O-Train (a.k.a. Jungbu Naeryuk Circular Train ) was a South Korean sightseeing train operated by Korail. The train began operations in 2013 and transports tourists from

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...

, in a circular route, through South Korea's central inland region and back to Seoul.

Overview

The train began operations on April 12, 2013, and is a

shuttle train A shuttle train is a train that runs back and forth between two points, especially if it offers a frequent service over a short route. Shuttle trains are used in various ways, in various parts of the world. They commonly operate as a fixed consi ...

which loops around attractions in the central inland region of Korea, with stops, including Taebaeksan Mountain in Gangwon-do,

Yeongju Yeongju () is a city in the far north region of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea, covering 668.84 km2 with a population of 113,930 people according to the 2008 census. The city borders Bonghwa county to the east, Danyang county of North ...

Gyeongsangbuk-do North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained a province of Korea until the ...

, and

Jecheon Jecheon () is a city in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. The city is a major railway junction or a transportation mecca, served by the Jungang, Chungbuk and Taebaek Lines. Jecheon has scenic surroundings and several tourist spots like the ...

Chungcheongbuk-do North Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청북도, ''Chungcheongbuk-do''), also known as Chungbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Chungcheong has a population of 1,578,934 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Hoseo region in the ...

. It follows the same route as the older Circular Snow Flower Train (Hangul: 환상선 눈꽃순환열차). The "O" name refers to the train's circular route, and "One", as the three provinces it travels through. The train has four cars, observatory rooms, and sightseeing monitors, and departs from Seoul Station, Cheonan station, and Osong station daily. One of the stops is at Chujeon station in Gangwon-do, located at an altitude of 855 meters, the highest altitude for any train stop in Korea, for sightseeing and photos. During its last season of operation the O-Train was rerouted to run out and back from Seoul to Cheoram via Buncheon eliminating the loop by removing its run along the Taebaek Line. A sister Korail train, the V-Train, opened on the same day, and travels through the mountainous areas of the provinces of Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. O-Train passengers can transfer to the V-train at Cheoram, Seungbu and Buncheon stations. The train's opening increased tourist interest in Gangwon's coal mining history. Buncheon station in

, where a coal line once ran, showed increased visits in 2013, from both the O-Train and V-Trains, from approximately 10 passengers a day to 1000.

Operations

*Started running: April 12, 2013 *Ceased operating: August 19, 2020 (succeeded by the Donghae Santa Train) *Stations en route to and from "circle":

Seoul Station Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The station is served by the Korail Intercity Lines and the commuter trains of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. Services KTX Seoul Station is the terminus of most ...

- Cheongnyangni station - Suwon station - Cheonan station -

Osong station Osong station is a train station on the Honam and Gyeongbu high-speed railways in Cheongju City, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at the intersection of the Gyeongbu KTX high-speed rail line, the conventional Chungbuk Line ...

*Stations on "circle" route:

Jecheon station Jecheon station is a railway station in the city of Jecheon. It is on the Jungang Line and the Taebaek Line. This station is also served by all Chungbuk Line passenger services. History *1 September 1941: station opened on Gyeonggyeong Line ...

- Wonju station - Yeongwol station - Mindungsan station– Gohan station– Chujeon - Taebaek station - Cheoram station - Seungbu station - Buncheon station - Chunyang station – Bonghwa station – Yeongju station - Punggi station - Danyang station *Approximate travel time: 5 hours.

References

External links

O-Train at Korail
{{Korail passenger train services Passenger trains of the Korail Tourist trains in South Korea