Pyongyang Metro

The Pyongyang Metro (MTR) ( P'yŏngyang Chihach'ŏl) is the metro system in the North Korean capital Pyongyang. It consists of two lines: the Chŏllima line () runs from Kwangbok () station in the southwest to Ragwŏn () station in the northeast, and the Hyŏksin line () runs north, from Puhŭng () station on the banks of the Taedong to Pulgŭnbyŏl () station. The two lines intersect at Chŏnu () station. Daily ridership is estimated to be between 300,000 and 700,000.

Construction

Construction of the metro network started in 1968, and was opened in September 1973 by former President Kim Il-sung. In 1971, there was a major accident during the construction of a tunnel under the Taedong River for the Ponghwa () station. 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 110 meters (about 360 feet) deep underground. (The Saint Petersburg Metro also claims to be the deepest, based on the average depth of all its stations. The Arsenalna station on Kiev Metro's Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska Line is currently the deepest station in the world at 105.5 metres.) The Pyongyang Metro has a museum devoted to...
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