Seoul Subway Line 2

Line 2
Line 2
Overview
Native name	2호선(二號線); I Hoseon
Status	Operational
Termini	City Hall / Seongsu / Sindorim; City Hall / Sinseol-dong / Kkachisan;
Stations	51
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Seoul Metropolitan Subway
Operator(s)	Seoul Metro
History
Opened	October 31, 1980
Technical
Line length	60.2 km (37.4 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Operating speed	90 km/h (56 mph)

Seoul Subway Line 2 (Korean: 서울 지하철 2호선), also known as the Circle Line, is a circular line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. The line running clockwise is called the "inner circle line" and the counter-clockwise line is called the "outer circle line". This is Seoul's most heavily used line, and consists of the main loop (48.8 km (30.3 mi)), the Seongsu Branch (5.4 km (3.4 mi)) and the Sinjeong Branch (6.0 km (3.7 mi)) for a total line length of 60.2 km (37.4 mi). The Line 2 loop is the third longest subway loop in the world after Moscow Metro Bolshaya Koltsevaya line and Beijing Subway Line 10.^[a]^[2] In 2019, Line 2 had an annual ridership of 812 million passengers or 2.2 million passengers per day.^[3]

Headways on the line vary from 2 minutes 18 seconds on peak periods ^[4] and 5–6 minutes off-peak periods. The line connects the city centre to Gangnam, Teheran Valley and the COEX/KWTC complex.

History

In 1972, then-Mayor of Seoul Koo Ja-choon [ko] (1932–1996) changed the existing plans for the Seoul Subway to better enable connectivity around the growing Seoul City and allow for development to take place across the Seoul Capital Area. Line 2 was built in 1978–84 together with the Seongsu Branch (the second Sinjeong Branch was built 1989–95). Dangsan bridge was closed for reconstruction in 1996 and reopened November 22, 1999. The old steel girder bridge was replaced by a 1.3-kilometre (0.81 mi) long concrete bridge between Dangsan on the southern side of the river and Hapjeong on the northern bank.

Yongdu station on the Seongsu Branch (between Sindap and Sinseol stations) is the first station in the Seoul Subway system with operating platform screen doors. As of 2008 platform screen doors are operating at all stations along Line 2. New rolling stock has also progressively came on line, replacing older vehicles.

October 31, 1980: Sinseol-dong – Sports Complex (via Seongsu) section opened
December 23, 1982: Sports Complex – Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education section opened
September 16, 1983: Euljiro 1-ga – Seongsu section opened; Sinseol-dong – Seongsu section separated as Seongsu Branch
December 17, 1983: Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education – Seoul Nat'l University section opened
May 22, 1984: Seoul Nat'l University – Euljiro 1-ga (via Sindorim) section opened; the Circle Line (the longest in the world at 54.2 km (33.7 mi) until it was surpassed in 2013) is completed.^[5]
May 22, 1992: Sindorim – Yangcheon-gu Office section opened as Sinjeong Branch
February 29, 1996: Sinjeongnegeori Station opened as extension of Sinjeong Branch
March 20, 1996: Kkachisan Station opened as extension of Sinjeong Branch
October 20, 2005: Yongdu Station opened on the Seongsu Branch
September 2010: Siemens Mobility ATP/ATO GoA 2 signalling system implemented on newer trains to increase frequencies and route capacity.

Facilities

In December 2010 the line is recorded as having the highest WiFi data consumption in the Seoul Metropolitan area. It averaged 2.56 times more than the other 14 subway lines fitted with WiFi service zones.^[6]

In 2011, retailer Homeplus opened the world's first virtual supermarket at Seolleung station, where smartphone users can photograph the bar code of life-size pictures, on the walls and platform screen doors, of 500 items of food, toiletries, electronics etc., for delivery within the same day.^[7]

Stations

All stations on all branches are in Seoul.

Main Line

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

201	City Hall	시청	市廳		---	0.0	Jung-gu
202	Euljiro 1(il)-ga (Hana Bank)	을지로입구 (하나은행)	乙支路入口		0.7	0.7
203	Euljiro 3(sam)-ga (Shinhan Card)	을지로3가 (신한카드)	乙支路三街		0.8	1.5
204	Euljiro 4(sa)-ga (BC Card)	을지로4가 (BC카드)	乙支路四街		0.6	2.1
205	Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (DDP)	동대문역사문화공원 (DDP)	東大門歷史文化公園		1.0	3.1
206	Sindang	신당	新堂		0.9	4.0
207	Sangwangsimni	상왕십리	上往十里		0.9	4.9	Seongdong-gu
208	Wangsimni (Seongdong-gu Office)	왕십리 (성동구청)	往十里		0.8	5.7
209	Hanyang Univ.	한양대	漢陽大		1.0	6.7
210	Ttukseom	뚝섬	뚝섬		1.1	7.8
211	Seongsu	성수	聖水	(Seongsu branch)	0.8	8.6
212	Konkuk Univ.	건대입구	建大入口		1.2	9.8	Gwangjin-gu
213	Guui (Gwangjin-gu Office)	구의 (광진구청)	九宜		1.6	11.4
214	Gangbyeon (Dongseoul Bus Terminal)	강변 (동서울터미널)	江邊		0.9	12.3
215	Jamsillaru (Suhyup Insurance)	잠실나루 (수협중앙회공제보험)	蠶室나루		1.8	14.1	Songpa-gu
216	Jamsil (Songpa-gu Office)	잠실 (송파구청)	蠶室		1.0	15.1
217	Jamsilsaenae	잠실새내	蠶室새내		1.2	16.3
218	Sports Complex	종합운동장	綜合運動場		1.2	17.5
219	Samseong (World Trade Center Seoul)	삼성 (무역센터)	三成		1.0	18.5	Gangnam-gu
220	Seolleung (Acuon Savings Bank)	선릉 (애큐온저축은행)	宣陵		1.3	19.8
221	Yeoksam (Centerfield)	역삼 (센터필드)	驛三		1.2	21.0
222	Gangnam	강남	江南		0.8	21.8
223	Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education (Court & Prosecutors' Office)	교대 (법원·검찰청)	敎大		1.2	23.0	Seocho-gu
224	Seocho	서초	瑞草		0.7	23.7
225	Bangbae (Baekseok Arts Univ.)	방배 (백석예술대)	方背		1.7	25.4
226	Sadang	사당	舍堂		1.6	27.0	Dongjak-gu
227	Nakseongdae (Ganggamchan)	낙성대 (강감찬)	落星垈		1.7	28.7	Gwanak-gu
228	Seoul Nat'l Univ. (Gwanak-gu Office)	서울대입구 (관악구청)	서울大入口		1.0	29.7
229	Bongcheon	봉천	奉天		1.0	30.7
230	Sillim (Yangji Hospital)	신림 (양지병원)	新林		1.1	31.8
231	Sindaebang	신대방	新大方		1.8	33.6	Dongjak-gu
232	Guro Digital Complex (Wonkwang Digital Univ.)	구로디지털단지 (원광디지털대)	九老디지털團地		1.1	34.7	Guro-gu
233	Daerim (Guro-gu Office)	대림 (구로구청)	大林		1.1	35.8
234	Sindorim	신도림	新道林	(Sinjeong branch)	1.8	37.6
235	Mullae (Kim's Eye Hospital)	문래 (김안과병원)	文來		1.2	38.8	Yeongdeungpo-gu
236	Yeongdeungpo-gu Office	영등포구청	永登浦區廳		0.9	39.7
237	Dangsan	당산	堂山		1.1	40.8
238	Hapjeong (Holt Children's Services, Inc)	합정 (홀트아동복지회)	合井		2.0	42.8	Mapo-gu
239	Hongik Univ. (Eduwill Academy)	홍대입구 (에듀윌학원)	弘大入口		1.1	43.9
240	Sinchon	신촌 (지하)	新村		1.3	45.2
241	Ewha Womans Univ.	이대	梨大		0.8	46.0
242	Ahyeon	아현	阿峴		0.9	46.9
243	Chungjeongno (Kyonggi Univ.)	충정로 (경기대입구)	忠正路		0.8	47.7	Seodaemun-gu

Seongsu Branch

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

211	Seongsu	성수	聖水	(Main Line)	---	0.0	Seongdong-gu
211-1	Yongdap	용답	龍踏		2.3	2.3
211-2	Sindap	신답	新踏		1.0	3.3
211-3	Yongdu (Dongdaemun-gu Office)	용두 (동대문구청)	龍頭 (東大門區廳)		0.9	4.2	Dongdaemun-gu
211-4	Sinseol-dong	신설동	新設洞		1.2	5.4	Dongdaemun-gu

Sinjeong Branch

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

234	Sindorim	신도림	新道林	(Main Line)	---	0.0	Guro-gu
234-1	Dorimcheon	도림천	道林川		1.0	1.0	Guro-gu
234-2	Yangcheon-gu Office	양천구청	陽川區廳		1.7	2.7	Yangcheon-gu
234-3	Sinjeongnegeori	신정네거리	新亭네거리		1.9	4.6	Yangcheon-gu
234-4	Kkachisan	까치산	까치山		1.4	6.0	Gangseo-gu

Extension

There is a possible extension currently in the conception stage to extend the Sinjeong Branch to 3.7 km to Gayang Station on Line 9. The path would include a new station named Gangseo-gu Office in between Kkachisan and Gayang.^[8]

Route map

Line 2

Legend

			Sinjeong branch (Kkachisan ~ Sindorim)
		234-4	Kkachisan
			Link with Line 5
		234-3	Sinjeongnegeori
		234-2	Yangcheon-gu Office
			Sinjeong Depot
		234-1	Dorimcheon
Daerim	233	234	Sindorim
Guro Digital Complex	232	235	Mullae
Sindaebang	231	236	Yeongdeungpo-gu Office
Sillim	230	237	Dangsan
Bongcheon	229		Han River (Dangsan Railway Bridge)
Seoul National University	228		Yeouido (island)
Nakseongdae	227	238	Hapjeong
Sadang	226	239	Hongik University
Bangbae	225	240	Sinchon
Seocho	224	241	Ewha Womans University
Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education	223	242	Ahyeon
Gangnam	222	243	Chungjeongno
Yeoksam	221	201	City Hall
Seolleung	220	202	Euljiro 1-ga
Samseong	219	203	Euljiro 3-ga
Sports Complex	218	204	Euljiro 4-ga
Jamsilsaenae	217	205	Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Jamsil	216	206	Sindang
Jamsillaru	215	207	Sangwangsimni
Han River (Jamsil Railway Bridge)		208	Wangsimni
Gangbyeon	214	209	Hanyang University
Guui	213	210	Ttukseom
Konkuk University	212	211	Seongsu
			Seongsu branch (Seongsu ~ Sinseol-dong)
		211-1	Yongdap
			Sindap Depot
		211-2	Sindap
		211-3	Yongdu
		211-4	Sinseol-dong
			Link with Line 1

(*) Under construction

Rolling stock

Five generations of Seoul Metro 2000 series trains have been used on Seoul Subway Line 2. As of November 2024, only third, fourth and fifth batch 2000 series trains are in operation (manufactured by Hyundai Rotem and Dawonsys respectively), since all first (MELCO thyristor chopper control) and second batch (GEC Traction/Alstom thyristor chopper control) trains have been retired between 2008 and 2023. All trains are stored and maintained at Sindap Depot on the Seongsu Branch and Sinjeong Depot on the Sinjeong Branch.

Notes

^ As of November 2024, Seoul Subway Line 2 is the third longest rapid transit loop line after Line 10 of Beijing Subway and Bolshaya Koltsevaya line of Moscow Metro.^[1] When accounting for total distance (+ both branch lines), Seoul Subway Line 2 is the second-longest, only losing out to Bolshaya Koltsevaya line by 1.5 km (0.93 mi).

References

^ "Moscow Metro launches World's longest metro circle line - Big Circle Line 11". Metro Rail. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
^ "Beijing Subway Line 10: "If you like it then you should have put a ring round it"". December 9, 2012.
^ "서울시 지하철수송 통계". data.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved May 21, 2021.
^ [사회]서울 지하철2호선 출근길 배차간격 12초 짧아져. Ytn.co.kr (2010-11-22). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.
^ "개요 및 연혁" [Overview and History]. seoulmetro.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
^ "Seoul Subway Line No. 2 Becomes Major WiFi Hotspot". The Chosun Ilbo. December 24, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
^ Murthy, Rishika (September 22, 2011). "Seoul's 6 coolest subway stops". CNN Travel. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
^ Han, Woojin (February 1, 2012). "서울지하철 2호선 신정지선 연장" (Korean Language). 미래 철도 DB. Retrieved December 9, 2012.

External links

[Longest-2] As of November 2024, Seoul Subway Line 2 is the third longest rapid transit loop line after Line 10 of Beijing Subway and Bolshaya Koltsevaya line of Moscow Metro.^[1] When accounting for total distance (+ both branch lines), Seoul Subway Line 2 is the second-longest, only losing out to Bolshaya Koltsevaya line by 1.5 km (0.93 mi).

[1] "Moscow Metro launches World's longest metro circle line - Big Circle Line 11". Metro Rail. Retrieved March 1, 2023.

[3] "Beijing Subway Line 10: "If you like it then you should have put a ring round it"". December 9, 2012.

[4] "서울시 지하철수송 통계". data.seoul.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved May 21, 2021.

[5] [사회]서울 지하철2호선 출근길 배차간격 12초 짧아져. Ytn.co.kr (2010-11-22). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.

[:0-6] "개요 및 연혁" [Overview and History]. seoulmetro.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.

[7] "Seoul Subway Line No. 2 Becomes Major WiFi Hotspot". The Chosun Ilbo. December 24, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2012.

[8] Murthy, Rishika (September 22, 2011). "Seoul's 6 coolest subway stops". CNN Travel. Retrieved February 26, 2013.

[9] Han, Woojin (February 1, 2012). "서울지하철 2호선 신정지선 연장" (Korean Language). 미래 철도 DB. Retrieved December 9, 2012.

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