What is Korea Train eXpress (KTX)?
Q: What is Korea Train eXpress (KTX)?
A: Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is South Korea's high-speed railway system, operated by Korail.
Q: What speed defines a high-speed railway in South Korea?
A: According to "the Rules of High-Speed Railway Construction" in South Korea, high-speed railway is defined as a railway train that is traveling at a speed of 200 km/h or more in major section and it is designated and notified by Minister of Construction and Transportation.
Q: When did KTX services begin and what made South Korea the fifth country to develop high-speed trains?
A: KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004, making South Korea the world's fifth country after Japan, France, Germany, Spain, and China to develop a high-speed train running above 300 km/h.
Q: Which cities are linked by the KTX and what are some of the major stations along the way?
A: The KTX links Seoul and Pusan, and major stations along the way are Gwangmyeong, Cheonan, Asan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gyeongju, and Busan.
Q: What is the top speed for trains in regular service with the KTX?
A: The top speed for trains in regular service is currently 305 km/h (190 mph), though the infrastructure is designed for 350 km/h (217 mph).
Q: What was the initial rolling stock for KTX based on and what is the second type of high-speed trains now operated by Korail?
A: The initial rolling stock was based on Alstom's TGV Reseau, and was partly built in Korea. The domestically developed HSR-350x resulted in a second type of high-speed trains now operated by Korail, the KTX Sancheon.
Q: What is the next generation KTX train called and in which year did it achieve a speed of 421.4 km/h?
A: The next generation KTX train is called HEMU-430X. It achieved a speed of 421.4 km/h in 2013, making South Korea the world's fourth country after France, Japan and China to develop a high-speed train running on conventional rail above 420 km/h.
