KORAIL and SR merge high-speed rail services under KTX brand

KTX SRT KORAIL high-speed rail railway integration

South Korea's high-speed rail services, KTX and SRT, will officially merge under the KORAIL brand starting September 1. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that all legal and administrative procedures for the integration of KORAIL and SR have been completed.

The merger is expected to increase seating capacity by approximately 15,000 seats on weekdays and 17,000 on weekends. Routes departing from Suseo Station will see a 30 percent increase in available seats. Additionally, passenger fares will decrease by an average of 10 percent to align with previous SRT rates, and Suseo-line users will receive 5 percent mileage rewards on payments.

To ensure operational continuity, KORAIL will establish a temporary Integrated Business Management Division to handle SR's duties for up to three years. SR employees will be absorbed into KORAIL while maintaining their existing working conditions. All train bookings will be consolidated into the KORAIL+ mobile application.

Looking ahead, the government plans to introduce 31 new high-speed train sets starting in 2027, each offering approximately 90 more seats than current KTX-Sancheon models. Authorities emphasized that safety remains the top priority during this transition, with joint inspections and emergency response teams being deployed to manage station congestion and train operations.

Entities

Kim Yun-deok · Korail · Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport · SR · South Korea

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] 31 new high-speed train sets will be introduced sequentially starting in 2027. www.imaeil.com · www.jnilbo.com · biz.heraldcorp.com
[● 3 SOURCES] All trains will be bookable through the KORAIL+ app. www.imaeil.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.koreatimes.co.kr
[● 3 SOURCES] Seats on Suseo routes will increase by approximately 30 percent. www.imaeil.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.koreatimes.co.kr
[● 4 SOURCES] The integration of KTX and SRT services will begin on September 1. www.imaeil.com · www.jnilbo.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.koreatimes.co.kr
[● 4 SOURCES] Seating capacity will increase by 15,000 on weekdays and 17,000 on weekends. www.imaeil.com · www.jnilbo.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.koreatimes.co.kr
[● 3 SOURCES] A temporary Integrated Business Management Division will be established within KORAIL to manage SR operations. www.imaeil.com · www.jnilbo.com · biz.heraldcorp.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Fares will decrease by an average of 10 percent. www.imaeil.com · biz.heraldcorp.com · www.koreatimes.co.kr
[● 3 SOURCES] SR employees will be absorbed with their existing working conditions maintained. www.imaeil.com · www.jnilbo.com · biz.heraldcorp.com