Seoul Subway Line 2

Line 2
Overview
Native name2호선(二號線)
I Hoseon
StatusOperational
Termini
Stations51
Service
TypeRapid transit
SystemSeoul Metropolitan Subway
Operator(s)Seoul Metro
History
OpenedOctober 31, 1980 (1980-10-31)
Technical
Line length60.2 km (37.4 mi)
Number of tracks2
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed90 km/h (56 mph)

Seoul Subway Line 2 (Korean: 서울 지하철 2호선), also known as the Circle Line, is a circular line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. The line running clockwise is called the "inner circle line" and the counter-clockwise line is called the "outer circle line". This is Seoul's most heavily used line, and consists of the main loop (48.8 km (30.3 mi)), the Seongsu Branch (5.4 km (3.4 mi)) and the Sinjeong Branch (6.0 km (3.7 mi)) for a total line length of 60.2 km (37.4 mi). The Line 2 loop is the third longest subway loop in the world after Moscow Metro Bolshaya Koltsevaya line and Beijing Subway Line 10.[a][2] In 2019, Line 2 had an annual ridership of 812 million passengers or 2.2 million passengers per day.[3]

Headways on the line vary from 2 minutes 18 seconds on peak periods [4] and 5–6 minutes off-peak periods. The line connects the city centre to Gangnam, Teheran Valley and the COEX/KWTC complex.

History

Former split-flap display passenger information system signs used on Seoul Subway Line 2 from 1980 until replaced with flat-screen TV displays in 2005–10.
Commemorative ticket issued for the opening of the second phase of Seoul Subway Line 2 on December 23, 1982.
Fragment of an early-1980s Seoul Subway map, showing the western two-thirds of the Line 2 loop as a green line.

In 1972, then-Mayor of Seoul Koo Ja-choon [ko] (1932–1996) changed the existing plans for the Seoul Subway to better enable connectivity around the growing Seoul City and allow for development to take place across the Seoul Capital Area. Line 2 was built in 1978–84 together with the Seongsu Branch (the second Sinjeong Branch was built 1989–95). Dangsan bridge was closed for reconstruction in 1996 and reopened November 22, 1999. The old steel girder bridge was replaced by a 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) long concrete bridge between Dangsan on the southern side of the river and Hapjeong on the northern bank.

Yongdu station on the Seongsu Branch (between Sindap and Sinseol stations) is the first station in the Seoul Subway system with operating platform screen doors. As of 2008 platform screen doors are operating at all stations along Line 2. New rolling stock has also progressively came on line, replacing older vehicles.

  • October 31, 1980: Sinseol-dong – Sports Complex (via Seongsu) section opened
  • December 23, 1982: Sports Complex – Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education section opened
  • September 16, 1983: Euljiro 1-ga – Seongsu section opened; Sinseol-dong – Seongsu section separated as Seongsu Branch
  • December 17, 1983: Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education – Seoul Nat'l University section opened
  • May 22, 1984: Seoul Nat'l University – Euljiro 1-ga (via Sindorim) section opened; the Circle Line (the longest in the world at 54.2 km (33.7 mi) until it was surpassed in 2013) is completed.[5]
  • May 22, 1992: Sindorim – Yangcheon-gu Office section opened as Sinjeong Branch
  • February 29, 1996: Sinjeongnegeori Station opened as extension of Sinjeong Branch
  • March 20, 1996: Kkachisan Station opened as extension of Sinjeong Branch
  • October 20, 2005: Yongdu Station opened on the Seongsu Branch
  • September 2010: Siemens Mobility ATP/ATO GoA 2 signalling system implemented on newer trains to increase frequencies and route capacity.

Facilities

In December 2010 the line is recorded as having the highest WiFi data consumption in the Seoul Metropolitan area. It averaged 2.56 times more than the other 14 subway lines fitted with WiFi service zones.[6]

In 2011, retailer Homeplus opened the world's first virtual supermarket at Seolleung station, where smartphone users can photograph the bar code of life-size pictures, on the walls and platform screen doors, of 500 items of food, toiletries, electronics etc., for delivery within the same day.[7]

Stations

All stations on all branches are in Seoul.

Main Line

Station
Number
Station Name
English
Station Name
Hangul
Station Name
Hanja
Transfer Distance
in km
Total
Distance
Location
201
City Hall 시청
---
0.0
202
Euljiro 1(il)-ga
(Hana Bank)
을지로입구
(하나은행)
0.7
0.7
203
Euljiro 3(sam)-ga
(Shinhan Card)
을지로3가
(신한카드)
0.8
1.5
204
Euljiro 4(sa)-ga
(BC Card)
을지로4가
(BC카드)
0.6
2.1
205
Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
(DDP)
동대문역사문화공원
(DDP)
1.0
3.1
206
Sindang 신당
0.9
4.0
207
Sangwangsimni 상왕십리
0.9
4.9
208
Wangsimni
(Seongdong-gu Office)
왕십리
(성동구청)
Gyeongui–Jungang Line Suin–Bundang Line
0.8
5.7
209
Hanyang Univ. 한양대
1.0
6.7
210
Ttukseom 뚝섬 뚝섬
1.1
7.8
211
Seongsu 성수 (Seongsu branch)
0.8
8.6
212
Konkuk Univ. 건대입구
1.2
9.8
213
Guui
(Gwangjin-gu Office)
구의
(광진구청)
1.6
11.4
214
Gangbyeon
(Dongseoul Bus Terminal)
강변
(동서울터미널)
0.9
12.3
215
Jamsillaru
(Suhyup Insurance)
잠실나루
(수협중앙회공제보험)
나루
1.8
14.1
216
Jamsil
(Songpa-gu Office)
잠실
(송파구청)
1.0
15.1
217
Jamsilsaenae 잠실새내 새내
1.2
16.3
218
Sports Complex 종합운동장
1.2
17.5
219
Samseong
(World Trade Center Seoul)
삼성
(무역센터)
1.0
18.5
220
Seolleung
(Acuon Savings Bank)
선릉
(애큐온저축은행)
Suin–Bundang Line
1.3
19.8
221
Yeoksam
(Centerfield)
역삼
(센터필드)
1.2
21.0
222
Gangnam 강남 Shinbundang Line
0.8
21.8
223
Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education
(Court & Prosecutors' Office)
교대
(법원·검찰청)
1.2
23.0
224
Seocho 서초
0.7
23.7
225
Bangbae
(Baekseok Arts Univ.)
방배
(백석예술대)
1.7
25.4
226
Sadang 사당
1.6
27.0
227
Nakseongdae
(Ganggamchan)
낙성대
(강감찬)
1.7
28.7
228
Seoul Nat'l Univ.
(Gwanak-gu Office)
서울대입구
(관악구청)
서울
1.0
29.7
229
Bongcheon 봉천
1.0
30.7
230
Sillim
(Yangji Hospital)
신림
(양지병원)
Sillim Line
1.1
31.8
231
Sindaebang 신대방
1.8
33.6
232
Guro Digital Complex
(Wonkwang Digital Univ.)
구로디지털단지
(원광디지털대)
디지털
1.1
34.7
233
Daerim
(Guro-gu Office)
대림
(구로구청)
1.1
35.8
234
Sindorim 신도림 (Sinjeong branch)
1.8
37.6
235
Mullae
(Kim's Eye Hospital)
문래
(김안과병원)
1.2
38.8
236
Yeongdeungpo-gu Office 영등포구청
0.9
39.7
237
Dangsan 당산
1.1
40.8
238
Hapjeong
(Holt Children's Services, Inc)
합정
(홀트아동복지회)
2.0
42.8
239
Hongik Univ.
(Eduwill Academy)
홍대입구
(에듀윌학원)
Gyeongui–Jungang Line
1.1
43.9
240
Sinchon 신촌
(지하)
1.3
45.2
241
Ewha Womans Univ. 이대
0.8
46.0
242
Ahyeon 아현
0.9
46.9
243
Chungjeongno
(Kyonggi Univ.)
충정로
(경기대입구)
0.8
47.7

Seongsu Branch

Station
Number
Station Name
English
Station Name
Hangul
Station Name
Hanja
Transfer Distance
in km
Total
Distance
Location
211
Seongsu 성수 (Main Line)
---
0.0
211-1
Yongdap 용답
2.3
2.3
211-2
Sindap 신답
1.0
3.3
211-3
Yongdu
(Dongdaemun-gu Office)
용두
(동대문구청)

()
0.9
4.2
211-4
Sinseol-dong 신설동 Ui LRT
1.2
5.4

Sinjeong Branch

Station
Number
Station Name
English
Station Name
Hangul
Station Name
Hanja
Transfer Distance
in km
Total
Distance
Location
234
Sindorim 신도림 (Main Line)
---
0.0
234-1
Dorimcheon 도림천
1.0
1.0
234-2
Yangcheon-gu Office 양천구청
1.7
2.7
234-3
Sinjeongnegeori 신정네거리 네거리
1.9
4.6
234-4
Kkachisan 까치산 까치
1.4
6.0

Extension

There is a possible extension currently in the conception stage to extend the Sinjeong Branch to 3.7 km to Gayang Station on Line 9. The path would include a new station named Gangseo-gu Office in between Kkachisan and Gayang.[8]

Route map

Line 2
Sinjeong branch (Kkachisan ~ Sindorim)
234-4
Kkachisan
Link with Line 5
234-3
Sinjeongnegeori
234-2
Yangcheon-gu Office
Sinjeong Depot
234-1
Dorimcheon
Daerim
233
234
Sindorim
Guro Digital Complex
232
235
Mullae
Sindaebang
231
236
Yeongdeungpo-gu Office
Sillim Line Sillim
230
237
Dangsan
Bongcheon
229
Seoul National University
228
Yeouido (island)
Nakseongdae
227
238
Hapjeong
Sadang
226
239
Hongik University Gyeongui–Jungang Line
Bangbae
225
240
Sinchon
Seocho
224
241
Ewha Womans University
Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education
223
242
Ahyeon
Shinbundang Line Gangnam
222
243
Chungjeongno
Yeoksam
221
201
City Hall
Suin–Bundang Line Seolleung
220
202
Euljiro 1-ga
Samseong
219
203
Euljiro 3-ga
Sports Complex
218
204
Euljiro 4-ga
Jamsilsaenae
217
205
Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Jamsil
216
206
Sindang
Jamsillaru
215
207
Sangwangsimni
208
Wangsimni Gyeongui–Jungang Line Suin–Bundang Line
Gangbyeon
214
209
Hanyang University
Guui
213
210
Ttukseom
Konkuk University
212
211
Seongsu
Seongsu branch (Seongsu ~ Sinseol-dong)
211-1
Yongdap
Sindap Depot
211-2
Sindap
211-3
Yongdu
211-4
Sinseol-dong Ui LRT
Link with Line 1
(*) Under construction

Rolling stock

Second-generation Seoul Metro 2000 series VVVF-inverter train (third batch) crossing the Dangsan Railway Bridge on the Han River in October 2022.

Five generations of Seoul Metro 2000 series trains have been used on Seoul Subway Line 2. As of December 2024, only third, fourth and fifth batch 2000 series trains are in operation (manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and Dawonsys respectively), since all first (MELCO thyristor chopper control) and second batch (GEC Traction/Alstom thyristor chopper control) trains have been retired between 2008 and 2023. All trains are stored and maintained at Sindap Depot on the Seongsu Branch and Sinjeong Depot on the Sinjeong Branch.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ As of December 2024, Seoul Subway Line 2 is the third longest rapid transit loop line after Line 10 of Beijing Subway and Bolshaya Koltsevaya line of Moscow Metro.[1] When accounting for total distance (+ both branch lines), Seoul Subway Line 2 is the second-longest, only losing out to Bolshaya Koltsevaya line by 1.5 km (0.93 mi).

References

  1. ^ "Moscow Metro launches World's longest metro circle line - Big Circle Line 11". Metro Rail. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  2. ^ "Beijing Subway Line 10: "If you like it then you should have put a ring round it"". December 9, 2012.
  3. ^ "서울시 지하철수송 통계". data.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  4. ^ [사회]서울 지하철2호선 출근길 배차간격 12초 짧아져. Ytn.co.kr (2010-11-22). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.
  5. ^ "개요 및 연혁" [Overview and History]. seoulmetro.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Seoul Subway Line No. 2 Becomes Major WiFi Hotspot". The Chosun Ilbo. December 24, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  7. ^ Murthy, Rishika (September 22, 2011). "Seoul's 6 coolest subway stops". CNN Travel. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  8. ^ Han, Woojin (February 1, 2012). "서울지하철 2호선 신정지선 연장" (Korean Language). 미래 철도 DB. Retrieved December 9, 2012.

37°33′22″N 126°56′24″E / 37.556°N 126.940°E / 37.556; 126.940