The Korean Subway System

The city of Seoul boasts of 15 train lines that make up the very efficient Seoul Subway Network. A total number of 2.2 billion passengers per year patronize the said subway system, and it is the fourth largest subway following London, New York, and Tokyo, in terms of scale.

With how inter-connected, thus seemingly complicated, the whole subway system looks, it is amazing how it actually manages to make newcomers like me trust on it so much in sending us to where we would want to go. And believe me, the trust have always been all worth it. The well-organized subway system has been a tremendous help since I arrived in Korea. For one, it sends me from home (Gong-deok station, Purple Line 5) to the office (Yeouido station, Purple Line 5) in just 10 minutes. That’s what their running time of hours tell, and I think it is very much followed. It sure serves the very workaholic and time-efficient Koreans.

If one would just be extra vigilant in reading the labels that abound in every station and even inside the trains, and maybe take time in asking for a free color-coded subway map (chihachol chido in Korean) from any ticket booth as initial guide, there is no way that anyone would get lost. All stations have English and even Chinese translations of the platform signs, so anyone out for a subway ride would need to just know the station name and exit number of his place of destination.

The subway system allows transfers to any line (for as long as there is a ‘transfer spot’, see subway map for legend), with no additional fare cost making it so possible to reach farther places. Basic subway fare is 1,000 won. But they also have what they call “smart cards", very much like the "stored-value card" that we have in the Philippines. The card is initially bought for 10,000 won, but the amount that can just be used for the fares is 7,500 because one needs to initially pay for the value of the card alone, which is already yours to put additional amount into anytime. These cards are swipe-able, compared to the normal ticket bought that is put into a slot.

All subway stations have telephone booths and flashlights on walls for emergencies. There are also stores for quick buys along the travel. Lost and Found centers exist in a number of stations. And there are chairs that can be used while waiting for the train to come— all for the convenience of any subway rider.

Establishing this kind of subway system in the Philippines is such a dream for a normal commuter like me back in our home country who has experienced the worst that the current traffic ‘norm’ has brought her. But then again, it’s like poking on our government’s yet ineffective planning capabilities and insinuating corruption tendencies along the way. God bless the Philippines.