern port city of Busan, which began operating six times a day late last year.

It also cited increased service frequency on the Jungang Line, which grew from six to 18 daily trips.

Industry watchers said the rise was also due to higher oil prices stemming from the Middle East conflict that erupted in late February, which reduced private car use and boosted demand for public transportation.

In March alone, the number of rail passengers reached 14.62 million, up 2.4 percent from a year earlier and 7.3 percent higher than the previous month, the data showed.

Yonhap