KTX journey

Travelling in a superfast train was one of my long cherised dream. During my childhood days once my father narrated me story of a Japanese Movie ‘Bullet Train’. After hearing the story I demanded my parents to take me in a train which is as fast as ‘Bullet Train’. It took lot of effort from my mother and father to convince me that such type of train is still a dream in India. Also I wanted to see the movie. In those days (early 1990s) getting a VHS for a particular that to for not so famous movie like 'Bullet Train' was next to impossible.



One saturday when I was in 7th standard, my eyes were lit up when I saw poster of Bullet Train movie being screened at Puttana theatre. Next day, Sunday I went to theatre with my cousins Vasanth and Hemanth and found out that some Adult movie was being screened at theatre. When I asked in ticket counter, “Bullet train movie yelle”. His reply was “Bullet Train movie bandhitu, yaaru hattavaru iralilla, hotoga bidathu”. Being disappointed, we came back to home .

Later in 2003 I managed to see the movie by borrowing VCD from a library near my home. Movie was good but I was sure actual excitement of traveling in such a train will be different. The dream was yet to be fulfilled. Finally, it was fulfilled on Sunday April-29th 2007, when I took KTX (Korea Train Express) for traveling from Gumi to Seoul.



Actually there is no KTX station at Gumi. We took 6.25 am Samuel train from Gumi by taking combined ticket thru ticket from Gumi station itself. 7.40 am Samuel reached Daejeon. 7.46 am KTX arrived and my long cherished dream of traveling in superfast train was fulfilled. Initial 10 minutes the speed was normal but when the train switched to dedicated tracks it picked up speed. The stuffs outside can hardly be had a glance.



When the train speed reached above 250 kmph it showed the speed on top left corner of LCD screen inside the coach.



The train went through 5-6 tunnels and after some time I realized that we are almost in Seoul. When I first told this to Madhu he thought I was joking. At 8.45 am KTX reached Seoul Station, concluding my first superfast train journey.