U Line
The U Line is a driverless, fully automatic, grade-separated light rail or light metro line in Uijeongbu, Seoul Capital Area, South Korea. The "U" is short for the city Uijeongbu. The line uses Véhicule Automatique Léger (VAL) 208 trains built by Siemens Transportation Systems. The system is very similar to the Toulouse Metro, Lille Metro and Rennes Metro in France. The line color is amber.
| U Line | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Native name | 의정부경전철 Uijeongbu-Gyeongjeoncheol |
| Status | Operational |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 16 |
| Service | |
| Type | Rubber-tyred metro |
| System | Seoul Metropolitan Subway |
| Operator(s) | Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit Co., Ltd |
| Rolling stock | 15 × Siemens VAL 208 U100 |
| History | |
| Opened | 29 June 2012 (trial) 1 July 2012 (revenue) |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 11.3 km (7.0 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,620 mm (5 ft 4 in) |
| Electrification | 750 V DC third rail |
| Operating speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
The line is 11.2 km (7.0 mi) long on elevated track and offers a transfer to Line 1 at Hoeryong Station. Single rides cost 1,550 won. During rush hours trains come every 3 and a half minutes with trains coming every 6 to 10 minutes during all other hours. Trains are in service 19.5 hours a day, from 5 am until 12:30 am. From Balgok Station to Tapseok Station, the U Line will take riders 19 minutes and 54 seconds, versus a car, at 31 minutes 6 seconds, or a public bus, taking 40 minutes and 6 seconds. Two extensions are planned.
After four and a half years of operating at a continual loss, a debt of 240 billion won prompted board members of the Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit Company to file for bankruptcy in late 2016. If the Seoul Central District Court agrees to the filing then operation reverts to the city government. On 5 January 2017, Uijeongbu Mayor Ahn Byung-yong promised the line would continue operation.