Explore South Korea
Do you live in Seoul and have a weekend or a week of vacation and not sure what to do with your time? Go out and explore outside of Seoul!! Later on we will talk about great places to go visit but for now let's learn on how to best use modes of transportation to get to the other big cities!!
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| Damyang |
Train or Flight?
Yes, you can take a flight to any other big city you want to visit such as Pusan, but people have found that they prefer a train since it's quicker and easier to use. Another thing, when planning for your trip keep in mind that one mode of transportation could not be used in certain locations such as Jeju, which taking a flight will be easier and effective.
If you want to take a flight you will have to go to Gimpo Airport so if you are close by great but if not probably taking the train will be easier for you. If you are still interested in taking a flight, make sure to book your ticket at least one month in advance so you don't miss out and pay more than usual.
Also here is a list of destinations that Gimpo Airport provides within South Korea:
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Busan | Busan, Daegu, Jeju, Ulsan |
| Eastar Jet | Busan, Jeju |
| Jin Air | Jeju |
| Korean Air | Pusan, Jeju, Pohang, Sacheon, Ulsan, Yeosu |
| T'way Air | Jeju |
Now if you want to stick to the mainstream on how people travel outside of Seoul, there are different types of Trains you could take.
You may have heard about this option since it is the commonly used and they offer different types of Rail Passes.
⬛Two-Day KORAIL PASS FX
■ Price: ₩121,000
■ Choose two out of ten days to take unlimited train rides at all levels.
⬛Three-day continuous rail pass
■ Price: ₩138,000
■ Unlimited train rides at all levels for three consecutive days after the starting date.
⬛Four-day KORAIL PASS FX
■ Price: ₩193,000
■ Choose four out of ten days to take unlimited train rides at all levels.
⬛Five-day continuous rail pass
■ Price: ₩210,000
■ Unlimited train rides at all levels for five consecutive days after the starting date.
Usually a One-way ticket would be ₩59,800 and it takes about 2.5 to 3 hours from Seoul (Yongsan Station) to Busan as an example. Of course when purchasing your ticket you will be able to see accurate times.
You can also depart from:
■ Daejeon Station ■ Dongdaegu Station
To learn more about KORAIL PASS tickets click here
SRT (Super Rapid Train)
This train is considered faster and cheaper than the KTX train but the only departing spot is Suseo station, unless you are near there then good luck for you!!
■ Price: ₩51,900 One-way
■ About 2.5 hours from Seoul to Busan
The train is an alternative for Gyeongbu KTX and Honam KTX and goes to Mokpo and Busan. Since it is a bit cheaper than KTX the seats are not as comfortable but there is a lot of leg room.
This train is the cheapest one but longest one as well to get to your destination, due to the train does more stops compared to KTX or ITX Saemaeul. Also the train sells standing tickets as well, so there's no seat for each passanger.
■ Price: ₩28,600 One-way
■ About 5 to 6 hours from Seoul to Busan
This option is great if you want to admire the scenery of South Korea's countryside, unlike the other trains that are going too fast to see anything. Also the train goes along the Gyeongbuk Line as shown in the picture on the right in the Dark Red Line.
ITX Saemaul（ITX 새마을)
Before the KTX train, this train was the fastest express train to go around. This train is similar to the Mugunghwa train but instead it goes along the Janghang Line. Referencing the image above, it will be the Hot Pink Line.
■ Price: ₩42,600 One-way
■ About 4.5 hours from Seoul to Busan
To purchase any of the 4 types of Train Tickets click HERE and then you will just have to make your selection.
Make sure to plan ahead your outside exploring from Seoul and book a ticket as soon as you have set a date because weekends are pretty popular and you don't want to miss out!!
As a reference and more information about how to travel outside of Seoul as well as other alternatives such as Buses, click HERE
We hope that the information is really helpful for you and you enjoy your time in South Korea!! Remember to check out our other blog posts about living in Seoul, click here to learn how to recycle in Seoul!!