The government broke ground on Thursday for an express train line expected to significantly reduce the commuting time for people living in the suburbs of Seoul.

At a ceremony for the Great Train Express(GTX) A line, Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee expressed hopes for the train service to help ease stress for commuters and allow them to enjoy after work hours.

The GTX is the country's first express train that will operate 40 meters below ground at a speed of up to 180 kilometers per hour.

The 83-kilometer-long A line running from Paju, Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul and Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, south of Seoul, is expected to be completed by 2023.

Once completed, it will take 20 minutes from Unjeong new town in Paju to Seoul Station and 22 minutes from Samseong-dong in southern Seoul to Dongtan in Hwaseong.

There are also plans for Lines B and C to connect the eastern and western suburbs and the northern and southern suburbs through Seoul.