Native name 9호선（九號線）
Gu Hoseon Status Operational Stations 30 | Type Rapid transit Termini Gaehwa
Sports Complex | |
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System Seoul Metropolitan Subway | ||
Seoul Subway Line 9, operated by Seoul Metro Line9 Corporation, is a subway line in Seoul. Originally scheduled to open on June 12, 2009, the line actually opened on July 24, 2009, to ensure that the line was fully ready to begin service. Line 9 was constructed like a standard double track subway, but the tracks are quadrupled at some stations to enable express trains to bypass local trains. Express trains run five times per hour in each direction. All stations except Gaehwa are equipped with elevators, escalators, and platform screen doors.
Contents
Phase 1 (Gaewha~Sinnonhyeon) was the first privately run subway line in Korea, operated by a joint venture of Hyundai Rotem and Veolia Transport, a French company. Phase 2 (Sinnonhyeon~Sports Complex) is operated by Seoul Metro.
History
Line 9 runs east from Gaehwa Station (local train terminal), and Gimpo Airport Station (express train terminal) (connecting to Line 5 and Airport Railroad) along the south bank of the Han River towards Sinnonhyeon in Gangnam. Construction of Phase 1 between Gaehwa and Sinnonhyeon began in April 2002, and completed on July 24, 2009. Major transfer stations on the first phase are Dangsan (Line 2), Yeouido (Line 5), Noryangjin (Line 1), Dongjak (Line 4), and Express Bus Terminal (Lines 3 and 7) Stations.
Operation started with 24 trains of four cars each, numbered 9-01~9-24. The express train came every 20 minutes and the local train every 6.7 minutes. Due to the number of riders exceeding 250,000 per day, 12 additional four-car trains numbered 9-25~9-36 were ordered and entered service on October 15, 2011. This allowed for the express train headway to be shortened to 10 minutes and the all-stop train headway to 5 minutes. From 30 September 2013, additional express trains were added during commuting times of 7 to 9 AM (from 22 to 36).
Phase 2 extended the line from Sinnonhyeon in Gangnam to Sports Complex Station on Line 2 on March 28, 2015. Phase 3 will further extend the line to Veterans Hospital Station in eastern Seoul and will be completed in 2018.
The Korean government initially proposed a one-seat ride from Incheon International Airport to Gangnam via Gimpo International Airport using either Line 9 or Airport Railroad trains sharing their rights of way by the year 2020. This proposal so far has not been implemented thus making it necessary to transfer trains at Gimpo International Airport.
Construction costs and deficit
The construction of Phase 1 cost 900 billion won (roughly equivalent to 827 million US dollars), 480 billion of which was pooled between 12 firms with the remaining borne by Seoul city and the national government. The line is currently operating at a loss with 90% of losses being covered by the city. The accumulated deficit has passed 180 billion won.
While Phase 2 was always planned to go ahead as scheduled, a Seoul Metropolitan Government website at one point described construction of Phase 3 as being suspended in consideration of transport demand and financial considerations. On November 20, 2008, however, the Seoul Metropolitan government announced plans to indeed build Phase 3 between October 2010 and December 2015.
Ticket price debate
Negotiations in 2005 between the operator and the Seoul city government resulted in an agreement of a basic fare rate set at 1,264 won upon opening of the line in 2009 with a further increase to 1,398 won by 2012 to allow for inflation. Prior to opening of the line, the operator requested a base rate of 1,300 won. The city government decided against this citing the domestic financial crisis and potential complaints from riders if the price was set at a higher rate than the rest of the subway system. The city therefore set the initial ticket fare at 900 won, the standard fare for entrance to the rest of the Seoul subway system in 2009. The rate was locked for a period of 12 months and was later locked for three years despite multiple requests from the operator for a higher starting fare.
In February 2012, the price increased to 1,050 won across all metro lines, including Line 9. Within two months the operator of Line 9 announced the price would further increase another 500 won starting from June 16, 2012 but only on Line 9. The Seoul city government disagreed with this and threatened to fine the operator 10 million won per day if the 500 won price increase went through.
The planned rate increase was withdrawn on May 9 with the operator of Line 9 issuing an apology. Seoul City will be in negotiations again with the help of legal counsel to determine the differences of opinions in the original agreement.
Despite needing an additional scan of a metro card transfers in between Line 9 and other Seoul subway lines does not accrue additional fees.
Stations
Express trains stop at stations marked "●" and pass stations marked "|".
Future Extensions - Phase 3 (under construction) and possible Phase 4