Super Rapid Train (SRT)

SRT train in Suseo station
Overview
Service type	Inter-city high-speed rail
Status	Operating
Locale	South Korea
First service	6 December 2016; 7 years ago (2016-12-06)[1]
Current operator(s)	SR Corporation
Website	etk.srail.kr/main.do
Route
Termini	Suseo Busan or Mokpo
Service frequency	Suseo–Busan (40x daily) Suseo–Mokpo (20x daily)
Train number(s)	3xx (Suseo–Busan) 6xx (Suseo–Mokpo)
Line(s) used	Gyeongbu high-speed railway Honam high-speed railway Suseo–Pyeongtaek high-speed railway
On-board services
Class(es)	First class Standard class
Disabled access	Fully accessible
Catering facilities	Trolley service
Entertainment facilities	Yes
Baggage facilities	Yes
Technical
Rolling stock	KTX-Sancheon Class 120000 KTX-Sancheon Class 130000
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	25 kV/60 Hz overhead catenary
Operating speed	Up to 305 km/h (190 mph)
Route map

The Super Rapid Train,^[2] often known as SRT,^[2] is a high-speed rail service operated by SR Corporation. The service starts at Suseo station in southeast Seoul and terminates at either Busan station or Mokpo station.

Around 86% of the train service runs 50 meters underground between Suseo and Cheonan-Asan stations. Dongtan station, the first station after departing from Suseo, is the first underground high-speed railway station in Korea. The SRT runs the Seoul–Busan route 8 minutes faster than KTX as it travel exclusively on dedicated Suseo–Pyeongtaek, Gyeongbu and Honam HSR lines. The Suseo-Pyeongtaek HSR line was built exclusively for this service.^[3]

Branding

Before official announcement by SR, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport used tentative term called Suseo High-speed Railway (수서고속철도).^[4]

On October 12, 2015, SR proposed three candidate name for new high-speed rail service – SRT (Super Rapid Train), HSR (High-speed train of SR), SRH (SR High-speed train) in which SRT (Super Rapid Train) was chosen.^[5]

Electrification

The SRT operates 25 kilovolts AC on the entire line and interconnection with Korail is 1.5 kilovolts DC. At Suseo Station, the power is came from the rigid overhead lines before transitioning to overhead catenary 1500 millimeter wire after leaving Suseo Station at few meters. In Mokpo and Busan stations are feed at 25 kilovolts or 1.5 kilovolts each.

Route

Legend

Suseo–Busan

Suseo–Mokpo

Rolling stock

KTX-Sancheon

The train service is operated using 22 KTX-Sancheon Class 120000 train sets and 10 KTX-Sancheon Class 130000 train sets. Class 120000 train sets was originally operated by Korail's KTX service before it was transferred to SR at the end of 2016, while Class 130000 train sets are new builds.^[6]

Demand for extension

Since Super Rapid Train only has two routes, there are many local cities that only KTX serves. In November 2016, Jeonju and Yeosu urged the SR Corporation to run trains on the Jeolla Line.^[7] In December 2016, the mayor of Pohang proposed running SRT service to Pohang station using the Donghae Line^[8] In January 2021, the mayor of Changwon urged the SR Corporation to run SRT service to Changwon station using the Gyeongjeon Line.^[9]