Overview
The Pyongyang Metro is the subway system servicing the metropolitan area of North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang. The Pyongyang Metro network consists of 2 lines across 17 stations in total, 16 of which are operational and open to the public. The stations are all located on the western side of the Taedong River which carves through Pyongyang.
The Pyongyang Metro is widely regarded as the deepest in the world and is an architectural marvel to behold, with vast platforms of marble and opulent decoration including chandeliers, regal pillars, and carved reliefs. Every station is unique in revolutionary theme and characteristics and is lined with socialist-realist mosaics, bronze plaques, and gleaming statues produced by the famous Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang.
The Pyongyang Metro is effectively an underground museum, and it would be a crash-course in North Korean history and politics to explore every station. President Kim Il Sung himself once praised the metro as ‘Grand, Solid, Convenient and Cultural’.
History
Construction began on the Pyongyang Metro in the 1960s and its first line, Chollima, opened in 1973. The second line, Hyoksin, was opened in 1975. The building of the Pyongyang Metro was a major feat of engineering that’s exhibited in detail at the Revolutionary Museum of Metro Construction in Pyongyang.
Using the Metro
The Pyongyang Metro is the beating heart of public commuter transit in Pyongyang, with trains arriving every 5 to 7 minutes from 06:00 to 21:30. During peak hours, trains arrive every 2 minutes. An average of 400,000 passengers use the Pyongyang Metro daily.
The price for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro is 5 North Korean won, which is less than a cent, making it virtually free to locals. You can purchase a paper ticket but prepaid contactless cards are now the preferred choice for frequent riders.
The Pyongyang Metro is so deep that it takes almost 4 minutes to descend to the platforms. Foreigners will be struck by the omission of any advertising, the patriotic music piping into the tunnel, and the general degree of cleanliness. Smoking and eating are not permitted and platforms are kept spotless. The temperature stays at 18-19°C all year round, making it cool in summer and warm in winter.
Each station has an electronic board to plan your journey, and the platforms contain newsstands to catch up with the latest as you wait. The newest renovated stations have bench seats and LCD screens installed indicating arrival times. Some stations have a shop selling everything from books to mobile phone cases.
The etiquette in boarding will be familiar. Allow those to disembark prior to boarding and it’s courteous to offer your seat to the elderly.
There is no wheelchair access, as there are no lifts in any of the stations.
What are the Stations?
The stations in the Pyongyang Metro are named by socialist and revolutionary theme, rather than by location. For example, Hwanggumbol (Golden Soil) Station is decorated with murals and mosaics celebrating the agriculture and farming industry, and Konsol (Construction Station) depicts the reconstruction efforts after the destruction of the Korean War.
The Pyongyang Metro stations are as follows, in order for each line. If you’d like to see a snapshot of every station, check out our Pyongyang Metro virtual tour.
Chollima Line
- Puhung (Rehabilitation) Station
- Yonggwang (Glory) Station
- Ponghwa (Torch) Station
- Sungni (Victory) Station
- Tongil (Reunification) Station
- Kaeson (Triumph) Station
- Jonu (Comrade) Station **Transfer
- Pulgunbyol (Red Star)
Hyoksin Line
- Kwangbok (Restoration) Station
- Konguk (National Foundation) Station
- Hwanggumbol (Golden Fields) Station
- Konsol (Construction) Station
- Hyoksin (Renovation) Station
- Jonsung (War Victory) Station **Transfer
- Samhung (Three Revolutions) Station
- Kwangmyong (Bright Future) Station **Closed since 1995
- Rakwon (Paradise) Station
The Chollima line stretches north to south, and the Hyoksin line spans east to west, with Jonsung (War Victory) and Jonu (Comrade) Stations as transfer stations situated a short walk apart.
The only stop that’s closed is Kwangmyong (Bright Future) Station on the Hyoksin Line, which is skipped. This was closed in 1995 as it’s located at what’s now the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il.
The only station name referencing its actual location is Kaeson (Triumph) which emerges right beside the massive Arch of Triumph.
In recent years, efforts have been made to modernize stations in the Pyongyang Metro. In 2019, Kaeson (Triumph) and Tongil (Reunification) Stations underwent a major shiny overhaul, and interchange stations Jonsung (War Victory) and Jonu (Comrade) were given the same treatment in 2020.
What Trains are Used?
The Pyongyang Metro uses Class D trains from the Berlin U-Bahn in Germany, purchased in 1997, which were then repainted in red and cream and stripped of advertising. Portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il have been added to each carriage. Keen observers will also notice scratch tags on the windows from their prior life back in Germany!
In 2015, a locally produced North Korean train by Kim Jong Thae Locomotive Factory was debuted on the Pyongyang Metro. These are of a sleek, modern design in silver with a red stripe and feature LCD screens of trip progress, comfortable seats, and a brightly lit interior. Marshal Kim Jong Un tested this train and his ride is commemorated with a plaque on the outside. Portraits of the leaders do not appear on the new train.
Is the Pyongyang Metro fake?
The Pyongyang Metro has always been shrouded in mystery, with rumours of a secretive third line or that the subway doubles as a bomb shelter. But perhaps the most pervasive rumour around the Pyongyang Metro is that it’s simply a farce, a set made up of just two stops that’s choreographed with actors pretending to transit. This conspiracy theory, of unknown derivation, has been perpetuated for years on the web.
Rumours gained legs when tourists were only permitted to visit 2 stops, Puhung (Rehabilitation) and Yonggwang (Glory) Station. Travel reports also emerged of seeing Koreans get off trains only to cross the platform and depart back in the same direction.
To be a buzzkill, the truth is much less dramatic! Puhung Station (where tourists entered) is at the end of the Chollima line and locals, particularly the elderly, would take the train a few stops to the end of the line simply to guarantee they’ll get a seat for their (much longer) transit home. This is not an uncommon lifehack in subways the world over!
Since those days, the Pyongyang Metro has now completely opened to tourists. In 2010, North Korea permitted tourists to visit 6 stations and then in 2014, we at Uri Tours were among the first to visit all stations in the Pyongyang Metro, an option we now offer to transit aficionados on our private tours.
Visiting on Our Tours
We ride the Pyongyang Metro on every tour that visits Pyongyang. It’s an absolute must-visit for its grandeur and historical value, and it’s a prime opportunity to mingle with the locals and feel a part of North Korea’s capital. Commonly we’ll take the metro to Kaeson Station, with platform stops along the way, to visit the Arch of Triumph!
A full Pyongyang Metro tour can be arranged on any private tour, which can take 2-3 hours. We can also arrange visits to the Revolutionary Museum of Metro Construction.
Photography is permitted inside the Pyongyang Metro, but as with anywhere, you should be wary of those around you, and ask permission before taking pictures of people. It’s important not to cross any roped off areas at venerated statues and not to touch the bronze plaques.
It can get extremely busy in the Pyongyang Metro, so ensure you stay with the group so you don’t miss the train to the next station!