Dorasan Station

K338

**도라산**
Dorasan
K338	도라산; Dorasan
	The entrance to Dorasan station
Korean name
Hangul	도라산역
Hanja	都羅山驛
Revised Romanization	Dorasannyeok
McCune–Reischauer	Torasannyŏk
General information
Location	Nosang-ri, Jangdan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province; South Korea
Coordinates	37°53′55″N 126°42′36″E / 37.898715°N 126.710075°E
Operated by	Korail
Line(s)	Gyeongui–Jungang Line, Pyongbu Line
Platforms	2 (2 side platforms) (1 not in use)
Tracks	2 (1 not in use)
Construction
Structure type	Surface
History
Opened	April 11, 2002 (Southern tracks), December 11, 2007 (Northern tracks)
Electrified	December 11, 2021
Services

Dorasan Station (Korean: 도라산역) is a railway station situated on the Gyeongui–Jungang Line, which formerly connected North Korean and South Korean rail systems and has since been restored. Dorasan station is located approximately 650 meters (710 yards) from the southern boundary of the Korean Demilitarized Zone and is currently the northern terminus of Korail's Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which is served by Shuttle Service to Imjingang Station. North of here the former Gyeongui Line continues as the Korean State Railway's P'yŏngbu Line, but this connection is not in regular service. The current purpose of the station is largely symbolic of the hope for eventual Korean reunification.

History

On December 11, 2007, freight trains began traveling north past Dorasan station into North Korea, taking materials to the Kaesong Industrial Region, and returning with finished goods. It was scheduled to make one 16-kilometer (9.9 mi) trip every weekday.^[1]

On December 1, 2008, however, the North Korean government closed the border crossing after accusing South Korea of a confrontational policy.^[2] This coincided with the 2008 South Korean legislative election, and a change to a more conservative government. After that it was opened and closed again repeatedly, with the most recent reopening having been on 16 September 2013.^[3]

On December 11, 2021, a new 3.7 km (2¼ mile) Gyeongui–Jungang Line shuttle service between Imjingang Station and Dorasan Station began operations. This service operates only once during weekends and public holidays.

Train services

The station was previously served by four daily trains from Seoul, which were mostly used by tourists. ^[4] However, service was halted due to a lack of demand and deteriorating inter-Korean relations. ^[5]

Gallery

Outside Dorasan station
Dorasan station marker
A view from Dorasan station's parking lot
Inside Dorasan station
Gates to the platform
P'yŏngbu Line tracks that could bring trains to Pyongyang
Pyeongyang sign in the Dorasan station. Notice the name of the capital of North Korea written in the Southern dialect.
Commuter Train
Entrance of Dorasan station
Hall of Dorasan station
Map of the Eurasian rail network after Korean reunification in Dorasan station
platform