KOREA’s national
operator, Korail, plans to order a fleet of 49 EMU-320 high-speed trains worth
Won 5 trillion ($US 3.3bn) and a prototype EMU-370 train with a maximum speed
of 370km/h. Korail will order the first batch of 28 EMU-320 trains next year
with delivery starting in 2032.
The decision
follows approval by Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy of a preliminary
feasibility study of Korail’s next-generation high-speed train project.
Korail says the objective of the study was to replace the 46 KTX-1 trains,
which will reach the end of their life in 2033, in a timely manner and to
establish a stable high-speed rail operating environment.
Hyundai-Rotem
supplied two pre-series production eight-car EMU 320 trains, called Blue Dragon, which entered service in 2024. Hyundai
Rotem released the first of its second-generation EMU-320 high-speed trains in
January following initial test runs conducted at the end of 2025.
The eight-car
320km/h trains are part of orders for 31 EMUs placed respectively by Korail and
SR in March and April 2023. The first sets were rolled out on December 30 and
31 2025 and are now undergoing extended testing. Delivery is scheduled for
December.
The new EMU 320
fleet will comprise 49 16-car trains (a total of 784 cars). Korail decided to
order an additional three trains beyond those needed to replace the KTX-1 fleet
to increase capacity and have spare trains to cope with emergencies.
The
next-generation KTX will be a distributed-power high-speed train capable of
speeds up to 320km/h, with traction equipment under each coach. Korail says the
new train will have superior acceleration and deceleration performance compared
with the 300km/h KTX-1 which has power cars at each end.
EMU-320 will be
powered by high-energy-efficiency permanent magnet synchronous motors. The
trains will have a streamlined aerodynamic design to increase energy efficiency
and intelligent energy-saving train automatic control systems (IEOS) which will
automatically control the trains according to the optimal train operation
pattern for each section of track.
The new trains
will have condition-based maintenance systems (CBM) with real-time monitoring
and analysis of the condition of vehicles and components. There will also be an
advanced derailment detection system.
Each EMU-320
will have around 1000 seats, compared with 955 seats on a KTX-1 train, making
it the highest capacity train in Korea.
“The layout of
amenities such as seats, luggage racks, and restrooms will be optimised by
comprehensively considering transport capacity, safety, and convenience,”
Korail says.
EMU-370
Meanwhile,
Korail plans to acquire one EMU-370 train, currently under development as a
national research and development project, in 2032. EMU-370 will be capable of
commercial speeds up to 370km/h and a design speed of 407km/h making it the
fastest commercially operating train in Korea.
EMU-370 is the
result of a four-year national research and development programme led by the
Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) that has involved seven public and
private organisations, including Hyundai Rotem. Won 22.5bn has been invested in
the project, with funding provided jointly by the government and industry.
“The
next-generation KTX is a core investment project for national infrastructure
aimed at redefining the standards of Korea’s high-speed rail,” says Korail’s
president Kim Tae-seung. “We will cooperate closely with the government and
other relevant agencies to introduce the next-generation KTX in a timely manner
and create safe and convenient high-speed rail services that the public can
experience first hand.”
