Construction on the 9.2km extension began at the end of 2009 and gives Line 9 passengers new interchanges with lines 2, 5 and 8.
The completion of the project reduces the journey time between Gimpo Airport and Olympic Park from 72 minutes to 50 minutes, and takes the total length of Line 9 to 40.9km with 38 stations.
The line now plays a central role in moving commuters across major areas of southern Seoul. However, despite the opening of the extension Line 9, will continue to operate with the same number of trains and minimum headways have therefore been increased by 40 seconds. The increase in waiting times has generated concern among passengers as the line has already earned itself a reputation for long waits and overcrowding, with an extra 145,000 passengers reported to be using the line every day.
A shortage of rolling stock has continued to put pressure on the line since the opening of the Sinnonhyeon - Sports Complex extension in March 2015. While Line 9 still uses four-car trains, six-car sets have been introduced on express services to reduce congestion.
According to the city, further rolling stock will be added in 2019 to create more six-car car sets while it expects to order three new sets.
A further 3.8km extension is planned and scheduled to open in 2027.
Line 9 was constructed by Seoul Metro Line 9 Corporation, which is owned by a group of insurance companies and banks, under a 30-year concession. The line is operated by Seoul Line 9 Operation Company, a joint venture of Transdev and Paris Transport Authority (RATP).
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