More KTX trains, bus routes coming to Daejeon and South Chungcheong
The central city and western province are adding KTX stops and new intercity and airport bus routes in August to reduce waits and transfer times.
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SRT and KTX trains waiting to depart at Pohang Station in North Gyeongsang on Sept. 3, 2023.NEWS1
More KTX trains and intercity buses will serve Daejeon and South Chungcheong starting this month. Additional KTX trains will stop at Cheonan-Asan and Seodaejeon stations, while new bus routes will connect Seosan, Boryeong and Seocheon with Incheon and Cheongju airports.
The number of KTX and SRT high-speed trains stopping at Cheonan-Asan Station will increase by 17 on weekdays and 25 on weekends starting Sept. 1, according to the office of Rep. Bok Ki-wang of the Democratic Party, who represents Asan in South Chungcheong.
Under a plan to integrate KTX and SRT services, the number of daily high-speed train services at Cheonan-Asan will rise from 198 to 215 on weekdays and from 223 to 248 on weekends.
The increase is expected to reduce gaps in service between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., when passengers have complained about long waits between trains.
Democratic Party Rep. Park Yong-kab, second from left, speaks with Korail officials during a meeting.REP. PARK YONG-KAB'S OFFICE
On weekdays, 10 additional trains will run toward Seoul and seven toward Suseo. On weekends, 17 trains toward Seoul and eight toward Suseo will be added.
Cheonan-Asan Station handled an average of 31,602 passengers a day in 2025, up 4.8 percent, or 1,446 passengers, from 30,156 in 2023. Of last year’s daily average, 25,606 passengers were traveling toward Seoul and 5,996 toward Suseo.
But the separate operation of KTX and SRT has limited the number of available seats, while ticket reservations and transfers have also been split between the two operators.
“The additional services during times when passengers have faced long intervals between trains will be a great help to local residents,” Bok said.
KTX to run between Seodaejeon and Suseo after 10 years
KTX trains will also run twice a day in each direction between Seodaejeon Station in Daejeon and Suseo Station in Seoul starting in September.
It will be the first time in 10 years that KTX trains have operated between the two stations since the SRT began service in 2016.
According to the office of Rep. Park Yong-kab of the Democratic Party, who represents Daejeon’s Jung District, and Korail, KTX trains departing Seodaejeon for Suseo will leave at 12:03 p.m. and 2:39 p.m. Trains departing Suseo for Seodaejeon will leave at 9:39 a.m. and 4:11 p.m.
Passengers walk past SRT and KTX trains at Seoul Station in central Seoul on Aug. 2.YONHAP
No trains have operated between Seodaejeon and Suseo since the SRT launched in 2016. Local officials have repeatedly called for additional KTX services, citing a rise in passengers using Seodaejeon Station.
According to Park’s office, annual passenger numbers at Seodaejeon rose 58 percent from 946,000 in 2022 to almost 1.5 million last year.
Park has called on the government, Korail and SR, the SRT operator, to increase KTX services at the station.
New bus route connects Seosan and Jeonju
Several new and expanded intercity bus routes have also been introduced in South Chungcheong.
A new intercity bus route connecting Seosan and Jeonju in North Jeolla began operating four times a day on Aug. 1.
The journey takes about two hours, with buses departing from Seosan Intercity Bus Terminal and Jeonju Express Bus Terminal. Buses from Seosan stop at Haemi before continuing to Jeonju.
Departures from Seosan are scheduled for 7:10 a.m., 10:50 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The first bus from Jeonju also departs at 7:10 a.m., while the second bus leaves at 10:40 a.m.
The express bus route connecting Daesan-eup and Seongyeon in Seosan with Central City Terminal in Seoul has also been expanded from two to four round trips a day.
Bus service between Seosan and Cheongju International Airport has also been expanded. The route, which connects Seosan Intercity Bus Terminal with Dangjin and Cheongju International Airport, began operating three round trips a day on Thursday.
“We expect the expanded intercity bus routes to significantly broaden residents’ transportation options to the Seoul metropolitan area, North Jeolla and Cheongju International Airport,” Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-seop said.
Direct bus service links Seocheon with Incheon airport
A direct bus route connecting Seocheon Intercity Bus Terminal with Incheon International Airport began operating July 21.
The buses originate in Buan, North Jeolla, stop at Seocheon Intercity Bus Terminal and continue to Terminals 1 and 2 at Incheon International Airport. The service operates four round trips a day.
A bus driver poses for a photo following the expansion of the route connecting Seocheon with Incheon International Airport.SEOCHEON COUNTY OFFICE
Buses from Seocheon to Incheon Airport depart at 3 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:50 p.m. and 6 p.m. Buses from Terminal 2 to Seocheon depart at 8:10 a.m., 10:50 a.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The journey from Seocheon to Incheon Airport takes about three hours.
Previously, Seocheon residents traveling to Incheon Airport had to first go to a bus terminal or train station in a nearby city and transfer to another mode of transportation.
“We expect the new direct route to reduce the inconvenience of having to make multiple transfers when traveling abroad or returning home,” Seocheon county head Yoo Seung-kwang said.
BY KIM BANG-HYUN [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
