South Korea tests new bullet train to Winter Olympics venues

A high-speed railway opens for testing ahead of the Winter Olympics, an amenity that South Korea hopes will help establish the area as a ski destination beyond the Feb 9-25 Games.

The train will whisk visitors from Incehon Airport in Seoul to mountain events in PyeongChang county in a mere 69 minutes, compared to the two-and-a-half hour road trip.

The Olympic Stadium is also in PyeongChang, while the ice events will be held in the coastal city of Gangneung. Yongpyong, the largest ski and snowboard resort in the country, will host the slalom and giant slalom.

It’s only the third time the Winter Games will be held in Asia, and the first outside Japan; South Korea is keen to make an impression. Most of the venues were completed months in advance, including a new Alpine ski centre, speedskating oval, figure skating arena and sliding track for the bobsled, luge and skeleton events.

The New York Times notes that the hope is that the Olympics can have a lasting impact on the tourism industry of South Korea and help it rival Japan — and upstart China — as a winter sports destination. Geography has been one of the main impediments: South Korea’s mountains are smaller than its neighbours' and receive far less natural snow.