The Gyowhaeon, a commuter rail line connecting Goyang and Uijeongbu, will see its number of daily train runs doubled from 8 to 20 starting April 1st. This move comes in response to the increased ridership since the line's reopening in January.
The Gyowhaeon, which was originally opened in 1963, ceased operations in 2004 due to financial difficulties. However, it was revived in January of this year and has seen a steady increase in ridership. In February, the line recorded a total of 21,380 passengers, with an average of 486 passengers per day.
The number of passengers has been particularly high on weekends, with 870 passengers on average compared to 280 on weekdays. In response to this trend, the operating hours of the Gyowhaeon have been adjusted to include more daytime runs.
Starting April 1st, the first train from Daegok Station will depart at 7:02 AM and arrive at Uijeongbu Station at 7:56 AM. The last train will depart at 9:19 PM and arrive at Uijeongbu Station at 10:13 PM. From Uijeongbu Station, the first train will depart at 6:55 AM and arrive at Daegok Station at 7:49 AM. The last train will depart at 9:12 PM and arrive at Daegok Station at 10:06 PM.
In addition to the increased number of train runs, Gyeonggi-do has also launched a new "Gyowhaeon Day" pass, which allows unlimited travel on the entire Gyowhaeon line for one day. The pass is priced at KRW 4,000.
Gyeonggi-do officials expect that the increased number of train runs and the availability of the "Gyowhaeon Day" pass will boost ridership and promote tourism in the northern part of the province.
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