SOUTH KOREA: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport has confirmed the start of testing of a hydrogen multiple-unit prototype from December 2027. Development of the train started in April as part of a 32·1bn won national research and development programme.
The vehicle is being developed jointly by several domestic institutions and companies including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport, national operator Korail, manufacturer Woojin Industrial Systems, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Korea Iron & Steel Research Institute, the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement, the Korea University of Transport and the county of Yeoncheon.
The two-car hydrogen fuel cell multiple-unit is intended to be able to run for 600 km with a single charge. It will have a maximum operating speed of 150 km/h, and 105 to 125 seats.
The project scope covers testing and commissioning of the vehicle as well as the construction of related infrastructure. Fuelling facilities are being developed by domestic specialist company Kohaigen Co. Maintenance will be carried out at Korail’s Susaek and Cheongnyangni depots.
‘It is most important to advance the deployment of domestic hydrogen trains in order to achieve carbon neutrality of the railway and innovate services, as well as to take the lead in the rapidly growing global hydrogen railway market. And to this end, we will continue to expand necessary support, such as improving related systems and investing in technology development’, said Jeong Ui-gyeong, Director General of Railway Safety Policy at MOLIT.
Routes north of Seoul
The ministry announced on September 30 that the prototype is to carry out 70 000 km of test runs from the end of 2027 for approximately one year on two ‘representative non-electrified routes’ north of the Seoul metropolitan area. These are:
- the 21 km Yeoncheon – Baengmagoji railway, which is the northernmost section of the Gyeongwon Line that runs from Seoul towards the North Korean border;
- the 30·5 km Gyeonggi Line that links Daegok in the northwestern suburbs with Uijeongbu on the northern edge of the capital, where revenue services resumed on January 11.
