A turnout system which permits trains to pass from one track to another consists of the switch, the crossing, lead rails which are necessary to connect the switch and the crossing, two guard rails and a switch machine for operating the switch. A turnout is the sole moving part among the railway components and has complex configuration, so the safety has always been raised an issue. In Korea, it is planned to adopt the high speed tilting train, which operates at the maximum speed of 180km/h, at conventional lines by the year of 2010. However, for the application of the tilting train to conventional lines, it is prerequisite to establish a stable turnout system allowing the tilting train to pass through it without reducing speed. Therefore, the improved turnout system for the speed-up of conventional lines has been developed and the prototype of the turnout system has been constructed. In this study, evaluation of noise characteristics around the improved turnout system was performed through the field measurements. Field measurements of noise around the conventional and the high-speed turnout system were also carried out for the comparison.