Gangdong-gu pushes for GTX-D inclusion in national rail plan, eyes 2035 opening

Gangdong-gu in Seoul is mounting an all-out push to have the GTX-D line included in the government's Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan.

The district says inclusion this year is essential if the government's 2035 opening target is to be met.

Gangdong-gu announced Thursday that it is intensifying coordination with relevant agencies to ensure the GTX-D line — already confirmed to pass through the district — is incorporated without delay into the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan, covering 2026 to 2035.

The district, home to a population of 500,000, has pursued the GTX-D routing through Gangdong as a central transportation priority in its bid to become the traffic, economic and cultural hub of the eastern Greater Seoul area.

To that end, district officials held five meetings with the minister of land, infrastructure and transport to make the case for the routing, and submitted the results of an independent feasibility review to the ministry to support the project's rationale and economic viability.

As a result, the government formally included the Gangdong routing in the "Second-Phase GTX Promotion Plan" announced in January 2024. The first phase of the GTX-D line — covering the Jamsil–Gangdong–Gyosan corridor — was set with a 2035 opening target.

The critical question now is whether the project makes it into the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan. Regional rail projects can only proceed to preliminary feasibility studies and other formal development steps after being included in the national railway network plan, meaning GTX-D Phase 1 must be listed in the current plan to advance.

Standard rail projects typically take seven to eight years to complete, while large-scale undertakings such as GTX lines require about 10 years, making schedule management critical. Any delay in securing inclusion in the national railway network plan could jeopardize the government's 2035 opening target, the district warned.

The district said it will continue close consultations with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and other relevant agencies to actively push for GTX-D Phase 1's inclusion in the plan.

Ahead of releasing the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan, the ministry is conducting a public survey through Friday. The survey seeks public input on the need for railway network expansion, the appropriate scale of rail investment, and the balance of investment between the Greater Seoul area and other regions. A public hearing is also scheduled for December.

The survey is accessible through the ministry's website, the Gangdong-gu district office website, the integrated app "Korail+," and QR codes posted at major railway stations.

"The GTX-D line's routing through Gangdong-gu must be reflected in the Fifth National Railway Network Construction Plan to improve transportation access for 2.5 million residents of the eastern metropolitan area, including Gangdong-gu's 500,000 residents," Gangdong-gu District Mayor Lee Su-hee said. "We will work closely with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and other relevant agencies to ensure our residents' wishes are fully conveyed."