Table of Contents
- Gyeongbu Line Railway Underground, the Starting Signal for Busan Urban Transformation
- February 2025, Selection of Lead Project for Railway Undergrounding
- Railway Undergrounding + North Port Redevelopment + Station Area Development = The ‘Golden Time’ for Busan Urban Restructuring
- Integrated Development of Railway Undergrounding, A Crucial Move to Enhance Busan's Urban Competitiveness
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Gyeongbu Line Railway Underground, the Starting Signal for Busan Urban Transformation
In July 2025, Busan Metropolitan City will commission the 'Feasibility Study and Basic Plan Establishment for the Integrated Development of the Gyeongbu Line Railway Underground from Busanjin Station to Busan Station', which will officially initiate the railway underground project around Busan Station.
This project is not just about undergrounding the railway. It is an integrated project that will progress along with the redevelopment of North Port and the development of the Busan Station Depot and Busanjin CY site, which is expected to play a crucial role in the regeneration of Busan's historical city center.
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February 2025, Selection of Lead Project for Railway Undergrounding
On February 19, 2025, the Acting President announced the commencement of the national railway undergrounding lead project. This project includes the 'section from Busanjin Station to Busan Station', which was the outcome of the government's review of applications from five cities and provinces in the second half of 2024.
The project will cover a distance of 2.8 km, extending from Busanjin CY (the container yard near Busanjin Station) to the Busan Station depot. The total project cost is estimated to be about 1.8184 trillion won, of which 1.3756 trillion won is allocated for railway undergrounding construction. The remaining costs comprise compensation and other items.
This project is expected to significantly contribute to improving the traffic system and urban development in the Busan area.
Busan City plans to conduct a feasibility study and establish a basic plan for 18 months from June 2025 to the end of 2026 through railway-related facilities. Once the basic plan is completed, detailed design and construction are expected to commence from 2027.
Railway Undergrounding + North Port Redevelopment + Station Area Development = The ‘Golden Time’ for Busan Urban Restructuring
This project is not limited to undergrounding the railway; it also includes the development of the above-ground railway site, which is an important point for creating artificial ground. The total area is approximately 370,000㎡, which is the size of 52 soccer fields. The main goal is to cover this area with artificial ground and transform it into a cluster of marine institutions, commercial and office facilities, parks, and roads.
Especially, this area is adjacent to the North Port redevelopment zone, providing an opportunity to restore the urban axis connecting Busan Station, Busan Port, and the historical city center, and to restructure urban space. This is expected to significantly contribute to the urban development of Busan.
Busan City plans to proceed with the relocation project of Busanjin CY and the Busan Station depot simultaneously. Originally, the relocation of Busanjin CY aimed to move to Busan New Port as an independent project, but no progress has been made at present, causing delays. This project is expected to advance alongside the undergrounding of the Busan railway.
Projected Schedule
The selection announcement for the railway undergrounding lead project will be made on February 19, 2025. Following that, feasibility studies and basic planning will be conducted from June 2025 to December 2026.
From 2027 to 2029, detailed design will be carried out, and from 2030 to 2035, the relocation of Busanjin CY and the Busan Station depot will occur, along with the creation of artificial ground. Finally, from 2031 to 2037, the development of the above-ground site and private sales will take place.
Considering this schedule, the impacts of the Busan Gyeongbu Line railway undergrounding are expected to gradually emerge from the early 2030s.
Integrated Development of Railway Undergrounding, A Crucial Move to Enhance Busan's Urban Competitiveness
The undergrounding of the railway section between Busan Station and Busanjin Station and the development of the site do not merely stop at improving the city's aesthetics or increasing traffic convenience. The undergrounding of the railway serves as a pivotal moment to transform the 'blocking wall' of the railway into 'open space'.
The undergrounding of Busanjin Station and Busan Station will not only enhance infrastructure but will also reorganize the urban development axis, activate the connection between the North Port and the historical city center, creating three simultaneous effects: a shifted focus in the real estate market.
If Busan City smoothly completes the feasibility study and basic planning, and begins design and construction from 2027, the historical city center of Busan in the mid-2030s will be transformed into a completely different appearance from today. This change will brighten the future of Busan.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the main purpose of the undergrounding project for the Gyeongbu Line Railway from Busan Station to Busanjin Station?
The purpose is urban regeneration of Busan's historical city center and the improvement of the transport system through integrated development associated with railway undergrounding.
The undergrounding project of the Gyeongbu Line Railway from Busan Station to Busanjin Station is an integrated project being carried out along with activities such as North Port redevelopment and the development of Busanjin CY site. This project aims to relocate the railway underground and create above-ground space for marine institution clusters, commercial, parks, and road facilities. This is expected to restructure the urban space of Busan's historical city center and significantly contribute to urban development and transportation system improvement.
Q. What is the schedule for this railway undergrounding project?
It will be phased from the start of the feasibility study in 2025 to the completion of the private sale in 2037.
Busan City plans to conduct a feasibility study and basic planning from June 2025 to the end of 2026. Following that, detailed design will be carried out from 2027 to 2029, and from 2030 to 2035, Busanjin CY and Busan Station Depot will be relocated, and the creation of artificial ground will occur. The final stage will see the development of above-ground sites and private sales from 2031 to 2037. A systematic phased approach suggests that benefits will appear in the mid-2030s.
Q. How will the relocation of Busanjin CY and Busan Station Depot be handled?
This will be undertaken concurrently with railway undergrounding, originally targeting relocation to Busan New Port, but currently facing delays.
The relocation of Busanjin CY was initially a separate project aimed at moving to Busan New Port, but there has been no significant progress lately. Busan City plans to advance the relocation of Busanjin CY and Busan Station Depot in tandem with the railway undergrounding. Once both relocations are completed, the above-ground railway site will be covered with artificial ground and redeveloped for marine-related institutions and various commercial and park facilities. This process is expected to play a pivotal role in the regeneration of Busan's historical city center and enhancing urban competitiveness.
Q. How will urban space change as a result of railway undergrounding?
Undergrounding the railway will cover the above-ground space with artificial ground, reshaping it into various urban facilities.
The railway undergrounding project will create about 370,000㎡ of above-ground space from Busanjin CY to Busan Station Depot, which will be developed into a cluster of marine institutions, commercial and office facilities, parks, and roads, interconnected to existing urban spaces. This area, neighboring the North Port redevelopment zone, plays an important role in restoring the urban axis between Busan Station, the historical city center, and Busan Port, consequently enhancing the urban competitiveness significantly.
Q. What impact does the railway undergrounding project have on the Busan real estate market?
The reconfiguration of urban centers will create new investment and development opportunities in real estate.
The undergrounding of the railway between Busan Station and Busanjin Station, along with land development, does not simply improve infrastructure; it reorganizes the development axis of the historical city center, reinforcing the connection between the city center and North Port. This is expected to position the area as a new focus in the real estate market, facilitating various developments of commercial and office facilities. The multi-use space above artificial ground is likely to increase investment attractiveness, ultimately influencing the Busan real estate market positively after the mid-2030s.