KTX standing passengers exceed 10,000 daily amid seat shortages

The daily average number of standing passengers on KTX high-speed trains in South Korea has surpassed 10,000 for the first time. According to data from Korail provided to National Assembly member Kim Jong-yang, the average number of standing passengers in the first half of this year was 10,402, a 20.7% increase from the previous year.

While passenger demand is rising, the supply of available seats has been declining. The KTX utilization rate reached 117.9% in the first half of this year, up from 88.6% in 2022. This shortage is particularly acute on the Gyeongbu Line, which accounted for approximately 72.4% of the total weekday seat reduction.

Experts attribute the decrease in seat supply to the aging of high-speed trains, with the aging rate of the fleet reaching 50.2% following the integration of high-speed rail services. The KTX-1, introduced in 2004, requires increased maintenance and safety inspections. Korail estimates that approximately 2 trillion won will be needed over the next five years to replace aging vehicles and purchase new ones. While Korail plans to re-evaluate capacity based on the completion of the Pyeongtaek-Osong double-track expansion in 2028, lawmakers are calling for an immediate national investment roadmap to address the structural supply shortage.