Incheon International Airport Railroad
| AREX | |
|---|---|
 
|
|
| Overview | |
| Native name | 인천국제공항철도 (仁川國際空港鐵道) Incheongukjegonghang-cheoldo |
| Type | Commuter rail, Airport rail link |
| System | Seoul Metropolitan Subway |
| Status | Operational |
| Termini |
Incheon International Airport Station Seoul Station |
| Stations | 11 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | Phase 1: March 23, 2007 Phase 2: December 29, 2010 |
| Operator(s) | Airport Railroad Corporation |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 61.0 km (37.9 mi) |
| Number of tracks | 2 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 25 kV/60 Hz AC catenary |
| Operating speed | 120 km/h (75 mph) 180 km/h (112 mph) (2012-) |
AREX(Airport Railroad Express), spelled A'REX as a brand name, is a South Korean commuter rail line that links Seoul with Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport. The section between the two airports opened on March 23, 2007, the extension to Seoul Station opened December 29, 2010. Korea Train Express high speed trains started to use the line in June 30, 2014.
The line was initially announced in July 1998 as the Incheon International Airport Railroad (인천국제공항철도), abbreviated IREX [Incheon Airport Railroad Express] (which can be seen on the railings on overhead crossings by the line). The project was launched as South Korea's first build-operate-transfer (BOT) franchise. The concession was won by a consortium of 11 Korean companies, which incorporated as the Incheon International Airport Railroad Company (Iiarco) in March 2001. The original main shareholders were Hyundai (27%), POSCO (11.9%), Daelim (10%), Dongbu (10%) and the Korean National Railroad (9.9%).
After significant delays, construction of the line started in 2001, after the opening of Incheon Airport. About 60% of the line is underground, and reaches Yeongjong Island, which hosts Incheon International Airport, on the lower deck of Yeongjong Bridge, a combined road-rail bridge. Iiarco contracted project management, the supply of equipment and trains, altogether worth about €400 million, to Incheon Korean French Consortium (IKFC), a consortium including French company Alstom, its South Korean subsidiary Eukorail, and the South Korean rolling stock manufacturing company Rotem, which also supplied the technology for the KTX high-speed rail system.
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