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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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 Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:32 pm Post subject: Seoul Subway |
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http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/08/123_72180.html
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Is Seoul subway best in the world? Yes and no
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
The Seoul Metropolitan Subway prides itself on being one of the best transit systems in the world. There is little doubt that the Seoul subway is a convenient way of traveling around the city, but there is also no shortage of complaints about the overcrowding, dirty conditions, erratic service and poor ventilation.
The Seoul subway system transported 2.048 billion passengers in 2009 over its nine lines, on hundreds of trains.
Since there are separate entities in charge of operations, the physical environment of the subway stations and trains vary significantly. The government-run Seoul Metro runs subway lines 1 to 4, while Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit (SMRT) manages lines 5 to 8. The newest Line 9 is run by the private enterprise Seoul Metro Line 9 Corp.
Lines 1 to 4 carry a daily average of 3.96 million people, while Lines 5 to 8 serve some 2.7 million passengers each day. With figures like these, it�s no wonder that commuters are crammed like sardines especially during the morning and evening rush hours.
During the height of the summer heat wave, trains and subway stations felt more like saunas because the air-conditioning system cannot sufficiently handle the soaring temperatures and crowds. Conversely, in winter, the trains are extremely stuffy, with the heating turned up far too high.
Seoul Metro vs. SMRT
Seoul Metro operates the oldest subway lines, and the wear and tear over the years definitely shows in its 117 subway stations and 199 trains.
There have been recent remodeling efforts, but there is no disguising some cramped subway stations. Many of them were obviously constructed with no thought to expansion, causing severe overcrowding on platforms at Sindorim, City Hall, Jongno 3-ga, Gangnam, Myeongdong, Yeongeungpo, Guro and Seoul stations.
The trains are also slower, since they run on a normal speed line. The oldest Line 1 opened in 1974, and the older, shakier and noisier trains can�t hide their age. Some stations are also poorly well-ventilated, while some are not yet air-conditioned.
In comparison, SMRT operates 148 stations, covering 152 kilometers with 200 trains. Construction of lines 5 to 8 started in 1990 and thus these subway lines are much newer.
The trains look cleaner and run much smoother. Subway stations on lines 5 to 8 are also more spacious, airier and feel less constricting than the older ones.
Long wait, long walks
Aside from overcrowding during rush hour, there are also complaints about the operational frequency of trains.
Trains on Seoul Metro Lines 1 to 4 are slower and commuters have to wait an average of 2.5 to 6 minutes for a train, although they come more often during rush hour.
SMRT, on the other hand, have newer cars but the trains� frequency averages between 2.5 to 8 minutes. Commuters may even have to wait more than 10 minutes in between trains traversing Line 6 (Eungnam-Bonghwasan) and Line 5 (Banghwa to Sangil-dong or Macheon) on weekends.
Another complaint is how the subway ends earlier on weekends. People who watch concerts at venues in Olympic Park, southern Seoul also complain of the infrequency of trains that pass through Olympic Park Station on line 5 especially on weekend evenings. After a recent concert ended late on a Saturday evening, commuters waited for more than 30 minutes for the train to arrive at Olympic Park Station at 11:40 p.m., only to find out that it would only travel to Gunja Station since it was already nearing midnight.
Walking a long distance when transferring to another line, plus the long flights of stairs in between, are other inconveniences of using the subway. In some stations, it can take anywhere between five to 10 minutes to transfer to another line. Some of the subway exit signs are confusing, and this is aggravated by the sprawling layout of the stations.
Safety issues
Seoul�s subway claims to be safe, but there are still petty crimes committed in the underground tunnels.
For female commuters, it is very uncomfortable to be packed in a subway car, always at the risk of being groped or harassed. Sexual harassment accounts for nearly half of subway crimes. While Seoul introduced women-only cars in 1992, they were discontinued due to operational problems.
Because few security staff make the rounds of stations, it seems any victim of a crime would have difficulty in quickly getting assistance.
It is also quite common to see people trying to sell CDs and various cheap trinkets inside the train, as well as pan handlers. According to subway regulations, it is illegal to post unauthorized materials, solicit, beg, sell items or conduct religious activities on the train. But the personnel often turn a blind eye, allowing these activities to continue and disrupt the passengers.
Since the personnel at the ticket booths were replaced by ticket machines last year, it has caused problems for some passengers who need or would prefer human guidance. When one has a problem with the ticket machine or the turnstiles, there is often no one to ask for help. Sometimes, the T-money card does not work, thus the customer has no choice but to go under the turnstiles to be able to exit.
When getting on or off the subway train, the doors only remain open for about 10 to 20 seconds, depending on the discretion of the driver. Many try to rush to catch the train or suddenly realize it�s their stop and try to get off but end up being caught between the notoriously tough train doors. The doors seem to remain shut even if a person or a purse gets stuck in them.
The platform screen doors were installed to prevent accidents and suicide attempts, but there are still incidents of people or bags getting stuck and being dragged along the platform.
The "Keep Right" campaign, which aimed to change the walking direction in subway stations was started last year, but now 10 months on, it just seemd to create more confusion. Even with countless posters and signs reminding people to "keep right," it appears that most people still tend to walk on the left.
Despite Seoul Metro and SMRT�s current efforts to refurbish the bathrooms within the subway stations, it is still unfortunate that most are still dirty and not well-maintained. The floors are usually wet and sticky, while the trash bins are usually overflowing.
There needs to be more efforts and maintenance by Seoul Metro and SMRT to provide an even better service for its millions of daily passengers. |
Let's not forget about the Daegu subway fire: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daegu_subway_fire. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| To any naysayers, I say take the subway in New York or, even better, enjoy Boston's Green Line. |
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optik404
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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| People complain that the subway is dirty? I mean when it rains, the floors can get a bit grimey... |
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McGenghis
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Gangneung
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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| What's with that hanging bit there about Daegu? |
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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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2.5-6 minutes? May god have mercy on our souls.
Check out the 45 minute-2 hour waiting times of buses in England. Or the jam-packed subway of London. |
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AsiaESLbound
Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Seoul subway is very modern, clean, and smooth running compared to New York's antiquated subway system. I wouldn't expect Seoul subways train doors to be user friendly should you get caught in them as Korean elevators will clamp you instead of re-opening upon touching you like those in the West. In New York, if you are standing up and not holding on, it can easily throw you to the floor or on other passengers in a second when a train begins to leave a station. London's is old too, but maintained in much better condition than New York's. I would say Seoul has a nice easy to use system every one can afford at about only 90 cents a ride compared to New York's $2.25 fare. Public transit systems are social systems to move people around for economic opportunities. I wish we had more public transit in America, but people are vehemently against socialism and opt for the freedom their cars and private insurances give them. Actually in my opinion, cars retard personal freedom due to their high cost unless the driver has a sizable income where it doesn't matter, but the high cost of operating cars keeps many on an economic treadmill, because many areas don't have public transit. I'm all for public transit as it gives everyone a chance to work, shop, and play as well as benefits the local economy in providing a labor force of all specialties. I don't have any complaints about it other than buses are too slow due to traffic jams and I don't have a local train station. |
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climber159
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| To any naysayers, I say take the subway in New York or, even better, enjoy Boston's Green Line. |
Haha...It's not just the green line. All of Seoul's subway lines outshine all of Boston's subway lines. I was spoiled with the Seoul subway awesomeness...now I cringe every time I step onto a MBTA train...yuck! |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| The subway system is the best thing about living in or near Seoul. Once you learn how to use it the world is opened up to you. Just imagine how much it helps all of us. |
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crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Since the personnel at the ticket booths were replaced by ticket machines last year, it has caused problems for some passengers who need or would prefer human guidance. When one has a problem with the ticket machine or the turnstiles, there is often no one to ask for help. Sometimes, the T-money card does not work, thus the customer has no choice but to go under the turnstiles to be able to exit. |
This information seems out of date. This was true when they first switched over, but I found these days that most stations have built new booths. Before they were set into a wall, and now they're a 360 degree booth out on the floor (often half in the gate area and half out). I would guess that I see those helpers in most stations about 80-90% of the time I go through one.
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| When getting on or off the subway train, the doors only remain open for about 10 to 20 seconds, depending on the discretion of the driver. Many try to rush to catch the train or suddenly realize it�s their stop and try to get off but end up being caught between the notoriously tough train doors. The doors seem to remain shut even if a person or a purse gets stuck in them. |
I saw this old woman who was just not all there get caught up in these. She ran forward and as the train doors closed, her purse got caught in the doors. They stopped for a second then opened, but not all the way. Just enough for her to pull her purse out but she thought they'd open all the way. So she decided to barrel forward. The doors closed on her neck. She just stood there, didn't say anything, like it happened to her everyday or something. |
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PEIGUY
Joined: 28 Mar 2004
Location: Omokgyo
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="crossmr"]
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I saw this old woman who was just not all there get caught up in these. She ran forward and as the train doors closed, her purse got caught in the doors. They stopped for a second then opened, but not all the way. Just enough for her to pull her purse out but she thought they'd open all the way. So she decided to barrel forward. The doors closed on her neck. She just stood there, didn't say anything, like it happened to her everyday or something. |
I saw an ajoshi throw his plastic shopping bag forward into the screen doors in an attempt to get them stop (but yet don't the subway doors usually close first?) He just look dumbfounded at his bag stuck in the screen door. Another security ajoshi came along and started yelling at him after the screen doors opened and he started pounding on the subway doors.. makes me chuckle every time I think about it.. |
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Jane
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Overall, the Seoul subway is good. However, I'm thinking of gifting Korail some thermometers, so they can regulate the temperatures inside the cars. Temp and ventilation have been never-ending issues when it comes to the subway here. Overall though, it is efficient and clean. |
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Slowmotion
Joined: 15 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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I hate lines 5-8. They are all dark, unhappy atmosphere, their sound effects and announcements are annoying, and their subway stations are all so plane and ugly looking like it's made from bathroom tiles. Not to mention Itaewon is one of the most tourist visited places and they make it the most plane boring simple subway station ever. The only station they made decent was noksapyeong, a place where hardly anyone ever goes.
I like Seoul metro lines much better. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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I will re-post, as my post disappeared without a word.
The subway system here is pretty good, but I feel i is going downhill every year. Still good, but not what it was before. So many times the train stops on the tracks on the way to Guro. Not so serious, but highly annoying when trying to get somewhere on time.
I would be willing to pay a little more to have people walking around who throw off the bible thumpers and peddlers. They're a nuisance.
The 'walk on the right' campaign is failing beause people are selfish. They walk wherever they feel like. Koreans don't like rules.
I never found 'dirty' to be a word I would use to describe it. The stations and trains are cleaned regularily but people litter, on Saturday night people puke in the cars and stations, and beggars take off their shoes and socks and put their dirty feet on the chairs. Also, in the outdoor stations, people smoke and throw their ciggie buts everywhere. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| Compared to most transit systems I've been on, Seoul is one of the best. Also, they'll probably never get rid of the beggars and peddlers even if they tried, unless you have subway cops on every single train. I for one don't mind them since they are just trying to make a living, don't harm anyone and just a sign that you're in a large city. |
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IamBabo
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:12 am Post subject: Subway |
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Hey northway,
I second the Boston green line. I think it is one of the oldest underground systems in the world. What a nightmare! It's sad because that's the best way to go to a Sox game! |
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