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EverLine
EverLine
Overview
Native name	에버라인; Everline
Status	Operational
Owner	Yongin EverLine Co,. Ltd., Neo Trans
Termini	Giheung; Jeondae - Everland;
Stations	15
Service
Type	People mover
Depot(s)	Samga
Rolling stock	30 × Bombardier Innovia ART 200 Y100
History
Opened	April 26, 2013
Technical
Line length	18.143 km (11.274 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC Third rail
Operating speed	80 km/h (50 mph)
Signalling	Bombardier CITYFLO 650 CBTC

The Yongin EverLine (or EverLine; Korean: 에버라인, Yongin Light Rail Transit) is a fully automated driverless 18.1-kilometer (11.2 mi)^[2] people mover line in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Seoul Capital Area connecting Everland, South Korea's most popular theme park, to the Suin-Bundang Line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, a system which it is arguably a part of. The system is identical to the AirTrain JFK people mover and airport rail link in New York City, using single-car Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit vehicles^[3] controlled by Bombardier CITYFLO 650 automatic train control technology.

Planning for the line started in April 1996.^[2] Ground was broken for construction in November 2005. Starting in November 2009, the operating company conducted test runs of the trains. The opening was delayed several times but finally opened for service on April 26, 2013.^[1]^[4] A physical transfer to the (underground) Suin-Bundang line at Giheung Station opened on January 9, 2014 and a transfer discount to the line was introduced on September 20 of the same year.

It was scheduled to open on April 16, 2011, but it did not open due to noise complaints and safety issues related to facilities in some sections of the line, as well as conflicts between the construction company and Yongin City, the ultimate operator. The opening date was postponed indefinitely several times, but it was later resolved through arbitration by the International Court of Arbitration when Yongin City paid compensation to Yongin Light Rail, and it finally opened belatedly on April 26, 2013. The color used for guidance, etc. is lime green.

Operation

Trains run every 6 minutes (9 minutes on Sundays and holidays). One-car trains are operated, a feature unique to this Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) system; trains can be lengthened to two cars if necessary, similar to the AirTrain JFK. Despite being a medium capacity system, at 3.2 meters (10 ft 6 in),^[5] they are ironically the widest trains in South Korea. Each car has a capacity of 133 passengers.^[5]

Stations

All stations are in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. The line is 18.1 km (11.2 mi) long.^[2]

Station Number	Station Name English	Station Name Hangul	Station Name Hanja	Transfer	Distance in km	Total Distance	Station Type	Location

Y110	Giheung (Nam June Paik Art Center)	기흥 (백남준아트센터)	器興 (白南準아트센터)		---	0.000	Elevated	Giheung-gu
Y111	Kangnam University	강남대	江南大	-	1.044	1.044	Ground level
Y112	Jiseok	지석	支石	-	1.062	2.106	Elevated
Y113	Eojeong	어정	御井	-	0.918	3.024
Y114	Dongbaek	동백	東栢	-	1.185	4.209
Y115	Chodang	초당	草堂	-	1.097	5.306
Y116	Samga	삼가	三街	-	2.591	7.897		Cheoin-gu
Y117	City Hall·Yongin University	시청·용인대	市廳·龍仁大	-	1.045	8.942
Y118	Myongji University	명지대	明知大	-	1.034	9.976
Y119	Gimnyangjang	김량장	金良場	-	0.755	10.731
Y120	Yongin Jungang Market (Yongin Arts&Science Univ.)	용인중앙시장 (용인과학예술대)	龍仁中央市場 (龍仁藝術科學大)	-	0.945	11.676
Y121	Gojin	고진	古陳	-	0.935	12.611
Y122	Bopyeong	보평	洑坪	-	1.750	14.361
Y123	Dunjeon	둔전	屯田	-	1.027	15.388
Y124	Jeondae·Everland	전대·에버랜드	前垈·에버랜드	-	2.626	18.014	Ground level

Ridership

Ridership was lower than expected on opening day; around 9,000 people per day in April 2013.^[6]

Daily ridership totals eventually grew to around 30,000 people by the middle of 2015.^[7] The increase is touted to be the result of a fare integration program introduced on September 20, 2014.^[8]

After a period of unstable patronage caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, daily ridership rose to 40,000 by May 2024.^[9]

Expansion

There are plans to extend the line 6.8 km (4.2 mi) from Giheung Station to Gwanggyo Station on the Shinbundang Line.^[10]

Additionally, Neo Trans, the operator of the Shinbundang Line, took over operations in 2016.^[11] Operation of the trains was transferred back to Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd on August 1, 2023.^[8]

Controversy

Ridership estimates

Initial forecasts from 2001 expected daily ridership to reach 140,000 people per day at the time of opening.^[2] However, later estimates revealed that this number would instead be closer to 32,000 riders per day due to the improvement of existing transportation options and construction delays on the Suin–Bundang Line at Giheung station (which would not open until 2011).^[2]^[7]

As a result, the city government of Yongin was ordered to pay the consortium ₩7.79 billion in compensation at the behest of the International Chamber of Commerce.^[2] The city of Yongin and Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd. re-negotiated a new operating contract in 2012, which required the city to pay approximately US$20,000,000 per year to cover for losses.^[7]

Bombardier Transportation corruption allegations

South Korean authorities investigated possible corruption by Bombardier Transportation officials over the building of this line and concerns that ridership was exaggerated to have the technology preferentially chosen over other contenders. No charges were filed due to a lack of presented evidence and the case reaching its statute of limitation.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b '용인 경전철' 오늘부터 달린다 (in Korean). Simin Ilbo. April 25, 2013.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Park, Jin Young; Mun, Jinsu (2014). "Korea's Railway PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Projects" (PDF). The Korea Transport Institute. ISBN 978-89-5503-658-9. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 15, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Bombardier Transportation accused of corruption in South Korea". CBC News. January 28, 2015. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
^ "YONGIN EVERLINE LRT: 5TH FULLY AUTOMATED METRO LINE IN SOUTH KOREA". UITP. April 29, 2013. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "차량도감 - 철도산업정보센터" [Vehicle Guide]. Korea Railway Industry Information Center (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-11-28.
^ "[용인경전철 2년-상]하루 이용객 3만명 시대 명암" [[Yongin Light Rail Transit 2-year-old] Contrast in the era of 30,000 daily passengers]. Newsis. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "PUBLIC-PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER". PUBLIC-PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER. 2024-10-10. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
^ ^a ^b "Key Milestones". ever-line.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
^ Jang, Byeong-geuk (2024-05-13). "용인에버라인, 하루평균 승객 4만명 넘어...개통 11년만". Rail Economy News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 28, 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
^ "(경기도 도시철도) 용인경전철 연장" (in Korean). Future Rail Database. December 9, 2011. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
^ "History". www.neotrans.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-28.