Goodbye, 'Hell Train': Seoul Subway Line 9 is finally getting less crowded

If you're a working professional who has lived in Seoul for over a decade, you're undoubtedly familiar with the dreaded morning commute on Subway Line 9. Few lines deserve the nickname 'Hell Train' quite as much. The express train from Gimpo Airport towards Gangnam, in particular, genuinely feels like a battlefield. There's an old joke that's been around for years: if you try to open a newspaper on Line 9, you can't tell if you're reading it or the person next to you is reading it over your shoulder.

But this scene is slowly starting to improve. The measures the Seoul Metropolitan Government has been diligently working on for a long time to tackle Line 9's congestion are beginning to show tangible results this year. Going beyond simply adding more carriages, they are meticulously overhauling the entire operating system. The days of being squashed into a train with barely any room to stand might soon be a thing of the past.

Line 9 gets some breathing room: Headways are changing

The most noticeable change is the shorter headway during the morning rush hour. Since March 2024, the city has already put three new train sets (18 carriages) into service, reducing the weekday rush hour headway from the previous time by 15 seconds to 3 minutes and 10 seconds. You might think 15 seconds is nothing, but anyone who knows the value of those seconds on a crowded rush hour platform would disagree. It means the crowds waiting for the next train can disperse just a little bit faster.

In addition, the city accelerated its original plan and introduced five train sets (30 carriages) early at the end of 2023. As a result, congestion on the worst section of Line 9, between Noryangjin and Dongjak Station, dropped from 199% in November 2023 to 188% in early 2024. With the addition of more new trains, it has now fallen further to 168%. Of course, 168% is still very high, but there's no denying that the 'Hell Train,' which once neared 200% capacity, is finally getting some breathing room.

Further and more frequent: The eastern end extends to Gangdong

The changes on Line 9 don't stop there. Currently, the line terminates at Jungangbogun Hospital Station, but if you wait just a little longer, Line 9 will stretch to the far edge of Gangdong-gu. The Phase 4 extension of Line 9 (from Jungangbogun Hospital Station to the Godeok Gangil 1 district) is scheduled to open in 2028.

This section spans 4.12 km and will include four new stations. Crucially, it will connect with Godeok Station on Line 5, dramatically improving access to the Gangnam area for residents of Gangdong-gu and Hanam City. Currently, they have to take buses or transfer between Lines 5 and 8, but after 2028, a single express train on Line 9 will bring Yeouido and Gangnam much closer. This completes the transportation network linking new job hubs in Gangdong-gu, like the Godeok Biz Valley and high-tech complexes, with the existing city center. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is already preparing to add four more train sets in anticipation of this extension.

Line 9 congestion reduction project by the numbers

Here's a snapshot of the improvements Seoul is implementing for Line 9.

• New Trains: A total of 48 carriages (8 train sets) added by early 2024.
• Shorter Headways: Weekday morning rush hour reduced from 3 min 25 sec to 3 min 10 sec (15 sec reduction).
• Reduced Congestion: Peak section congestion down from 199% (2023) to 168% (2024).
• Phase 4 Extension: Targeted for 2028 opening, adding 4 new stations from Jungangbogun Hospital to Godeok Gangil.
• Enhanced Safety: Dedicated safety personnel deployed at crowded express stations like Gimpo Airport, Yeomchang, and Dangsan.

Why Line 9 is no longer just 'National Route 9'

Interestingly, Korea's 'National Route 9' is a highway along the south coast with nothing to do with Seoul. But in Seoul, if you say 'Line 9,' everyone knows exactly which subway line you mean. Just like the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line or U.S. Route 9, the importance of this line cutting across the heart of Seoul from east to west cannot be overstated. The city's current plan is more than just 'adding trains'; it's a long-term vision looking ahead to the wider metropolitan transport network after the 2028 extension opens.

For citizens commuting on Line 9, it seems we can look forward to a slightly more relaxed journey. While it might not be a complete solution, the feeling of being literally 'shoved into' the train is clearly becoming a thing of the past. It's exciting to anticipate the day when this wave of change sweeps beyond Jamsil and Gangnam, all the way to Godeok Gangil.