SOUTH KOREA: A disused railway on a coastal corniche has been converted into a scenic light rail line linking seaside tourist destinations in Busan.
The Haeundae Beach Train uses a 4·8 km section of the former Donghae Nambu Line, with six stops at Mipo, Dalmaji Tunnel, Cheongsapo, Daritdol Observatory, Gudeokpo and Songjeong serving the Haeundae Blueline Park tourist area.
The battery powered heritage-style light rail vehicles use CRRC technology. They have a low average speed of 15 km/h so that passengers can enjoy the views, and feature bench seating which runs lengthways and is arranged in banks so that all passengers can face the sea
The tramway was inaugurated in October, with services running every 30 min on weekdays and increasing to every 15 min at weekends. There are discounts for local residents.
