It's so sad you forgot to mention, that Pyongyang has the oldest running trolleybus in the world. It has gone 8 million kilometers, and has 161 "5만" stars. The model is called Chollima 9.25, tail number 3. The reason why Korean people keep it running for more than 50 years is that comrade Kim Il Sung once traveled in it.
8 000 000 km? That would be something around 400 km every day in these 56 years. (if the average speed would be for example 30 km/h, then it would be around 13 hours of constant running every day). I think it is more likely 3 000 000 km I found on some websites. That would be more realistic because then it is "only" 150 km per day.
@@geography_czek5699 I'm sorry if I'm wrong, I got information from this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-D8yj6HwfY54.html Yeah, it's in Russian language, sorry again.
The opening title shot with the words behind the Juche Tower was super cool and the combination of the explanatory animations for each line with street footage was also really engaging. All in all, it was a very calming and informative video, thank you!
As a South Korean, the North Korean transportation system shown in the video looks like the 70s in the south. Originally, it was the same country, the same Korean people. It's a pity that the difference is so wide.
I don't know if you're just very interested in the DPRK or a state-affiliated channel but regardless this insight into North Korean life is very valuable and provides a good insight into the country for English speakers
I really like trolley busses, I honestly think they’re the best public transportation method behind trains/trams, and over busses. So it was really cool to learn Pyongyang has such an extensive network. If i may ask: you’ve done quite a few videos about Pyongyang’s public transit, could you (at some point in the future) look at the transit for other dprk cities? I think it would be a really interesting learning experience to hear about places that aren’t in the capital.
That is an option, I’ll see what information I can find out. I know there are some old KCTV reports about trolleybuses in Wonsan and there’s a tram network in Chongjin
Have you ever had to use trolley busses everyday? :D Well I have and I do not like them as much as it happens fairly often that for one or another reason one of the tentacles comes off the electricity line and then the bus is stuck for several minutes before it gets realigned again. And yes it also happens to modern trolley busses. Not so fun if you run late for work or school xD
Would you happen to know the title of that book? Japanese is my second language and I'm looking for more transportation related books to read lately. ありがとう
Such amazing videos! The videos, the animations, the explanation, everything is perfect! Thank you for showing us how the DPRK works! Looking forward to the next video! Cheers!
There are some slight mentions of it in the comments, but all the "new" trams & trolleybuses are rebuilds of older vehicles. Some of the older trolleybuses (seen in other videos) were in very poor condition, operating very slowly and appearing to have no suspension. It looks like the new trolleybuses are at least in decent mechanical condition. Thank you for details of the tram & trolleybus routes which I haven't seen anywhere previously.
8:51 That little green tram is interesting, cause it doesn't look like an eastern bloc design at all. It has that German/Austrian/Swiss vibe to it. Almost looks like Zurich trams. It would be interesting to know how it got there
So also the Czechoslovak Tatra trams look quite exotic in such a distant Asian country. Especially since these trams were created thanks to the American PCC license. Like classic trams in Brussels. Tatra trams still run in the former Soviet Union, but in the 1970s they also ran in Egypt, for example. These classic trams still run in Germany. From the Czech Republic and Germany, these used trams are also sold to many Eastern European cities, such as Romania or Ukraine. And also to Pyongyang 😁
I loved your Pyongyang metro video so much that watching it several times wasn't enough (Could've spoken about Kwangmyong Station though) . I was WAITING for the other forms of Transport and it finally arrived.. thank you 😊 P.S please let us know if they're planning to extend the metro system
The omission of Kwangmyong-yok was the biggest regret I have from that video! 😂There is a map, somewhere, that I think I have of potential expansion routes. If I have it, it'll show up in a video at some point.
It makes me a bit sad to see the roads becoming more congested with vehicles. I've always been very impressed with their ability to maintain such quiet and easily traversable roads in a city of so many citizens! I hope they don't at some point also lose the traffic police (which could possibly be an interesting video topic as well). Fantastic video as always, happy to be able to support you as a Patron and I encourage others to do the same if able. Your talent and obvious passion for sharing informative and unbiased content on the DPRK are more than deserving!
I'm more impressed by their desire to make so many damn stroads despite not even having that many drivers. Considering how little driving is in the city, their public transit is not that extensive. Well still better than some American cities.
I'm surprised at how environmentally friendly the city is. Geo thermal power, electric trollies and trains, and very few cars (of course that's cause most people can't afford and/or not allowed to have one, but still).
10 trolley bus lines and four tram lines is hardly something to brag about for such a big city. Even with the subway, it seems the system is in efficient for the number of people.
I'm so glad I found this channel. A bit sad so many westerners couldn't care less about learning about any other country besides their own let alone NK.
I see a lot of bikes in this and other videos, I wonder what kind of bike infrastructure they have? do they all run on the sidewalks, or the streets, or are there dedicated lanes? dedicated routes? I'm curious. How prevalant are e-bikes? Are there cargo bikes?
I like how the lines are at least somewhat in number order. My city’s bus routes are 22, 23, 29, 35, 49, 70 etc, seemingly random numbers. There was originally a plan for them but there may as well not be now because they’re so random.
Nice Video Dude, but there is one point to improve. Please overlap the different Levels of Transportation to show how dense the network actually is at the end of the video. Its also better to see connections and so on. Carry On :)
Great video as always! Where do you get all of your footage? It’s different from most footage of the DPRK by journalists. Would also be interested in learning about urbanism and housing in North Korea - I see a lot of the older housing is based on Soviet traditions, it would be cool to explore further
Shot on location in Pyongyang either by me or my colleague. The housing and urban expansion of Pyongyang is something I'd be interested in exploring. Especially with the newer developments on Ryomyong/Mirae St and the new districts being built right now along the Pothong River and in S E.Pyongyang.
Wow. The whole country is like a time capsule to 20th Century Soviet communism. Those are they exact same trams and trolley buses I used to ride in the early 1990's in Bucharest! All of that footage looks like it could have been shot in post-communist Bucharest 30 or so years ago!
@@randymoran67 Car centric planning isn't the be all end all, Amsterdam has shown you can reduce congestion pretty easy if you don't make cars the best option for commuting, something london keeps trying to emulate without putting effort into it.
@@crazyoncoffee it has more than ten bus lines, these are trolley busses, which are more efficent and green. Normal busses still exist on different routes.
@@sannidhyabalkote9536 The difference is in petrol reserves. If petrol is cheaper than industrial grade electricity and network maintenance, buses will prevail. But DPRK has no oil industry (despite discovering oil reserves recently). So it makes electric transport more viable.
Great video.. As a Pt.2 or extension, do you have a similar breakdown of the bus fleet by type/manufacturer. And any interior shots? Finally what's the ticketing system like? Integrated/ smartcard/ pay driver. And can tour groups go on trolleybus/tram or are they limited to the metro?
I recommend this website for the details around the buses: transphoto.org/list.php?cid=349&t=2 I believe it's a cash-payment system, although the Pyongyang metro recently introduced smartcards so, that could be rolled out further. Tours can ride the trams and trolleybuses, but we charter them rather than riding alongside locals like you can on the metro.
I presume you know that you can only visit DPRK on an organised tour and you must stay with the group & tour guides at all times. But as OP says, the guides are normally able to obtain a chartered ride on a tram or trolleybus if requested. There have been transport enthusiast tours in the past where you can experience riding numerous vehicles, but still as a restricted group tour.
Great video! Thank you for sharing your deep knowledge about the DPRK. It's a fascinating place. Do you know how the bus and tram network deal with electricity load shedding, do you know if key infrastructure are being excluded and will be run on a priority line that still will have power?
Few cars and lots of public transport? A place where you can just walk or ride a bike without constantly worrying about fast moving hunks of metal and death- sounds great- keep it that way- cars are inefficient, dangerous and make urban environments unpleasant to be in with all the noise and choking fumes, it would be nice to be able to just sit on a quiet street and people watch without being subjected to toxic smoke and loud noise! Cars are for long distances, the need for a car in a well-planned city should be very rare- trams, subways, trains and buses don't clog streets and create traffic flow problems the way cars do either! Don't be seduced by the "freedom" cars bring because they come with many problems and once you adapt your city to cars it is hard to undo it again- they become a societal addiction and getting back your quiet, walkable, bikeable, well connected city back will be next to impossible!
Its very interesting that these are exactly the same tram models wich driven in Berlin in the GDR to the year 2015. Maybe Berlin sold this trams? When I see this video. It looks more free than the GDR. Look there are imported cars. They weren't in the GDR.
All of Pyongyang subway cars have been imported from Berlin, so it isn't unlikely some trams came from there as well. Would be hard to confirm it though
@@professormicron6470 Yes. Its true. Interesting is that Pyongyang imported the Western-Berlin Subway Cars. Not the GDR ones. But the Tatra Trams were great and had very less problems. Yes it also could be that Berlin sold the Tatra Trams so Pyongyang.
Funny to see Tatra trams and Berlin subway trains operating in Pyongyang. Here in Berlin we only phased out the last Tatra trams this year, for accessibility reasons and the same subway trains are still operating today. So Pyongyang isn't lagging behind in that area. Only the system being expanded with a few more lines would probably good for a city of that size.
Ah the expansion of Pyongyang makes it tricky to stay up to date! I bet they'll open new routes to Hwasong and Songhwa once those developments are up and running too!
Damn their tram system is actually really long, covering almost the entirety of the city, no wonder people would prefer public transport (cheaper, more convenient and theirs alot of them to chose from, easier access...)
I love your videos about the benefits of normal life experienced by DPRK citizens. I just bought your shirt to represent and support your hard work. Keep it up!
Some Dutch style cycling infra would be good. As well as a general upgrade and expansion of the public transport system. A lot of the streets are so wide and car centric.
This system of public transport wouldn't work in American or Canadian cities because most people don't want to live in high-rise apartment buildings. We prefer detached houses. That creates urban sprawl. Hence the need for cars. I don't see anyway around private automobile ownership here. I would love public transit options but it's just not feasible for us.
I noticed no transport service goes to Sunan Airport. For people flying in and out of the city would they be basically forced to use a taxi, or is there some other means of getting from the airport to the city?
There's a Korean State Railway line that runs through Sunan, also there is a network of typical motor buses that I haven't covered here (just because of it's extent) and so I believe there is a route which covers Sunan
All tourists are on organised tours which arrange pickups using buses or minibuses. Are normal residents even allowed to travel outside the country? Very, very few would be able to afford to do so anyway.
@@kc3302 I’ve seen on videos of Air Koryo flights plenty of locals, the flights are certainly not 100% tourists. I can’t say who these people are or what they do in other countries but they are traveling outside the DPRK.
@@kc3302 In fact yes, Chinese custom data (which is publicly available) showed over 20000 people from the DPRK entered the country in 2019. Not that much relatively, but they can go, especially for trade
@@w4rlord117diplomats, ambassadors, scientists, reporters and international trade deals, privileged individuals, and international students pretty much. The only flights in and out of north korea is to china. They take their flight from north korea to china, and then take a flight from china to whichever country their duties are to. Everyone in the DPRK who does international stuff abroad goes via china to get to any other country they need to go to. Ordinary citizens are not permitted out.
consider reaching the embassy in your country and they usually gladly provide email news subscription. If you live in USA you can reach to DPRK embassy in UK
oh wow, this has change all my mind thought about the NK, what I heard from SK is that the NK doesn't have any transport such as buses or any public transport, mostly are by bicycle and foot-walking, mostly are mention about how poor the NK. But after watching this videos, it has already take me to another world and I found out that everything that they let us know are somehow not 100% true. Thank you for bringing me to another world seeing how beautiful NK are. (I can't go to NK now after the incident in Malaysia ;-;)
The info about the trams is a bit misleading. The trams are not old from a fellow socialist state. They are very old, but they were sold to NK by the Prague public transit a couple of years ago! The livery is not specific to Pyongyang, they simply did not repaint the original Prague livery. The “modern” trams are not really new, they are the same Czech trams just with a new design on the outside with 60 year old technology underneath.
Hmmmm I'm wondering how money and transportation works in the DPRK in general as well as in Pyongyang specifically. Is any of it subsidized or is most of it subsidized? If money passes hands per journey, what is the average cost of say a mile distance in each of the different forms of transport ? ? ?
Doesn't seem to be a diesel bus network for places not under the wire?What of suburban heavy rail and ferries? Although I think that I did spot a diesel bus at the end going around that corner.