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“Next-Generation Busan-Type Express Railway (BuTX)” Private Investment Project Passes Feasibility Study!

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced today (October 1) that the private investment project for the “Next-Generation Busan-Type Express Railway (BuTX),” which will innovatively transform Busan’s future transportation infrastructure, has passed the feasibility study by the Korea Development Institute (KDI).

The BuTX project was first proposed in September 2023, when a consortium tentatively named “BuTX Express Railway Co., Ltd.,” with Hana Financial Group as lead arranger, submitted a proposal. In November of the same year, the City requested a feasibility study from KDI. With this successful review, the BuTX project is now set to move forward as a private investment initiative.

The BuTX will be an express railway linking all areas of Busan within a 15-minute travel zone, providing a cutting-edge mode of transport that rapidly connects the city’s major urban centers.

The project is expected to yield multiple benefits, including reducing commuting times, alleviating traffic congestion, improving public transportation convenience, reducing carbon emissions, and establishing an eco-friendly transportation system. In particular, the adoption of a private investment model will help reduce the financial burden on the City and improve project efficiency.

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Following the feasibility study approval, Busan Metropolitan City will proceed with subsequent procedures, including a Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment, disaster impact and transfer convenience reviews, and will prepare a draft for a third-party proposal notice by the end of this year.

In the first half of 2026, the City will seek approval from the City Council and undergo a private investment project review before issuing the official third-party proposal notice. By 2027, the City plans to finalize the implementation agreement and designate the project operator, with administrative procedures expedited to open the BuTX in line with the opening of Gadeokdo New Airport.

In addition, to maximize synergy with surrounding areas, Busan Metropolitan City is planning complex development around BuTX stations. Based on the basic concept, the City will establish detailed plans for both public financing and private investment development.

Furthermore, the City aims to expand the BuTX project to Gyeongnam and Ulsan, thereby establishing a metropolitan economic and living zone that connects the BU-UL-GYEONG region within a 30-minute travel time, similar to the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Express Railway (GTX). To this end, in May 2024, the City requested the inclusion of the project in the 5th National Railway Network Construction Plan submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and discussions are currently underway.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “The Next-Generation Busan-Type Express Railway (BuTX), which will introduce hydrogen-powered railway vehicles for the first time in Korea, will enable Busan to take a leap forward as an eco-friendly hydrogen-advanced city. By connecting the eastern and western parts of Busan within 15 minutes and linking the BU-UL-GYEONG region within 30 minutes, the project will promote regional development into a metropolitan economic zone, serving as the driving force for Busan to advance as a global hub city. I ask for the great interest and support of all our citizens.”