EverLine

The Yongin EverLine (or EverLine; , Yongin Light Rail Transit) is a fully automated driverless people mover line in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Seoul Metropolitan Area connecting Everland, South Korea's most popular theme park, to the Suin-Bundang Line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, a system which it is arguably a part of. The system is identical to the AirTrain JFK people mover and airport rail link in New York City, using single-car Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit vehicles controlled by Bombardier CITYFLO 650 automatic train control technology.

Planning for the line started in April 1996. Ground was broken for construction in November 2005. Starting in November 2009, the operating company conducted test runs of the trains. The opening was delayed several times but finally opened for service on April 26, 2013. A physical transfer to the (underground) Suin-Bundang line at Giheung Station opened on January 9, 2014 and a transfer discount to the line was introduced on September 20 of the same year.

It was scheduled to open on April 16, 2011, but it did not open due to noise complaints and safety issues related to facilities in some sections of the line, as well as conflicts between the construction company and Yongin City, the ultimate operator. The opening date was postponed indefinitely several times, but it was later resolved through arbitration by the International Court of Arbitration when Yongin City paid compensation to Yongin Light Rail, and it finally opened belatedly on April 26, 2013. The color used for guidance, etc. is lime green.

Operation

Trains run every 6 minutes (9 minutes on Sundays and holidays). One-car trains are operated, a feature unique to this Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) system; trains can be lengthened to two cars if necessary, similar to the AirTrain JFK. Despite being a medium capacity system, at , they are ironically the widest trains in South Korea. Each car has a capacity of 133 passengers.

Stations

All stations are in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. The line is long.

Ridership

Ridership was lower than expected on opening day; around 9,000 people per day in April 2013.

Daily ridership totals eventually grew to around 30,000 people by the middle of 2015. The increase is touted to be the result of a fare integration program introduced on September 20, 2014.

After a period of unstable patronage caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, daily ridership rose to 40,000 by May 2024.

Expansion

There are plans to extend the line from Giheung Station to Gwanggyo Station on the Shinbundang Line.

Additionally, Neo Trans, the operator of the Shinbundang Line, took over operations in 2016. Operation of the trains was transferred back to Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd on August 1, 2023.

Controversy

Ridership estimates

Initial forecasts from 2001 expected daily ridership to reach 140,000 people per day at the time of opening. However, later estimates revealed that this number would instead be closer to 32,000 riders per day due to the improvement of existing transportation options and construction delays on the Suin–Bundang Line at Giheung station (which would not open until 2011).

As a result, the city government of Yongin was ordered to pay the consortium in compensation at the behest of the International Chamber of Commerce. The city of Yongin and Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd. re-negotiated a new operating contract in 2012, which required the city to pay approximately per year to cover for losses.

Bombardier Transportation corruption allegations

South Korean authorities investigated possible corruption by Bombardier Transportation officials over the building of this line and concerns that ridership was exaggerated to have the technology preferentially chosen over other contenders. No charges were filed due to a lack of presented evidence and the case reaching its statute of limitation.

References

External links

Official Homepage
in English




* ttps://decorehomes.com/ 신광교클라우드시티Scheduled for August 2029

용인시청
Yongin City Hall

수원시청
Suwon City Hall

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everline Rapid Transit System

Yongin
Linear motor metros
Light rail in South Korea
Seoul Metropolitan Subway lines
750 V DC railway electrification