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Incheon Airport Maglev Train Resumes as Tourist Facility


The Incheon Airport Maglev resumed service on October 17, three years and three months after suspending operations due to low ridership and high costs. Once celebrated as South Korea’s first maglev train, it has now been reclassified as a tourism and experiential facility to lower operational expenses. Experts warn the shift risks reducing the advanced technology to a mere amusement ride.

Incheon City marked the reopening with a ceremony at Yongyu Station at 10 a.m.

The train operates on a 6.1 km route between Incheon Airport Terminal 1 and Yongyu-dong, Jung-gu, with six stations and a top speed of 40 km/h. It runs 24 round trips daily, every 35 minutes, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., six days a week (closed Mondays). Rides are free.

Launched in 2016, the maglev system was developed at a cost of 4 trillion won. It levitates 8 mm above the tracks, providing low-noise, low-dust, eco-friendly transport. Originally categorized under the Urban Railway Act, it ran at 80 km/h with 103 daily round trips, every 15 minutes.

However, daily ridership averaged only 4,000—just 11% of projections. The pandemic further slashed trips and users. The Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), which managed operations, spent around 8 billion won annually. Financial strain led to suspension in July 2022, officially for “mid-term maintenance.”

Following a review project, IIAC reclassified the train under the Track Transportation Act, as a tourism facility—similar to Incheon’s Wolmido Sea Train. This allows flexible scheduling and cuts costs.

With the reclassification finalized, service was reduced to 25% of original frequency, with longer intervals and non-operational days. Annual costs are expected to drop from 8 billion to 5 billion won.

An expert involved in the train's development expressed disappointment: “It’s unfortunate that a high-tech transport system has been downgraded to a tourist attraction.” They urged the government to integrate the maglev into broader development plans for the Yeongjong area to preserve its role as public transit.

Info based on https://www.chosun.com/english/national ... DRQ7HAIDA/
By Lee Hyun-jun | Accessed: Oct. 17, 2025

All maglev train operation and management costs are borne by Incheon International Airport Corporation. Incheon Airport Corporation invested 61.2 billion won from 2016 to 2023 without generating a single penny of profit. This means that the company has suffered a deficit of 7.7 billion won every year. This year, about 10 billion won is expected to be spent on heavy maintenance costs and labor costs for 38 subsidiaries.

Incheon International Airport Corporation estimates that if the maglev train is converted to a track facility, the heavy maintenance period will increase from 3 years to more than 4 years, and approximately 3 billion won will be saved annually by operating only during the day instead of a 24-hour shift system. However, it seems difficult to avoid a deficit as there are no plans to collect fees in the future.

Although it is restarting operation after about two years, Incheon International Airport Corporation’s position is that the magnetic levitation train, which has become a problem, must ultimately be dismantled. Previously, in 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Incheon International Airport Corporation conducted a ‘magnetic levitation train operation diagnosis and operation alternative preparation service’. According to the service, if the maglev train is operated for the next 30 years, it will cost 534.9 billion won, including an average annual maintenance cost of 17.8 billion won, while dismantling it will cost 59.6 billion won. An Incheon International Airport Corporation official said, “Even if it is converted to a track facility, operating costs will continue to be incurred, and if an accident occurs during operation, it will be a big problem.” He added, “Companies that participated in the production of the maglev train have withdrawn or gone bankrupt for business reasons, making it difficult to supply parts.” said.

Source: https://www.zeitheute.news/incheon-airp ... -the-year/ Accessed 2025-10-17