2018 Games high-speed rail on track
With 80 days to go until the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, engines are revving up as the KTX high-speed rail link enters its final days of testing before opening for reservations on 1 December.
En route to the final Project Review ahead of PyeongChang 2018, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg, along with representatives from the IOC and the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), joined in the final testing phase of the train, as they rode from Incheon International Airport to the PyeongChang region.
“My journey on the new high-speed rail link between Incheon Airport and Jinbu Station was extremely smooth and comfortable. I can highly recommend it to anyone thinking of coming to the Games in February. Having seen the development of this project from the outset, I am delighted to have been able to take part in this final testing phase,” Chair Lindberg said.
With travel times ranging from 1 hour 30 minutes to two hours depending on departure and arrival stations, the trains offer Olympic fans accessible day trips from Seoul.
A total of 51 trains are expected to be available to spectators daily during Games time. Each train can accommodate up to 410 passengers, allowing nearly 21,000 people to easily commute to the Alpensia and Gangneung venue clusters for each day of the Games.
“The KTX link between Incheon Airport and Gangneung will truly open up “New Horizons” for the Gangwon region. Not only will the train serve as a great transport option for those coming to the Games, it will continue to connect Seoul to the Alpensia mountain region and Gangneung coastal areas for decades to come. It is a great example of a country using the deadline of the Games as a catalyst to deliver a project that will bring lasting benefits to the country and its citizens,” Lindberg continued.