Though some thought the day would never come, the Yongin Everline finally opens on April 26 for service following an opening ceremony which begins at 3pm. Using the line will be free all weekend and fares will be collected from April 29. Despite construction on the line being completed almost three years ago in June 2010, plans to open the line were thrown into turmoil after various disputes between Yongin City and YongIn Everline, including a spat over the minimum revenue guarantee (MRG) for the project.
Despite the line opening there is not much fanfare, and various articles are popping up in the media outlining problems with the line, with doubts from citizens about how useful it will be and whether it will indeed open on the decided date this time. The Joongang Daily reports that passenger estimates have been reduced from an original 161,000 to a mere 32,000. The article also talks of a lack of ticket machines and facilities in stations, though these have often been installed last minute at the opening of metro stations.
One other thing that has been changed right before opening is the name of Gugal Station, which will be renamed Giheung Station to match the Bundang Line station of the same name that is directly next to it. At the moment there is no way to directly transfer, between the lines and it is hoped that a path linking the two will be completed by the end of the year. It is unclear whether leaving the station may still let you transfer, as is the case with lines 1 & 9 at Noryangjin Station.
In a contract with YongIn Everline, Yongin city has agreed to provide financial assistance of 29.5 billion won in operating costs. The city also has plans to procure 300 billion won from Consus Asset Management as a new investor in the next 2-3 months, as well as carry out a restructuring of current investors.
While some citizens will be happy that they can finally use their new mode of transport, others want answers and recently at a press conference about the line, a citizen’s group which wants to audit the entire project called for the opening to be cancelled while demanding transparency regarding the deal. Some even became violent and had to be subdued by security guards as details of the contract were kept private.
Whether the line will continue to be a white elephant remains to be seen, but it will no doubt be a relief for many to finally see the line being used instead of the inactive eyesore it was for so long.
Read more about the YongIn Everline and where it goes in our previous post.
I’m totally stoked to have this open (assuming it does). Why? Because it will significantly reduce the time it will take to get to Everland. I can now hop on a bus at Mangpo station and ride the Bundang line to Giheung Station and transfer. Oh yes… T Express, here I come!
I’m also so stoked because I won’t look like a boy crying wolf every time I blog that it’s opening! It still won’t be competitive enough with buses from the Seoul area but the novelty still might be enough to bring people down to ride it. Once the Bundang Line is connected to Suwon Station I’m sure more people will use it to!
When I saw this post, I joked, “I’ll believe it when I see it” because of all the delays and false starts that have marred the project in the past. Well…I believe! I went down to investigate and…sure enough…it’s open! It really is. How about that? Thanks, Andy, for keeping tabs on it throughout all the boondoggles!
It’s actually a bit of a “toy train” in that it only has one little car, so it might get a bit crowded on weekends and holidays. But it works, and goes pretty fast between stations as well. I went on a weekday, so few people on it then. Takes 25-30 minutes from the Bundang Line’s Giheung Station to the Everland station. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, you can’t transfer for free from the Bundang line or a bus with your T-Money card (same with the Uijongbu line). It’s a totally separate deal. Too bad, but it’s still only W1050, so not a huge deal. Maybe they’ll get in the system at some point in the future.
I have absolutely zero interest any interest in amusement park anywhere in the world, so I mostly just went to see if it went anywhere else interesting. I was hoping it might pass through some relatively unpopulated areas where you could pop off at some stations and go hiking in some relatively untrammeled mountains or other natural areas. But not much on that front, though people who live in the area may be able to dispute that and introduce some nice places. Suggestions welcome!
Thanks again, Andy, and I hope the powers that be will make it possible for you to make a post in the near future about the opening of the Wolmido line!
Hi James, thanks so much for your comment. It’s good to hear that some people are using it because the passenger numbers so far haven’t been great and many are quickly thinking of a way to bring more people in. I think the line will end up being used for both the ‘novelty factor’ plus for travelling simply within the city of Yongin, and once the transfer tunnel is complete, neighbouring Gyeonggi cities. Fingers crossed for Wolmido too!
Hi Andy! I will be visiting Korea again this coming October and I am so excited to try this new train that can transfer passengers from downtown Seoul to Everland easier. Just a thought, is the Everland Station directly connected to Everland or do we still have to walk or take a cab in order to reach the park? Kindly advise.
With my best regards,
IVAN KARLO
Hi there. From Everland Station you will need to go out exit three and get a shuttle bus up to the main gate. The bus is probably free but I’m not 100% sure. Hope that helps!