DMZ Train 4888 is the afternoon train back from Dorasan, the railway gateway to North Korea, to Seoul and Yongsan. After arriving back in Dorasan station from the DMZ Train Dorasan Security Bus Tour, the railway station was the last attraction before boarding the DMZ Train 4888 to head back to Seoul.
A photo exhibition at the side of the waiting hall.
Seats are found on the opposite side of the hall.
The main entrance for tickets and the Unification Platform.
The departure board indicating my DMZ Train 4888 back to Seoul and Yongsan.
The entrance to the Unification Platform which is guarded with a turnstile.
The future function of Dorasan station.
I’m not sure if this Pyongyang sign is just a gimmick as there is a separate Inter-Korean Transit Office at the side.
There is a KORAIL ticket office in Dorasan station, but instead of selling train tickets, they sell platform tickets with commemoration stamps.
For those travelling on the DMZ Train, a platform ticket will not be sold, but a commemoration stamp ticket will be given for free.
A platform ticket at Dorasan station costs ₩1,000 (~S$1.15). Also, for obvious reasons, don’t stamp the souvenir stamp on to your passport.
I would have loved to pay for the platform ticket, but they don’t sell it to DMZ Train passengers.
The souvenir stamp pad at the ticket counter.
The souvenir entrance ticket to Dorasan station for stamping.
The reverse side of the souvenir entrance ticket with the two souvenir stamps of Dorasan station.
Beside the ticket counter, there is a DMZ Souvenir shop for last-minute souvenir shopping.
The scale model overview of Dorasan station and Dorasan Cargo Centre.
The route map of the Trans-Eurasian Railway Network with the Trans-Korean Railway included.
The overall station map of Dorasan station for the visually-impaired.
A better-coloured Trans-Eurasian Route Map above the entrance to the Unification Platform.
The Inter-Korean Transit Office is located on the left side of the station hall, though it is used now as a tourist information booth rather than cross-border train transfers.
The big, closed section on the left side of the hall is for inter-Korean transfers.
The gateway to North Korea also features the route map of the Trans-Eurasian Route Map above the entrance.
Looks like this checkpoint is ready to be operational at any time.
Once done with exploring, passengers for the DMZ Train 4888 sit down to wait for boarding calls to be made.
Once boarding calls are made by staff around the station about half an hour before departure, everyone gathers to the entrance to the Unification Platform for the last part of the tour.
Looking forward to a unified railway soon.
Indeed, and many stations around ASEAN too.
The timetable of the DMZ Train as posted at Dorasan station.
Heading through the turnstiles to enter the Unification Platform.
Heading through the path to the Unification Platform.
Dorasan Unification Platform is Platform 1 of Dorasan station.
The view of Dorasan station from the Unification Platform.
The northbound tracks to Pyongyang.
Concrete sleepers in a shed with George Bush pointing at them.
The actual signed concrete sleeper is in a glass case in the station hall of Dorasan station, not on display here.
The station sign and building of Dorasan station.
Looking north towards Kaesong and Pyongyang.
The station sign of Dorasan station featuring the capital destinations and distances of Pyongyang and Seoul.
The northern end of the platform.
Pretty sure that I won’t challenge this sign.
Hope to take the next cross-border shuttle train to Panmun or Kaesong in future, or perhaps a direct Seoul to Pyongyang KTX.
The end of platform sign of Dorasan towards North Korea.
The regular station sign of Dorasan on Platform 2 featuring the next stations on the Pyongbu Line.
The overhead station signs have an end greyed out. This could imply that trains heading on a certain bound stops at a further length of the platform to split the direction of travel for those coming up from the underpass.
Heading back to the other end of the Unification Platform to board the DMZ Train 4888.
Next time.
“Not the last station from the South, But the first station towards the North”
The underpass access to Platforms 2 to 5 for North Korea-bound train services.
The DMZ Train is parked on the southern end of the Unification Platform.
The DMZ Train at Dorasan station.
A timeline of railway developments along the DMZ.
There are more exhibits on the southern end of the Unification Platform.
The map of the exhibits on a station sign.
An artpiece entitled “The Gate of Unification”.
An inter-Korean freight car doubling up as the Unification Exhibit Hall.
The Message for Unification and Unification Time Wall counting up how long the division has been there, as compared with the Berlin Wall. This is complimented with another portion of the fallen Berlin Wall.
The map of the Trans-Eurasian Railway Network spanning from South Korea to the United Kingdom.
The Unification Exhibit Hall promotes the unification of Germany as a model for Korea.
Items from the Deutsche Reichsbahn or German National Railway on display.
The significant milestones of the Inter-Korean Railways.
A short film on unification was screened too.
Looking forward to the next cross-border railway in the world.
Signed concrete sleepers at Baengmagoji station. The station is currently closed for renovations for the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 extension.
The layout of the German DMZ.
The current status of the Trans-Korean Railway on the South Korean side.
Materials promoting one Korea.
A Militärzugbegleitwagen of the United States Army on display on the Unification Platform.
The logo of the KORAIL DMZ Train.
The DMZ Train 4888 ready to depart back to Seoul and Yongsan.
The foot crossing at the end of the platform on the southern end.
Noted with thanks.
Heading up to board the DMZ Train 4888 back to Seoul and Yongsan.
The interior of the DMZ Train with everyone back on board.
The cab door features an image of crossing over the Freedom Bridge at Imjingang.
These outward facing seats in Car 2 might be the best for sightseeing.
Heading back to Car 3 to my seat.
Goodbye, DMZ.
Various KORAIL rolling stock photos as pasted around my train car.
My CDC DMU in the original non-themed livery.
Old photos of the Gyeongui Line.
Today’s standard of train travel in South Korea.
Not sure if these are Korean or Japanese.
The route map of the DMZ Train.
Departing from Dorasan station.
Hope that there will be a chance to use Platforms 2, 3, 4 or 5 to North Korea in future.
Heading through the CCZ.
Heading past the fences along the railway line.
Heading onto the Freedom Bridge to cross back into regular South Korea.
Crossing the Freedom Bridge across the Imjin River.
Passing parallel to the Tong-il Daegyo Bridge.
Heading onto the southern bank of the Imjin River.
A walkway and viewpoint is now built on top of the former Freedom Bridge on the old (destroyed) alignment.
The walkway on top of the bridge pillars.
The walkway is accessed from Imjingang Resort.
Heading past a military post guarding the railway track.
The last fences of the CCZ.
Back into regular South Korea at Imjingang.
Looks like the line can be electrified at short notice with catenary poles already installed.
Back to civilisation.
Railway crossings have an additional height barrier to prevent incursions onto the catenary wires which would end in disaster.
Entering Munsan station.
Making a brief stop at Munsan station.
Departing from Munsan station with the many parallel tracks converging for the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gyeongui–Jungang Line.
Heading down the Gyeongui Line.
Noise barriers along the way.
Passing through the Gyeongui–Jungang Line stations.
Definitely looks different from the DMZ and North Korea.
Passing by Haengsin depot.
A KTX-I train at Haengsin depot.
More spaghetti of railway lines when approaching Seoul.
Passing by Susaek depot.
A decoupled ITX-Saemaeul middle car in Susaek depot.
A variety of coaches stored in Susaek depot.
The entrance to the underground lines under Seoul for the Gyeongui–Jungang Line.
Passing through a few short tunnels approaching Seoul.
Crossing a level crossing right in Seoul.
Approaching Seoul Station with a Mugunghwa train departing, presumably to Susaek depot.
Approaching Seoul Station.
Making a brief stop at Seoul Station where half of the passengers alighted.
Departing from Seoul Station.
Passing by a modern KTX Sancheon.
Running parallel with the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1.
Approaching Yongsan station.
Arriving in Yongsan station.
The empty interior of the DMZ Train after everyone had alighted in Yongsan.
A table seat for groups at the end of the train car.
The flipping seats in the main area of each car.
A wheelchair area is also provided.
The destination sign of the DMZ Train.
The DMZ Train at its final destination of the southbound journey at Yongsan. Yongsan station is a major railway station in Seoul, serving as the Seoul terminus of the Honam and Jeolla KTX lines.
After alighting everyone, the DMZ Train heads back, presumably to Susaek depot.
Heading to the northern end of the platform for (hopefully) some trainspotting.
Spoiler alert: There wasn’t much activity as I had expected.
The station sign of Yongsan station.
A KTX-I Train at Yongsan for a southbound service.
Heading up the escalator to exit the platform.
Heading to the concourse.
The concourse of Yongsan station, which looks vastly different from Dorasan, and with people trying to hard sell me Samsung phones in Korean.
Heading out of Exit 1 to see the facade of Yongsan station.
Heading out to modern South Korea.
The modern facade of Yongsan station.
Overall, a rather peaceful and pleasant ride on the DMZ Train, connecting the border to North Korea with the capital of South Korea. The schedule of the DMZ Train is perfect for a day trip to the DMZ, complimented by the seamless DMZ Train Dorasan Security Bus Tour which matches the DMZ Train schedule. I would definitely recommend this train trip to the border of North Korea for anyone visiting Seoul.