Incheon, South Korea – The city of Incheon is exploring the possibility of building a new KTX (Korea Train eXpress) station at Mansok Dock as part of its plan to connect the Incheon-bound KTX to Incheon International Airport.
The city government revealed this during a recent administrative audit of the Transportation Bureau by the city council's Construction and Transportation Committee.
Kim In-su, director of the Transportation Bureau, stated, "We are exploring various ways to connect the Incheon-bound KTX to Incheon Airport, and one of the options includes building a new station at Mansok Dock." He added that the feasibility of this plan, including its economic viability, is currently under evaluation.
The Incheon-bound KTX is currently being constructed to connect Ocheon Station in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, to Songdo Station in Incheon. The city is proposing to build a second airport railway to connect the KTX to Incheon International Airport.
The city has requested that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport include the second airport railway project in the 5th National Railway Network Plan. During a recent meeting with the ruling Democratic Party, the city requested that Rep. Maeng Sung-kyu, chairman of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, lobby the government to include the project in the plan. The 5th National Railway Network Plan is scheduled to be finalized and announced in the second half of next year.
The second airport railway project, which would connect Incheon Station on the Suin Line to Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, is estimated to cost 1.6605 trillion won (approximately US$1.25 billion) and would include two new stations.
The project is part of President Yoon Suk-yeol's pledges for the Incheon region. In January 2023, the city government and Incheon International Airport Corporation signed an agreement to jointly conduct a feasibility study for the project. The study was completed in April of this year.
While the connection between the Incheon-bound KTX and Incheon International Airport through the second airport railway is essential, the project has faced challenges due to its low economic feasibility. A previous feasibility study conducted by Incheon International Airport Corporation during the previous administration had a benefit-cost ratio of only 0.76.
Meanwhile, construction of the Incheon-bound KTX is currently 42% complete. During a recent parliamentary audit, the Korea Railroad Corporation announced that the opening of the Incheon-bound KTX has been delayed from 2025 to 2026.
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