North Korean President Kim Jong Un prefers traveling in his secret train whenever he has to go anywhere. This train is no ordinary train — it is like a moving fortress or even a moving five-star hotel. Although he rarely travels, whenever he does, he makes sure there is no compromise in luxury or security. Officially, the train is called “Taeyang,” but the world knows it as the “Moving Fortress.” Many people even compare its facilities and security system to Air Force One, the plane used by the U.S. President.
So what makes Kim Jong Un’s train so special? Let’s look at its features one by one.
Since becoming the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un has visited only a few countries, mostly China and Russia. In the last 13 years, he has made only about 10 international trips, and most of them were made using this moving fortress.
Two separate trains escort the main train. One travels ahead to detect dangers on the tracks, such as explosives or suspicious activity. Although civilians are kept far away whenever Kim travels, commandos inside the front train monitor every small detail.
Another train follows behind, filled with ammunition and army commandos. Their mission is simple: protect the Supreme Leader at all costs. Fighter jets also escort the convoy while it remains inside North Korean territory. If all security measures somehow fail, nearby airports keep cargo planes loaded with weapons and commandos ready for immediate takeoff.
The train itself is heavily armored. All windows are made from bulletproof glass, while the roof and lower structure are reinforced with steel strong enough to withstand explosions. Different compartments contain advanced weapons systems, including anti-aircraft missiles to defend against aerial threats. Anti-tank missiles and machine guns are installed on both sides of the train to respond to attacks from any direction.
Even if all these systems fail, it still doesn’t mean Kim Jong Un would die. One carriage reportedly carries a small helicopter, allowing him to escape quickly during an emergency.
Because of all this armor and equipment, the train is extremely heavy. Its maximum speed is only around 60 km/h, and sometimes even slower because North Korea’s railway tracks are in poor condition.
Whenever the presidential train passes through a station, all station lights are turned off in advance. Electricity on nearby railway tracks is also cut so that no other train can pass at the same time. Across North Korea, around 20 special railway stations have reportedly been built exclusively for Kim Jong Un’s train.
Due to its slow speed, journeys often take several days. In September 2023, when Kim traveled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, the trip reportedly took around 10 days.
At the North Korea–Russia border, the train’s wheels are changed because Russian railway tracks are wider than North Korean ones.
Inside the train are all the facilities expected in a presidential residence and office. Kim has a personal office equipped with fax machines and satellite phones, along with reception rooms, meeting rooms, and luxury suites. The interior is decorated with wooden flooring.
One of the train’s most famous features is its restaurant. Almost any dish can be prepared instantly on Kim’s orders, especially French, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine.
Kim Jong Un is never bored during his journeys because female conductors, singers, and dancers are reportedly present to personally entertain him.
If the train reaches its destination or Kim decides to travel outside along the route, his personal armored vehicles travel with him. These cars can be unloaded and used to transport him securely wherever he wishes to go.
There are also historical reasons why the Kim family prefers trains. Kim Jong Un’s father and grandfather also used trains for official trips. In Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the preserved bodies of Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung are kept, models of their trains are displayed as well.
It is believed that Kim Jong Il feared air travel, which is why he preferred trains. In 2001, he traveled by train all the way to Moscow — a journey of about 20,000 km that reportedly took nearly a month.
Much of the world learned about the train’s luxury from a book written by Russian official Konstantin Pulikovsky, who traveled with Kim Jong Il. He described luxurious services, live lobsters in the restaurant, and special wine imported from France.
In 2004, after Kim Jong Il’s train passed through a station near the China border, a massive explosion occurred due to an oil cargo train fire. However, the Kim family reportedly believed it was an assassination attempt. Security around the trains increased dramatically afterward.
By 2009, photographers in Russia were no longer allowed to take pictures of the train, even while it traveled through Russian territory. Entire villages along the route sometimes had their electricity cut off as an added security measure.
Kim Jong Un’s enemies are not only foreign countries like the United States and organizations such as the CIA, but also potentially people within North Korea itself. The country is known for strict punishments, labor camps, and severe restrictions on personal freedoms.
Reports have even claimed that Kim sometimes appears alongside body doubles during public events to confuse potential attackers.
Some experts believe Kim continues traveling by train partly to project an image of simplicity compared to the American President’s Air Force One. However, satellite images and reports suggest that he actually lives an extremely luxurious lifestyle, with mansions, private railway stations, resorts, beaches, shooting ranges, basketball courts, and covered garages.
Another reason for Kim’s extreme security concerns is succession. The Kim family has ruled North Korea for decades, and Kim Jong Un is considered the last direct male heir. While his sister Kim Yo Jong could potentially try to maintain power, many believe the military could replace the family with another leader if anything happened to him.