TOP 10 stations with frequent subway accidents in Seoul: Ranking by station based on 5 years of data

You have to add them up by station to see the real rankings.

In the original data, Dongdaemun History and Culture Park (4) Station is listed with 68 cases, ranking high on its own. However, if you combine all the signs for Lines 2 and 5 at the same station, the number increases to 114, making it even clearer that this is actually the station with the most accidents reported over the past 5 years.

As such, transfer stations have platforms for multiple lines, so they are often divided into multiple lines in the original. If the rankings are not merged based on station names, the ranking may appear lower than it actually is, so in this article, the rankings were re-summarized using station names excluding the line notation in parentheses.

TOP 10 accident-prone stations

As a result of re-counting by merging station names, the stations with the most accidents reported over the past five years are as follows. Joint rankings indicate stations with the same number of cases together.

• No. 1 Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station 114 cases
• Jointly ranked 2nd: Express Bus Terminal Station, 67 cases, Sadang Station, 67 cases
• 4th place Sindorim Station 53 cases
• 5th place Cheonho Station 50 cases
• 6th Jongno 3-ga Station 47 cases
• Joint 7th place: Seoul Station 44 cases, Gyodae Station 44 cases
• 9th Chungmuro Station 43 cases
• Joint 10th place: Guro Digital Complex Station 38 cases, Gunja Station 38 cases

1st place: Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station, footfall accounts for half of the total

If we divide the 114 cases at Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station by type, 57 cases were footfalls, accounting for half of the total. This was followed by 43 cases related to entrance doors, 7 accidents in the station, 6 accidents in the train, and 1 case related to elevator facilities. A characteristic of this station is that, unlike other top-tier stations, the proportion of footfalls is particularly high.

This station is known for having a wide gap between the train and the platform because the platform is on a curved section, and it is also a station where measures such as out-of-step warning announcements and safety steps have been applied for a long time. The high number of footfalls seen in the data may not be unrelated to these structural characteristics.

Joint 2nd place: Express Bus Terminal Station and Sadang Station, the backgrounds are different.

Even though there are 67 cases, the characteristics of the two stations are different. Express Terminal Station is a transfer station where lines 3, 7, and 9 meet, and is directly connected to the Central City and Gyeongbu Line express bus terminals, making it a station with a large floating population where subway and intercity transportation overlap.

Sadang Station is a transfer station where Lines 2 and 4 meet, and is considered a frequently crowded station during rush hour due to the demand for transfers to metropolitan buses in southern Seoul. Both stations have something in common: a point where transfers and external transportation overlap, rather than a problem with the line itself.

Why most of the TOP 10 are transfer stations

Among the TOP 10, nine are transfer stations where two or more lines meet: Dongdaemun History and Culture Park, Express Bus Terminal, Sadang, Sindorim, Jongno 3-ga, Seoul Station, Gyodae, Chungmuro, and Gunja. Only Cheonho Station, a single-line station, is included as an exception.

Transfer stations have many stairs and passages to go up and down, and the number of people getting on and off is much higher than at other stations. Rather than saying that the number of accidents means that the station's facilities are more dangerous, we must consider the possibility that it is because of the large number of passengers passing through the station.

Just because it’s not in the top 10 doesn’t mean it’s safe.

This ranking is based on the absolute number of cases accumulated over 5 years, not the ratio divided by the number of daily users per station. In other words, even at stations not included in the TOP 10, the accident rate compared to the number of users may be higher, and conversely, considering the number of users at stations included in the TOP 10, the ratio may be average.

Additionally, since the published data does not contain the severity of accidents or follow-up measures, it is more accurate to refer to this ranking as data showing that more accidents are reported at stations with large floating populations rather than determining the risk level of the station.

What you can actually do when using a transfer station

At stations such as Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station where footfall information is broadcast, it is helpful to not ignore the broadcast and check the space between your feet when getting on and off. At stations with a large number of people transferring, such as Express Bus Terminal Station or Sadang Station, it is recommended not to overtake them on the stairs or escalators.

The longer the transfer corridor is or the more complex the station is, the more likely it is that accidents will result from rushing to avoid missing the next train. Just leaving time to spare can help reduce accidents involving doors and inside the station.