On November 12, shortly after 7 a.m., commuters gathered at Incheon Gyeyang Station as the pedestrian signal changed. Workers disembarking from buses rushed toward the station entrance, and the crowd in the waiting area quickly turned into a sprint. This scene rendered the banner near the Airport Railroad schedule reading 'Please do not run. High accident area' almost ironic.
Lines formed at the platform entrance. The electronic board indicated that a train to Seoul Station was expected to arrive in five minutes, with five out of six cars marked in red as 'crowded' (indicating that movement was nearly impossible). As a packed train arrived, some passengers pushed their way in, while others waited for the next train after watching the doors close.
Similar scenes unfolded at Gyeyang Station from around 6:40 a.m. for about an hour and a half. The Airport Railroad increased its weekday service from 364 to 421 trains last December by adding nine new trains. Although congestion during rush hour dropped to 108% in January, many passengers still found themselves waiting for 'one or two trains' before boarding.
A commuter, identified as A, who transfers from the Incheon Line at Gyeyang Station to the Airport Railroad, said, 'Even though I leave early to avoid being late, it's extremely rare to catch the Airport Railroad on the first try. I usually plan to let one or two trains go by before I board.'
B, who has commuted from this station for over ten years, remarked, 'This is how it is. Letting one or two trains go is a daily occurrence, so you have to be diligent.' Passengers have already adjusted their departure times to accommodate the congestion.
The situation is expected to worsen starting next month. The A2 and A3 blocks of Gyeyang New Town will begin welcoming residents, with 1,285 units set to open. In total, 18,000 units will be built in the area. Since there are no rail lines passing through the district, new residents will need to take a bus to Gyeyang Station or board the Incheon Line at nearby Bakchon Station to transfer to the Airport Railroad heading to Seoul.
B expressed concerns about the new development, stating, 'The transportation infrastructure there is still lacking. Now, those residents will also flock to Gyeyang Station, and I worry that the morning commute will become even more congested.'
According to the Airport Railroad, approximately 12.4 million passengers used Gyeyang Station in the first half of this year, a 16.1% increase from the previous year. Congestion during rush hour (7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.) rose from 108% in January to 119% in March and April, and remained at 117% in June.
While the bus route map at the station lists around 20 bus lines passing through Gyeyang Station, the only new line connecting the new town to the station is the 7701, which opened at the end of last month. The schedule indicates that buses run every 17 to 23 minutes on weekdays.
A representative from LH stated, 'We plan to operate three routes with a total of nine shuttle buses, mixing 45-seat and 28-seat vehicles. While the details are not finalized due to ongoing discussions with local authorities, we are preparing to launch operations in conjunction with the new residents moving in.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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