Dalwol Station in the Greater Seoul area sees a striking lack of commuters during peak hours, with most passengers being railway workers due to poor accessibility and a lack of nearby residents.
On the morning of October 16th, at around 8:10 AM, Dalwol Station in the city of Siheung was eerily quiet when it should have been bustling with commuting workers. A train from Seoul arrived with only four passengers, indicating that the usual morning crowd was conspicuously absent. Those who disembarked soon moved towards a restricted area marked 'No Entry,' indicating they were heading to get certified at a facility nearby, revealing that most users of the station were railroad industry workers rather than regular commuters.
The station’s statistics tell a concerning story. Despite the Suin–Bundang Line train stopping at Dalwol Station 164 times a day, the average number of daily users only reached 162 in January 2026, translating to an average of merely 0.98 passengers per train arrival. This is significantly lower than comparable stations in the region, making Dalwol Station's ridership per service number the lowest, exacerbating concerns about the station’s viability as a public transport hub despite being situated near a population center in the Baegot New City.
The root of the issue lies in accessibility challenges. Though close to Baegot New City, home to over 70,000 residents, a major railroad facility exists between the city and the station, preventing easy pedestrian access. Additionally, there is a lack of public transport connections linking the city to the station, further dissuading potential users from utilizing this facility despite its strategic location on a vital transit route.
