South Korea started to build a rail and other facilities for the country’s first magnetic levitation trains on Yeongjong Island, some 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Tuesday.

The construction is a major part of the government’s plan to commercialize environment-friendly transport services, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said. The country plans to operate unmanned maglev trains that link Incheon International Airport and Yongyoo Station where travelers can take express trains heading to Seoul.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Incheon International Airport to construct a 6.1 kilometer rail at the nation’s major airfield to test maglev train operation. Other facilities including six stops and one train depot will also be built, officials said.

The low- and medium-speed train can run at a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour, they added.

The construction is a part of the government’s 450 billion won ($385 million) project which was launched in 2006 to commercialize an unmanned maglev train service. The construction is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

After its completion, the maglev trains, currently developed by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, will be tested on the rail for one year and put to commercial operation in 2013.
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