This map from the Gwangju subway website, which I've seen since about 2006, does not reflect current reality, or the planned changes.
Today the plans for line two were announced, and they don't resemble that map up there. Line two (광주지하철2호선) will run in a circle and will connect to, among other places, City Hall, Chonnam National University, Chosun University, World Cup Stadium, and Gwangju Station. An extension will run from Gwangju Station to the bus terminal and over to City Hall, and another extension will go from Songjeong Park subway station north to Unnam Jigu. Construction should start next year.
19 comments:
That would be nice. Here's hoping it might actually happen!
That would be great! I have always thought the subway was sort of inconvenient, considering the lack of places it connects. I just wonder how long it will take them to finish it, with the way construction moves here.
I have visited or stayed in Kwangju dozens of times — arriving usually by car — but have never used the subway precisely because it doesn't go from where I stay to anywhere I want or need to go.
Plus, driving in Kwangju is so much more enjoyable than driving in Seoul.
The Gwangju subway is indeed clean and very comfortable. But yeah, the stations are a bit off to places where most people go. I'm quite fortunate to have a subway station (Namgwangju) near the CNU hospital where i work. Though it will be a lot better if stations will also be located in areas like CNU main campus, U Square, more of Sangmu area etc. Or extend to Hwasun perhaps?
I used to live by 양동시장, and walked over to 금남로, so it would have been great for me. This was bout eighteen years ago, though.
I really miss the subways here in SoCal. I can't go anywhere without my mom giving me a ride. hopefully she's buy me a car soon and I will try to get my license this year.
That plan makes a bunch of sense, logistically. But it doesn't make any sense in terms of profit. There just aren't enough people. Has nobody noticed the Daegu subway annual budget, or how long the 2nd line in Daejeon is/was under construction?
This is regionalism.
When people start leaving comments about how much fun it is to drive around your city, you know your city doesn't need a subway, no?
I'm calling cost overruns, long delays, and traffic chaos.
It makes a lot of sense logistically---after all, what's the point of a subway that hardly goes anywhere?---and I suspect it has a lot to do with Gwangju trying to get bigger and "better" after being awarded the 2015 Universiade.
But profitable? Who knows.
Yehjee wrote:
I really miss the subways here in SoCal. I can't go anywhere without my mom giving me a ride. hopefully she's buy me a car soon and I will try to get my license this year.
Where in SoCal are you? There's Metrolink, you know! ;)
Anyway, after watching "Speed" and "Collateral Damage," I'd be afraid of taking the L.A. Metro.
the Greenman wrote:
When people start leaving comments about how much fun it is to drive around your city, you know your city doesn't need a subway, no?
Not to be self-deprecating in any way, but my opinion on the fun of driving in Kwangju is utterly meaningless in this regard.
Compared to Seoul, driving in Kwangju is a joy, but that's it.
Public transportation is one of those things that doesn't necessarily have to be "profitable" in the sense of taking in more money than it costs.
Getting people out of their cars has intangible benefits and indirect savings for the city that justifies costs — up to a point.
Daejeon is long overdue for a second line. This time I want a station right by my house.
@kushibo
Orange County. Yes, there's a Metrolink, but to get there I have to walk a mile... and my house happens to be located on a steep hill, so walking back from the station is kinda hard.
Safety isn't much of an issue here though. I live in one of the safest areas in the United States.
I really love subways because they are fun to ride and it's really convenient... I'm not very fond of buses. :( they confuse me.
yehjee wrote:
Orange County. Yes, there's a Metrolink, but to get there I have to walk a mile... and my house happens to be located on a steep hill, so walking back from the station is kinda hard.
Where are there are steep hills in OC residential areas? (I'm from the Irvine area.) I guess there are some relatively steep hills, but I'd say Seoul residential "hills" would eat OC residential hills for breakfast.
Safety isn't much of an issue here though. I live in one of the safest areas in the United States.
Yeah, but like Seoul and other Korean cities, it's best to remember it's not 100% crime-free. In OC my parents' vehicles and mail were stolen by meth heads who were living in our neighborhood (!) and in Korea I've had laptops stolen on two occasions (!) over the course of ten-plus years, once from my car and once where someone broke down a door to get into a classroom.
Just sayin'. I guess the good thing was no one tried to shoot me for it.
I really love subways because they are fun to ride and it's really convenient... I'm not very fond of buses. :( they confuse me.
The bus service in OC sucks. If you miss one, you've got to wait for a half hour or an hour.
And I remember before I was sixteen taking the bus to/from the beach and the trip seemed to take forever. All those stops.
I'm happy for all the rail systems in Korea and like watching it move toward the level Japan has it. I'm looking forward to California getting more of it, too. Honolulu, too, which is probably more in need of it than any other major American city (the city is built in a line along the southern coast of Oahu, with only one major east-west corridor, the horribly designed Interstate H1).
Clean, cheap, reliable. I'm glad Kwangju is making more of them.
@kushibo
oh wow you live really close! I live in Mission Viejo, and I go to Irvine at least once a week to eat at a korean restaurant or shop at a korean supermarket.
But anyway, there actually are some steep hills in MV. I lived in Ilsan in Korea, and there was like... no hills... except for the "mountain" nearby, which was in a way just a very very steep hill.
Ilsan, the Orange County of Korea. (Well, Ilsan or Pundang).
We'll have to have coffee at UCI someday.
@kushibo
Ilsan, the Orange County of Korea.
haha, that's a good comparison :D
Are you a UCI student? :D
A few of my friends go there...
I might go to UCIn too(although my mom's very opposed to it), who knows. Right now I'm waiting for college admission news... and UCI and UC Davis did send me letters few months ago that I am guaranteed admissions to most majors...
I got a confirmation from Davis, but not UCI. I'm worried because I put down some random major that I am not really interested in-and it's not even an easy major either. :( I feel so stupid.
yehjee wrote:
Are you a UCI student? :D
A few of my friends go there...
I'm a UCI alumnus.
I might go to UCIn too(although my mom's very opposed to it), who knows. Right now I'm waiting for college admission news... and UCI and UC Davis did send me letters few months ago that I am guaranteed admissions to most majors...
I got a confirmation from Davis, but not UCI.
It all depends on major, but UCI is a top-notch school and, like the other "small" UC campuses (i.e., not Berkeley or UCLA), it is rising in quality and prestige.
I would put UCI ahead of Davis, but both are good. I would ask if you have visited Davis to see if it's a good fit for you. Maybe you should email me off-blog to discuss this further, since we're getting less and less Kwangju subway-related. (Sorry, Brian).
I'm worried because I put down some random major that I am not really interested in-and it's not even an easy major either. :( I feel so stupid.
You can always change your major. In fact, some people do it several times before they decide.
I live in Gwangju (near Sangmu) and have the fortune to live and work near subway stations. I walk about 20 minutes a day to and from the stations. I work 9-6 and take it every day so I know how much it is used (at least at rush hour). Saying that it's useless is not correct because I see how full it gets in the morning/late (not as crowded as Seoul obviously but Gwangju has a much smaller population obviously). I've even taken it at 10 PM twice a week and it was still relatively full. The problem is it really is only heavily used between Sangmu and the Culture Complex?...
However, since the subway only generally goes east/west it is of no use for anyone going north south or above the area where it goes east/west. What's worse is that Gwangju has several mini cities that were amalgamated that are far out meaning the areas in between are not really useful for catchment purposes. During rush hour though, you'd be hard pressed to find a faster way to go across town (going east to west).
One must consider that for any transit system to be effective, it has to be linked properly, should be efficient and consistent and affordable. The latter conditions are true but the bus links to the subway are horrible. It takes a 10 minute walk from the exit of one station to get to the nearest north south bus stop! And the buses are always packed running on overcrowded streets.
A second subway through dense areas would help immensely because the catchment area will be vastly increased. Of course, it has to be planned properly. Looking at the map it looks like a bit of a waste in that instead of making a circle, they should just consider a U perhaps or a diagonal line that changes direction to connect to the major places (maybe in the shape of an S). If they improved the bus times/links with this, it would make it much more appealing and useful/affordable to construct.
Regionalism plays a fact but it's needed. Maybe not the plan I see above but another line is definitely needed! Traffic in this city at rush hour is embarassing. I heard that the original plans were scrapped c/o "mickey mouse" and coinciding with the lack of voter support he had here during the elections, that doesn't surprise me at all.
Hope to see the subway put to good use and finished within a reasonable time...
My 3 cents ^^
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