Prices of major meals such as gimbap, ramen, udon, jajangmyeon, bibimbap, and pork cutlet sold at ra..

사진 확대 KTX and SRT Jungryeon trains stopped on the platform of Seoul Station [Newsis]

Prices of major meals such as gimbap, ramen, udon, jajangmyeon, bibimbap, and pork cutlet sold at railway stations have increased by more than 24% on average over the past five years.

In particular, the rate of increase in gimbap prices exceeded 33%, the highest among the six items.

According to data submitted by Kim Mi-ae, a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, from KORAIL Distribution on the 6th, the average price of six major meals sold at railway stations as of August this year was 43,136 won. This is a 4.3% increase compared to 41,367 won in August last year.

By item, gimbap was 4,078 won, up 5.7% from a year ago, showing the largest increase. Black Bean Noodles rose 5.1 percent to 7,788 won, Bibimbap rose 4.6 percent to 9,394 won, and pork cutlet rose 4.5 percent to 10,26 won, respectively. Udon rose 2.9 percent to 6,783 won and ramen rose 2.8 percent to 5,067 won.

If the scope is expanded to the last five years, the increase will be even greater. Compared to August 2021, the average price of the six major meal items at the railway station rose 24.4%.

The menu that went up the most was kimbap. Prices jumped 33.3% from August 2021. Udon rose 29.2 percent, black bean noodles 29.0 percent, ramen 21.5 percent, bibimbap 21.2 percent, and pork cutlet 19.5 percent, respectively.

Compared to general restaurant prices, the rise in the price of food at railway stations is remarkable. According to the living price index last month, gimbap rose 4.8 percent, jajangmyeon 2.9 percent, and bibimbap 3.8 percent from a year ago.

In fact, there is a price difference compared to general restaurants in Seoul. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, the average price of gimbap in Seoul in July was 3,869 won and jajangmyeon was 7,654 won, respectively, lower than the average price of railway stations.

The background of the rise in food prices at railway stations is the rise in raw material costs and labor costs.

Korail Distribution’s price increase consultations with stores amounted to 126 from 2021 to August this year, including Americano.

Of these, 60 cases were presented as reasons for the price increase, while 56 cases were presented as reasons for the price increase, along with the increase in raw and subsidiary prices and labor costs. There were also two cases based solely on rising labor costs. The remaining eight cases were due to other reasons, such as easing the cost burden of stores.

The number of price increase consultations has been decreasing for a while, but it has recently increased again. The number of consultations fell from 31 in 2021 and 35 in 2022 to 7 in 2023 and 9 in 2024. However, it increased again to 21 cases in 2025, and this year, it recorded 23 cases by August, already exceeding last year’s annual number.

Representative Kim Mi-ae said, “The railway station is a space where it is difficult to move to outside restaurants in the process of using trains and has limited options than general commercial districts,” and pointed out that it is necessary to manage the price increase so that it does not lead to excessive burden on users, even considering inevitable circumstances such as rising raw material costs and labor costs.

Korail Distribution also acknowledged the need for price adjustment and decided to improve the system.

First of all, in the process of selecting a store, the allocation of non-measurement evaluation item, “the adequacy of the price of products sold,” will be significantly increased than before. It will also push for a plan to allow evaluation committee members to compare and evaluate the sales price proposed by the store based on the official price.

If a store that has already entered the store requests a price increase, it plans to more closely verify the reason for the increase and the validity of the level by receiving objective data that can prove the increase in the price of raw and subsidiary materials.