Pyongyang Metro

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The Pyongyang Metro is a metro system in Pyongyang, North Korea, consisting of two lines. The Ch'ŏllima Line runs from Kwangbok Station in the southwest to Rakwon station in the northeast. The Hyŏksin Line runs north, from Puhun Station on the banks of the Taedong to Pulgunbyol Station. The two lines intersect at Chŏnu Station.

Image:Pyongyang Metro Map 1.png

Construction of the metro network started in 1968. There was a major accident during the construction of a tunnel under the Taedong River. Some sources say at least 100 workers died in the accident. This particular piece of tunnel was never completed; the metro network is now completely located on the western side of the river.

Pyongyang Metro is the deepest metro in the world - the track is approximately 120 meters deep underground.

1 Network
2 Operation
3 Rolling stock
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Network

The network consists of two lines:

Chollima line, named after a very fast horse from Korean mythology. Length: +/- 12 km. Construction started in 1968 and the line was opened in 1973.
Hyoksin line. Length: +/- 10 km. Revenue service started in 1975.

The stations' names do not refer to the locations of the stations. Instead, stations are named after themes from North Korea's revolution.

The network is completely underground. The design of the network was based on metro networks in other communist countries, in particular the Moscow Metro. Both networks share many characteristics, like the great depth of the lines and the large distance between stations. Another common feature is the socialist realist art that can be found in the stations.

In times of war, the metro stations can serve as bomb shelters. For this purpose the stations are fitted with large steel doors. Some sources claim that large military installations are connected to the stations, and that has been proven through the now-closed Kwangmyong station, where the mausoleum of Kim Il-sung exists.

[edit] Operation

The metro was designed to operate every few minutes. During the rush hours, the trains can operate at an interval of minimum 2 minutes. However, the current state of operation is not clear because of the energy crisis in the country. Because of this, the trains operate at an interval of seven minutes. Some sources say the metro only operates during rush hours.

[edit] Rolling stock

When operation of the metro started in the seventies, newly-built rolling stock was used. Although North Korea insists it was built in Korea, the four car formations, known as DK4, were built in China by Changchun Car Company in 1972. In 1998, some of these trainsets were sold to the Beijing Metro where they now serve in three car formations on line 13.

Since 1998, the Pyongyang metro has used former German rolling stock from the Berlin U-Bahn. There are two different types of rolling stock:

GI ("Gisela"), former East Berlin stock, built between 1978 and 1982.
D ("Dora"), former West Berlin stock, built between 1957 and 1965.

The trainsets received a new red and cream livery in Pyongyang. All advertising was removed and replaced by portraits of the leaders, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

Recent travellers have only seen type D in operation. It is not known if type GI is still running.

Foreigners visiting North Korea can only see the metro during as part of guided tours of Pyongyang. However, a BBC reporter who was covering the visit of US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in 2000 was able to walk around the city without his minder and saw "old East German trains complete with their original German graffiti". [1] Recent photographs taken by visitors all show the same handful of type D trains, so it is possible that only a few type D trains have been repainted and that these are the only ones shown to foreigners on guided tours. [2]