Comments on: Is the KTX really a success?

By: dda

dda — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:56:43 +0000

As for prices on KAL/Asiana on domestic lines, it’s a mystery. The most expensive destination is the most frequented one – Cheju, with Pusan a close second – while Yŏsu or Ulsan are cheap… In a normal economy, you’d expect the airlines to try and limit the damage on these routes.

By: dda

dda — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:54:11 +0000

What I really wish KTX would do is start their trains an hour earllier.

TGV trains can’t – unless the tech has changed in recent years, and KTX is basically a generation 2 TGV, 10+ years old – ride full speed at night. I dunno what’s the earliest train like, but there has to be some visibility. Of course, it only matters really for Taejŏn-Seoul, since the rest of the line is not high-speed yet.

By: gbnhj

gbnhj — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:05:54 +0000

railwaycharm (who might honor us by explaining his nickname on this thread ) is right - Korea’s air carriers lose money on domestic air travel. In fact, the majority completion of KTX allowed them to lobby successfully for a reduction of domestic service provision. I doubt they’ll be going back.

By: sewing

sewing — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:06:12 +0000

I think that comment was meant mainly to be in reply to Maekchu….

By: sewing

sewing — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:04:58 +0000

They’re building a rail line to the airport; once that’s completed, I wonder of KORAIL will augment service to facilitate connections to the new line?

I’ve taken the bus from Daegu to Incheon. It’s a heck of a lot longer than just going to Seoul. The first time, it was okay…the driver wound up on Route 15 (to the far west) and avoided most of the Gyeonggi-do bottleneck. Last time, on a rainy Saturday afternoon, the driver took Route 1 right through the Seoul toll plaza and all the way to 100. It felt like the longest bus ride of my life, and I’ve gone across Canada by bus!

Going from East Seoul to Daegu by bus, the new Route 45 (?) that wraps around Mungyeong Saejae is fast and unstressful. That’s until everyone with any business in Yeongnam discovers it.

By: railwaycharm

railwaycharm — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:29:02 +0000

One thing that must be understood about domestic air travel; unless the aircraft is full and it is a smaller prop-job, the carrier looses money. The government forces KAL and Asiana to fly to these destinations at a loss.

By: LeoStrauss

LeoStrauss — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:00:17 +0000

“Maekchu wrote:

Until they do that, or expand the domestic flight schedules, the transportation infrastructure here is still second rate.”

As opposed to the states wherein you would need a car just to buy cigarettes?

By: Dram_man

Dram_man — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:03:13 +0000

Maekchu> Sure they are all non-smoking, unless you count the bathroom on ALL THE TRAINS.

PS Whats wrong with “Herbie Fully Loaded”. Thats the one Lindsay Lohan shows her tits in right?

By: Maekchu

Maekchu — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:50:26 +0000

R.Elgin….all of the rail services (Blue and Orange trains) are now no-smoking. I often take the blue rail between Daegu and Kumi and there hasn’t been any smoking allowed on these trains for over a year. Just an FYI.

What I really wish KTX would do is start their trains an hour earllier. For those of us in Daegu who have an early flight out of Incheon, we have to take an 0400 bus to the airport because the first KTX doesn’t arrive in Seoul early enough. It’s a major hassle.

If this country truly wants to label itself as a travel hub, the first thing they should do is synchronize their rail system with their flight schedules. That to me would be much more beneficial than having the ability to watch “Herbie Fully Loaded”. Until they do that, or expand the domestic flight schedules, the transportation infrastructure here is still second rate.

By: dda

dda — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:47:17 +0000

Sewing: KAL on international routes and on domestic routes is two complete different beasts, really – and I suppose it is the same for most countries… On domestic routes, KAL [and Asiana] planes are dignified cattle wagons, with wings. The ~~babes~~ attendants are still cute – but harried and mostly unsmiling – and service is minimal. But for an average time flight of 45 mn, what do you expect anyway…? Leg room is certainly not something you should expect. The seats are crammed much tighter than on international routes – and these are the same 747, 737 and the like. I once had to fly to Pusan sitting on a window seat next to an athlete of some sorts, and he had grasshopper legs. Fourty-five minutes can be indeed long…

The only real service airlines in Korea offer on domestic routes is speed, on most routes – try to get fast to Ulsan or Yŏsu And I came to appreciate Kimp’o’s relative closeness to downtown. I used to grouse in the 90s how far away Kimp’o was… Never again! Kimhae is far and traffic is bad. Other regional airports, on the other hand, are close by, comparatively – or at least reached fast enough.

One big problem with flying inside Korea for a day trip is fog. Every year, in fall and early winter, fog throws a monkey wrench in Kimp’o’s well-oiled cogs. I have seen many times flights delayed or cancelled because of fog during this period. Being stranded in Kimp’o at 9am with a 12pm appointment is a real bummer…