Friends in Hanbok - South Korea Cherry Blossom

Once you’re done with Seoul, head out and explore the photogenic Nami island, taste the best bibimbap in Jeonju, and have the freshest seafood in Busan. Korea isn’t huge so all these places can be comfortably covered through a day trip from Seoul; on a scenic train ride of under 2.5 hours.

Summary

If you’ve read our Tokyo to Osaka itinerary or even the Osaka to Hiroshima itinerary, you’ll realise keeping a 10-day trip under S$1.1k isn’t too difficult. And if it’s possible in Japan, it’d be easy peasy in Korea right?

This trip, we cover three main cities over 7 days using the Korail Pass.

Budget Breakdown for 1 pax:

Check this excel sheet for the detailed Breakdown

Transport: S$186.25 (Excluding flight of ~S$650)
Accommodation: S$159.89
Activities: S$193.62
Food: S$143.83
Misc: S$41.00

Total: S$724.60

Check Flight Prices to Seoul

If you can’t see the widget above, check out flight prices from Singapore to Seoul here.

Pre-trip Essentials

– 4G SIM Card: S$41 for 10 days
– Korail Pass: S$120 for the 3 Day Savers Pass (For groups of 2-5 pax)
– Discover Seoul Pass: S$43 for 24 hours *Prices might fluctuate a few dollars depending on exchange rate.

Travel insurance is especially important for city hopping trips like this β€” the last thing you want is to lose something important in one city, and only realising it when you’re at the next! We’ve lost things on trips like these from hard drives to an entire luggage, and were thankful we got to at least seek some redress from travel insurance.

DirectAsia Insurance offers competitive rates for a peace of mind β€” individual annual plans start from S$149/year. Claims are hassle-free and 80% of their claims are usually settled within 24 hours!

*Pro-tip: Download the TripAdvisor app to access a handy version of this itinerary on the go!

Day 1-2: First 24 hours in Seoul

*We flew in around midnight so we’ll count Day 1 as the next morning.

Seoul city has a never ending list of things to do from dusk till dawn but since I hadn’t been back to Korea for a long time (almost 8 years!!), I thought I would see it through the eyes of a first timer. This is quite a rushed itinerary but you’ll see why in a bit! If travelling slower’s your style, you can definitely split the activities and sights over 2 days.

*Pro-tip: Get the Discover Seoul Pass which gives you free admission to 21 of Seoul’s hottest attractions for a period of 24 or 48 hours; even if you paid for the 48 hour pass, this itinerary would still be worth it.

The card also serves as a T-money card that can be used on subways, buses, as well as the convenience stores in Korea (even out of Seoul) and lasts for 5 years.

10AM – 11:30AM : Catch a hologram musical at SM Town CoEx mall

SM Town - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

UPDATE: SMTown CoEx Mall has closed permanently since June 2020

For the K-pop fans, this musical experience is an absolute must! But even for the not-as-enthusiastic-k-pop-lovers, this really surpassed our expectations. We caught the School Oz show; a beautifully written musical that weaved all the hottest k-pop tunes of the last 2 years into a solid storyline which left us all feeling fuzzy from nostalgia.

The cast of School Oz
Photo credit: Slowmotion408

If you bought the Discover Seoul Pass, just catching the hologram musical would have already made your 24 Hour Pass worth its value.

SM Town Cafe - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass
K-pop themed cupcakes at the SUMcafe on the 3rd floor

Tickets to Musical: β‚©44,000 (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)
How to get there:
Line 2 Samseong station, Exit 5 & 6 (Theatre is on the 5th floor)

12:30PM – 1:30PM: Have Samgyetang at Tosokchon

Tosokchon Samgyetang - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Samgyetang (Ginseng chicken soup) is another must try in Korea and if you googled “Best Samgyetang in Seoul“, all the results on page one will direct you to ONE place: Tosokchon Samgyetang (ν† μ†μ΄Œμ‚Όκ³„νƒ•).

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Queue outside Tosokchon Seoul - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

At 12:30PM, we arrived to a 50pax long queue. But more surprising than it’s unbelievable popularity, is that we went from being the 50th customer in queue to being seated with our warm, ginseng-rich bowls of samgyetang in just 20 minutes; impressive or what?!

So don’t be thrown off by the queue, it’s well worth it! They also serve really good Kimchi and a complimentary shot of Ginseng wine which you can add to the soup or have it on its own for an added kick of Ginseng.

Cost: β‚©16,000 for the Signature Ginseng Chicken Soup
How to get there: Line 3 Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 2

2PM: Catch the Guard changing ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace (경볡ꢁ)

Guard Changing ceremony at Gyungbokgung - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

The Discover Seoul Pass gives you access to 4 different palaces but the most prominent of all is the Gyeongbokgung with a mountain as its backdrop. Twice a day (10AM & 2PM), you can catch the guard changing ceremony which is perfect if you’re coming from Tosokchon after lunch.

Entrance Fee: β‚©3,000 (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)
How to get there: Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 4 (Across the road from Tosokchon Samgyetang) β€” Closed on Tuesdays

3PM: Museum Kimchikan

Museum Kimchikan - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Just one station away from Gyeongbokgung is the Museum Kimchikan. Sign up for kimchi making classes (min five pax), try on a Hanbok, and learn more about the kimchi making process through the interactive displays.

Kimchikan Museum - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

There’s even a room where you can taste the different types of kimchi. Of course, they also sell it by the packet here. This was a quick stop for us but Insadong street (where it’s at) is worth exploring too.

Entrance Fee: β‚©5,000 (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)
How to get there: Line 3 Anguk Station, Exit 6 (Right side of Insadong street) β€” Closed on Mondays

4:30PM: Hang out with famous people at Grevin

If you haven’t had luck in spotting Korean celebrities on the streets of Seoul, it’s because they’re all hanging out at the Seoul Grevin Museum! β€” jokes aside, here’s where you get to take photos with some of the most famous human beings on earth. Spot Lee Min Ho, G-Dragon, even Obama and Trump!

Entrance Fee: β‚©18,000 (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)
How to get there: 
Line City Hall, Exit 6

5:30PM: Catch the sunset from N Seoul Tower

Love locks at the N seoul tower - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Best seen at golden hour, the N Seoul Tower is probably the most iconic building of Seoul and is the best place to get a panoramic view of the city. Bring your own locks if you’re planning to leave one here but please don’t throw your keys over the ledge β€” there’s a nasty pile of rusty keys at the bottom. The observatory on the 5th Floor is free but if you’re using the Discover Seoul Pass, head up to the top for a 360Β° view.

Cost: β‚©11,000 to get to the top floor (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)
How to get there: 
From Chungmuro station, Exit 2, take Shuttle bus No.2 (β‚©1,200) in front of Daehan Cinema (near Popeyes)

8PM: Dinner at Palshik Samgyupsal (νŒ”μƒ‰μ‚Όκ²Ήμ‚΄)

Palshik Samgyupsal 8 marinate - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

After an entire day of exploring Seoul, treat yourself to a hearty Samgyupsal (Pork Belly) meal at Palshik. The place is pretty popular with the locals; especially for it’s 8 marinate set β€” marinated in ginseng, wine, pine needles, garlic, herb, curry, miso paste and hot paste.

Cost: β‚©43,000 for the 8-marinate samgyupsal set
How to get there: Line 6 Sangsu station Exit 1, walk for about 500m and it’ll be on your left

9:30PM: Wind down at Dragon Hill Spa

Dragon Hill Spa Seoul - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

One of the last and most important experiences you must have in Korea is to visit a Jimjilbang (찜질방)! Dragon Hill Spa is one of the biggest around β€” just across the street from Yongsan station β€” with various levels you can hangout (with and without clothes) πŸ˜‰

Dragon Hill Spa common area - Korea Itinerary with the Korail Pass

Grab a Sikhye (μ‹ν˜œ) β€” sweet rice punch, some roasted/smoked/charcoal eggs β€” and enjoy the occasional entertainment (we caught a magic show) or test your tolerance in one of the heated/cold rooms.

Casual clothing and towels are provided but free toiletries are not so bring your own. You can purchase a scrub towel for β‚©1,000.

*We saved this for our last day in Seoul but if you’d like to save on a night’s accommodation, there are rooms with heated flooring where you can rest comfortably for the night.

Cost: β‚©12,000 (Weekdays) β‚©14,000 (Weekends), β‚©15,000 (After 8pm) β€” Discounted tickets available via Klook.
How to get there: Line 1 Yongsan station, Exit 1

Day 3: Everland

Being a huge theme park lover, I had to somehow fit this into the itinerary. The problem with Everland is how far away it is from Seoul and the number of transfers needed to get there. From Seoul station, it takes about 2 hours with two transfers to get to Jeondae-Everland station.

Everland Parade - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass-17

Instead, we decided to book a shuttle bus straight to Everland (S$63 includes Everland Ticket). The great thing is, the ride is only an hour long, you leave from Myeongdong at 10:30am and it only leaves 15 minutes after the park closes.

Arriving at 11:30am, we found plenty of time to cover all our favourite rides and even catch the parades, fireworks and a last ride before meeting the bus at the carpark for a comfortable hour ride back to Myeongdong. Adrenaline-lovers, be sure to try the Double Rock Spin, Hurricane and of course the most epic wooden roller coaster β€” T Express.

How to get from Seoul to Everland:

(For those who decide to save money and take the subway)
*This journey takes slightly under 2 hours and costs β‚©2,350

(1) Take Line 3 Chungmuro Station to Dogok Station
(2) From Dogok Station, transfer to Budang Line, get off at Giheung Station
(3) From Giheung Station, transfer to Everline to Jeondae-Everland Station

Check out our Ultimate Everland Guide for more tips to maximising your time there.

Day 4: Day trip to Gapyeong (Nami Island, Petite France, Rail Bike Park)

Gapyeong Station view - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

If you’re a huge fan of k-dramas such as Winter Sonata κ²¨μšΈμ—°κ°€ (2002), My Love From the Star λ³„μ—μ„œ 온 κ·ΈλŒ€ (2014), and Love in the Moonlight ꡬλ₯΄λ―Έ κ·Έλ¦° 달빛 (2016), a day trip to Gapyeong is a must.

There are four main locations in the Gapyeong area. If planned well, all can be covered in a day although it might be a tad rushed. Alternatively, there are also Nami day tours which cover your entire journey from Seoul (round-trip), your entrance fees and inter-location transport via a private shuttle bus.

1) Nami Island (남이섬)

Nami island tree avenue - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass
There are multiple tree-lined avenues so explore around if the ones near the entrance are too crowded.
Wedding shoot at Nami island - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass
A popular site for wedding shoots

Filming Location of: Winter Sonata κ²¨μšΈμ—°κ°€
Entrance Fee: 
β‚©8000 (Includes ferry ride)
*You can also opt to enter the island via a Zipline for β‚©38,000

2) Petite France

Petit France - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Filming Location of: My Love From the Star λ³„μ—μ„œ 온 κ·ΈλŒ€
Entrance Fee: 
β‚©8000

3) Garden of Morning Calm (μ•„μΉ¨κ³ μš”μˆ˜λͺ©μ›)

Garden of morning calm - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Filming Location of: Love in the Moonlight ꡬλ₯΄λ―Έ κ·Έλ¦° 달빛
Entrance Fee: 
β‚©9000

4) Rail Bike Park

Gangchon Rail Bike - Nami Island
Credit: Klook

There’s one in Gapyeong which is just 10 minutes by bus from Nami Island but the more popular option is the Gangchon Rail Bike Park which is nearer to Gimyujeong Station. Gangchon offers better views and has these themed tunnels which switched up our experience quite a bit. But if you’re short on time, the Gapyeong Rail Bikes will be a more convenient option.

Filming Location of: Running Man Ep.144 λŸ°λ‹λ§¨
Cost: β‚©25,000 for 2 Seater Bike; β‚©35,000 for 4 Seater Bike

For the full guide to covering all four locations in Gapyeong, check out the Seoul Day trip to Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning calm and Rail Bike Park.

How to get from Seoul to Gapyeong:

(1) Cheapest: Metro from Yongsan Station
β‚©2,350, 1.5hrs
From Yongsan station, take the GJ Line to Sangbong
From Sangbong station, transfer to the Gyeong-chun line to Gapyeong

(2) Fastest: ITX from Yongsan Station
β‚©5,200, 50mins
If you’re holding on to a Korail pass and have an extra day to spare, book a reserved seat on the ITX from Yongsan Station. This requires no transfers and you’ll reach under 1 hour.

*If you’re getting to Yongsan via metro, be sure to have your T-money card tapped at the little stands on the platform before entering via the ITX or you’ll be charged double for the ITX journey as well as the subway ride.

(3) Round Trip Shuttle bus from Seoul to Nami Island From S$30
There are shuttle buses that will bring you there, let you explore free and easy before picking you up at the end of the day. Alternatively, you could also book a tour which will even include transport from Nami Island to Petite France, to the Garden of Morning Calm and even the Rail Bike Parks.

Read also: Seoul Day trip to Nami Island, Petite France, Garden of Morning calm and Rail Bike Park.

Day 5: Day trip to Jeonju

Jeonju Hanok Village Omokdae -Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Days 1-4 were pretty jam packed so Jeonju was a much appreciated change of pace. I guess it’s quite apt that Jeonju is also called the slow-city.

Gogung Bibimbap (고ꢁ 전주본점)

Jeonju Gogung -Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

First agenda of the day, grab yourself a good brunch from what google calls the “best bibimbap in Korea“.

Jeonju is known to be the birthplace of this traditional dish so we had high hopes when we got here.

Gogung Dolsot Bibimbap Jeonju - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

For one, the amount of ingredients within the dish was impressive. In Seoul, most of the bibimbap dishes only have half of the ingredients. We lost count quickly and decided to dig right in. Living up to its reputation, the dish was delicious!

Raw Beef Bibimbap from Gogung Jeonju - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

There’s also a Yookhweh version (μœ‘νšŒλΉ•λΉ”λ°₯) which has the same variety of ingredients as the traditional bowl but with quality raw beef on top. Definitely worth the try!

Cost: β‚©10,000 for the Dolsot (Hotstone) Bibimbap; β‚©13,000 won for Yookhweh (Raw beef) Bibimbap
How to get there: From Jeonju Hanok Village, take bus 974 or 976 (10 stops) to the Jeonju National Palace headquarters
Opening Hours: 10:50AM – 9:30PM

*There’s another Gogung in the Hanok area called Gogung Surangan but it’s entirely different from the one at the Jeonju National Palace Headquarters (the original Gogung). Don’t give up looking for the original! We promise it’s worth it!

Jeonju Hanok Village (μ „μ£Όν•œμ˜₯λ§ˆμ„)

View of Jeonju Hanok Village from Omokdae - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

With over 700 Hanok houses, Jeonju Hanok Village has one of the highest concentration of Hanok houses right in the heart of Jeonju city.

These Hanok houses serve as cultural museums, performance halls as well as guesthouses and even cafes.

*Pro-tip: For the best views, locate a small hill on the way up to the Omokdae (였λͺ©λŒ€) pavilion. You don’t really have to climb too high before you see the famous rooftop view of the Hanok Village.

Jaman Mural Village (μžλ§Œλ²½ν™”λ§ˆμ„)

Jeonju Mural Village - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Across an overhead bridge from Omokdae is a really small village of houses with its walls colourfully painted. There are small home run cafes too but close pretty early.

How to get from Seoul to Jeonju:

(1) KTX (β‚©34,600)If you bought a Korail Pass, you can reserve a seat on the KTX which leaves from Seoul Station β€” 1h50m.

(2) Mugungwha (β‚©17,600): If you’re without a Korail pass, the cheaper option is via the Mugungwha which leaves from Yongsan station β€” 3.5 hours.

Day 6: Busan

Getting around Busan: Download the Busan metro app (green logo) for directions around Busan. It even has a map function which will show you the nearest exits to your destination.

The next morning, we took the first train out to Busan via the KTX. This ride was slightly under 2.5 hours.

Haeundae Beach (ν•΄μš΄λŒ€)

View of Busan from Haeundae Beach - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Korea’s most famous beach resides in Busan where the city meets the sea. In summer you’ll see the entire sand space lined with beach chairs and sun shades and in autumn, you might catch the annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). In the evening, catch the sunset as buskers start setting up their mini stage along the beach.

Bridge at Haeundae beach - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass
Haeundae Coastal Walk

How to get there: Get off at Haeundae Station, Exit 5 and walk towards the sea

Busan Goraesa Fishcake Haeundae (κ³ λž˜μ‚¬ ν•΄μš΄λŒ€μ )

Busan Fishcake - Korea Itinerary with the Korail Pass
Photo credit: Jsksoft

On the way back to Haeundae Station (from the beach), stop by this fishcake place for lunch! You can’t miss the building with its giant (3 storey tall) skewers adorning the side of the building. Somehow you can always trust when there’s giant food structures outside the store β€” case in point: Dotonbori.

Busan Goraesa Fishcake Haeundae - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

The place sells over 30 different types of fishcakes β€” from tteokbokki fishcake (one of our favourites) to glass noodles and everyone’s favourite oozy cheese-filled fishcake. You pick whatever you want, heat it up in the microwave provided and have it in the store.

Address: 541-1 U-dong, Haeundae, Busan, South Korea
Opening Hours: 9:30AM – 9:30PM

Gamcheon Culture Village (κ°μ²œλ¬Έν™”λ§ˆμ„)

Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

On the other end of Busan (from Haeundae), the Gamcheon Cultural Village is another must visit! This is often nicknamed the Machu Picchu or Santorini of Busan. Despite having already seen photos of the place, we were still awed when we stepped off the bus to this view.

Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village directions - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

*Pro-tip: The best views are from the rooftop of the Community Centre (감넀어을터)

How to get to Gamcheon Cultural Village: From Toseong station, take exit 6 and hop on bus 1-1 (shuttle bus-type that says Gamcheon Cultural village on the side of the door.)

Jagalchi Market (μžκ°ˆμΉ˜μ‹œμž₯)

Jagalchi Market -Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

Being right by the sea, Busan is also known to have the freshest seafood in the country. Head over to Jagalchi to take your pick. The indoor market was unbelievably clean and hardly reek of the fish stench common to most seafood markets.

On the second floor, you’ll find a whole level of seafood restaurants but the budget tip is to buy your produce from the market downstairs and get the shop’s selected restaurant to prepare them for you.

For comparison, a small live octopus was β‚©30,000 on the restaurants’ menu but only β‚©10,000 for two at the market below. Sashimi for various fishes cost β‚©40,000–50,000 but β‚©20,000 from the market. Since these were served raw, we only needed to pay a table charge of β‚©4,000 which still came up to a really good deal!

However, if you’re planning to get something cooked, ask for the cooking fee beforehand as the restaurants could charge a lot more than the ones listed on their own menu.

Seafood dinner at Jagalchi Busan - Korea Itinerary Korail Pass

2 small octopus: β‚©10,000
1 flounder (sashimi): β‚©20,000
Table charge: 4000won/pax
Discount: -β‚©3000

How to get there: Jagalchi station, Exit 10

Accommodation in Busan: Hi Busan Guesthouse (3 minute walk to Haeundae Beach; 50 minutes by train from Busan Station) β€” you’ll find two resident fat cats that are always snuggling up to each other

Seoul to Busan via Train:

(1) KTX (β‚©59,800): 2.5 hours
(2) ITX (β‚©42,600): 4.75 hours
(3) Mugungwha (β‚©28,600): 5.5 hours

Day 7: Seoul

Spend the day shopping or catching up on the stuff you might have missed out on day 1. Some of our favourite shopping spots are Myeongdong for Skincare and makeup, Hongdae for trendy clothes, and Insadong for traditional souvenirs.

We also ended off with a refreshing visit to the Jimjilbang at Dragon Hill (mentioned on day 1) before catching our late night flight back to Singapore.

Seoul City to Incheon Airport:

(1) Arex (43 minutes): For just S$8, you get to reserve seats on the Arex which will get you to the airport in 43 minutes.
(2) All stops train (60 minutes): The All Stops Train is a lot cheaper at just β‚©4,150 but the down side is that the trains are almost always crowded so you might find it a hassle if you have a lot of luggage to handle.

Budget Tips in Korea

1) Food: The daily food budget was set to β‚©15,000 – 25,000 but in reality, we spent way below this amount. With the exception of the Samgyetang from Tosokchon, Bibimbap from Gogung (Jeonju) and fresh seafood from Jagalchi market (Busan) β€” which are all worth every won(β‚©) β€” all our meals rarely exceeded β‚©5,000.

Our favourite on-the-go meal was the freshly made kimbaps from the little stores at subway stations (β‚©1,500).

2) Accommodation: Since our itinerary usually involves getting up early and returning late, hostels are almost always our go-to option. If you’d like a little more privacy, Airbnb homes aren’t a lot more expensive for 2-3 pax. Our favourite picks in Seoul:
Brownie Guesthouse Hostel (Near Hongdae Station, Exit 3) β‚©17,000 – 20,000/pax
– Airbnb listings under β‚©20,000/pax: this and this

3) Discount Passes: Discount passes such as the Discover Seoul Pass and Korail Pass allow travellers like us to max out on the experiences without worrying about exceeding the budget; perfect for people who prioritise experiences during their travels.

Check Flight Prices to Seoul

Helloμ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš” (annyeonghaseyo)
Thank You/ Thanksκ°μ‚¬ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€ (kamsahamnida)/κ³ λ§ˆμ›Œ (komawo)
Excuse me (getting waiter’s attention)μ €κΈ°μš” (jeogiyo)
(ask for something) please____ μ£Όμ„Έμš” (juseyo)
Do you speak english?μ˜μ–΄ ν•˜μ„Έμš” (yeongeo haseyo)
Discount pleaseκΉŽμ•„ μ£Όμ„Έμš” (kkakka juseyo)
Cheers건배 (geonbae)

We hope you found this itinerary useful!


This post was brought to you by Klook.

If you like what you’re seeing, follow our adventures on Facebook, Instagram and more behind-the-scenes stuff on YouTube!

73 COMMENTS

  1. Going with my extended family of 12 pax. Planning to buy the Korail Pass to Busan, but hoping to visit some other sights on the way from Seoul to Busan. Your itinerary looks like do-able for my plans. Question tho, you went to Jeonju, then to Busan. But looks like you did a day trip to Jeonju, went back to Seoul, then to Busan on KTX. Its not possible to go to Busan from Jeonju as you were already halfway down the county. Can you pls share some ideas? Thank you

  2. Hi Cherrie,

    thank you for the post. I am planning to book the 2 days flexible Korail pass, I wonder if I can use more than one train ride per day?
    so the first day will be like my comment above (Seoul-Jeonju, Dongdaegu-Busan), as for the second day usage it will be (Busan-Seoul, Seoul-Gangneung, Gangneung-Seoul). I am thinking to visit Seoraksan all the way from Busan early morning, but I have to get through Seoul however, do you possibly have an idea if this could work?

    Thank you~~

    • Yup you will be able to use more than one train ride per day for sure!
      The Seoraksan plan might be a little ambitious. It really depends on the connecting trains.

  3. *We flew in around midnight so we’ll count Day 1 as the next morning.

    – This is also my problem. How did you get to your hotel? :S

  4. Hello,

    Regarding the Jeonju trip, I did not avail the KoRail Pass.

    Do I have to buy the tickets in advance or is there a ticket booth in Seoul station?

    I bookmarked this itinerary good stuff!

    Thanks!!

    • Hello Hello!

      If you don’t have the Korail Pass, you can purchase single tickets at the KTX/ITX counter at Seoul station. Of course buying the earlier is better!

  5. Hi, your itinerary is really helpful. But can I check, once you purchase the korail pass, what is the next step to ensure you have a seat for the train from Seoul to Busan? I tried going to korail website but they require you to purchase the train tickets. So how do I let them know that I actually purchase the korail pass already to ensure my seat is secured?

    • Hi Rachel, what we did was to book the tickets the night before or on the morning of our trip. Didn’t face any problems this way! You can use the website to check the train timings then go down to the ITX/KTX counter to reserve seats by showing your Korail Pass

  6. Hi! I just want to inquire regarding the Korail Pass from Klook. Will I be able to book a ticket, days before my travel date, if I already have the pass?

  7. Hi Cherie,
    “We flew in around midnight so we’ll count Day 1 as the next morning.” – this is also my problem. May I know if what check-in date did you use? I’ll be arriving midnight of 25th, do I need to book the 24th as my first night?

    Thanks so much in advance!

  8. Hello Cherie, thank you for your itinerary! It’s really useful for my upcoming trip this June πŸ™‚ Also, may I ask which restaurant did y’all go at the Jagalchi Market? Thank you πŸ˜€

    • Hi Joli! Glad you found it useful πŸ™‚
      If you’re shopping for the ingredients downstairs, each store has their own restaurant and they will bring you up! The store we got our octopus and fish was on the first row from the entrance on the left called μ„±ν™”μƒνšŒ (song hwa sang hwi).

  9. Hello Cherie,
    Thank you very much for all the information. Its really useful πŸ™‚
    When you take the KTX train to JeonJu or Busan, did you have trouble with placing your luggage away?
    Do you think I will have trouble with a big regular full size luggage?
    Thank you very much!

    • There are designated areas to store luggages but can be quite limited in some cabins! Perhaps arrive early to make sure you have a spot?

  10. Thank you very much for the tip. I really find this very helpful. I went to Seoul last February, too late to see this but we are coming back in October. The subway and metro is really great and very accessible but can be crowded at times…lesson learned last time…we weren’t able to catch our KTX train to PyeongYang and bought another at the station..costly for a group of 6 but memories of Winter Olympics is one of the best. BTW where did you stay in Seoul? we have kids with us when we travel. Thanks!

    • Thanks for the kind words! We stayed at a cosy Airbnb for 3 just a 5 Min walk from Seoul station but unfortunately, the listing isn’t available anymore. If you plan to do day trips from Seoul, there’s a few other options near Seoul station that are pretty good too!

  11. Hi Cherie,
    Being more familiar with Europe and only having been to Seoul once a couple of years ago, I found your itinerary truly comprehensive and feasible. This comes from someone who involuntarily rolls eyes at blogger itineraries as they tend to be OTT. Your scrawls teeter on the right side with those who are, ahem, older as well. Thanks for sharing these tips with us. Looking forward to my impending trip next week! Shall direct everyone to this post should they require the same information as I did. Toodles! ❀️

  12. Hi Cherie,
    Thank you for the wonderful itinerary. I was just wondering if I am able to purchase the SIM card for 5 days but activate it on a later date?
    I am going over to Seoul for exchange for 30 days and a solo trip after that. During the exchange period I have purchased a 30 day SIM card from the school, but I’m wondering if I could purchase the 5 day 4G SIM card but activate it when my 30 day sim card end?

    Any idea how I can do this?

    • Hi YWB, unfortunately I think they will activate it on the spot. But perhaps you can use the chat function on Klook and double check with their support team?

    • Yes! We did because we didn’t want to travel back and forth from Seoul to Busan 2.5hours twice but it’s definitely possible to cover it on a day trip.

  13. Hi dear
    I am planning to travel to seoul for 8D7N for two pax. This is our first time going there. How do I get the travel passes as mentioned and oso the SIM cards. I will be travelling in Nov. Now trying to book the air ticket n accomdation. Could you help to recommend. Is the weather cold in Nov too. Appreciate for your help dear. Thanks so much.

  14. Hello, great itinerary!
    Do you suggest buying the Korail pass or individually if we are not travelling out of Seoul consecutively (back to back)? Does the price of Korail ticket differ day by day?
    If we are travelling to Busan for 2d1n and Jeonju for day trip consecutively, do you suggest buying the Korail pass?

    • If you’re planning to take round trips on the Korail from Seoul to Busan and Seoul to Jeonju (there are no direct trains from Jeonju to Busan), the 3day consecutive pass will be worth it. If you’re travelling in a group of 2-5, make use of the discount from the Savers Pass β€” you can even get the 4 day flexi pass and it will still be worth it.

      Don’t think fares change much on a daily basis but you can double check it here: http://www.letskorail.com/ebizbf/EbizBfTicketSearch.do

      • Thanks Cherie!
        Can you advise whether we can walk in to CoEx for the hologram show or do we book online after purchasing discover Seoul pass?

  15. Hi Cherie,
    Love your itineraries! Its help me on my plan to Seoul in September!
    19 Sept 12.35Pm Seoul
    20 Sept Busan (Stay a night)
    21 Sept Gyeongju
    22 Sept Jeonju
    23 Sept Seoul (Discover Seoul pass)
    24 Nami Island. Gangchon Rail Bike Park
    25 Return singapore
    Wanted to buy Korail pass but not sure how it’s work. Once we purchase the pass from Klook, can we book the ticket to Busan online (when in Singapore) or we can only book when we arrive Seoul?

    • Thanks! πŸ™‚
      You can book your tickets when you arrive in Seoul on the 19th. There should be no problems getting tickets for the next day. If not, you can always swap Busan and Jeonju around. Unfortunately, there are no direct trains between Busan, Jeonju and Gyeongju even though they seem to be nearer than from Seoul. Because of the KTX/ITX, the fastest way is still from Seoul. The 4-day flexi pass will work perfectly with your itinerary if Jeonju and Gyeongju is done on a day trip from Seoul.

      • Thanks for your quick assistance! Great we will do the booking on the day we arrive Seoul.
        Another question: do you think any problem to do the discover Seoul pass on Sunday?
        Is it too crowded, I believe you travel around with metro.

  16. Hi Cherie,
    Here is grace again! Your blog is so interesting and would like to purchase the Discover Seoul pass, can I check the School Oz show on the SMTown @coe is it free with the pass? Do we need to book in advance? If booking is required how to book?
    Thank you once again!
    Grace

    • Hi Grace,
      Yes! It’s free with the pass and makes the pass worth it right away.
      Unfortunately you can’t reserve in advance but there should be plenty of seats as long as you’re not visiting during public holidays or weekends!

  17. Hi, thank you for your great sharing on your itinerary . Is the 3 days saver Korail Pass being call as Consecutive Day Pass (Saver Pass) in Klook?

  18. Hi Cherie,
    Thanks for your itineraries! It helps me a lot to prepare for my trip next November.
    I have already made some list of where I would go to South Korea, but one thing that makes me wonder if the accommodation is legal or illegal. Because some of my friend said that rent a room with Airbnb is illegal in South Korea. and I wonder if that’s true or not.
    Is what my friend said correct?

  19. Hi Cherie, that Jimjil ang experience sounds interesting. I should put on my list as well. Anyway, I plan to go directly to Busan – Jeonju – Seoul on my next trip with my 2 friends, but I really confused about this KR pass. It stated that the saver pass could be used for a group of 2-5 person, so that means I only need to book 1 ticket for 3 person? And what’s the difference between flexible and consecutive?
    Could you share your experience about it?

    • Hey Putri, some answers to your questions:
      – you’ll need 1 reservation ticket per person but the savers pass basically means everyone on the Korail pass has to travel on the same itinerary. Just bring your pass to the reservation counter and they’ll know what to do.
      – If you activate your 4-day consecutive pass on Monday, the pass will expire on Thursday, regardless if it was used on Tuesday or Wednesday. Whereas for the flexible pass, you can use it on any 4 days (doesn’t have to be back-to-back) within a 10-day period.

      Hope this helps!

      PS: the jimjilbang experience is worth it!

  20. Hi. Thank for your website! I followed your itineraries for my upcoming Japan and South Korea trip this April and May.
    I’m still confuse with the Korail Pass from Klook. I’m travelling with my sister, and as your itinerary above, we are planning to travel on DAY TRIPS to Nami, Jeonju and Busan using Korail Pass. All just back and forth and no plans of staying overnight anywhere.

    Which pass should I purchase? Do we have to buy Flexible 4 days saver and just one pass because of this note “Saver Pass is for groups of 2-5 people traveling on the same itinerary..” OR is it ONE PASS PER PERSON with same itinerary.

    I know it sounds so dumb but I really don’t want to buy the wrong pass πŸ™ Thank you

    • Hello Cha! You will need to purchase 2 Savers passes since you’re travelling with your sister (one pass per person). The Savers Pass saves you about S$10 per pass as compared to getting individually purchased single passes. Hope this clarifies! πŸ™‚

  21. Hi, could you elaborate more on your arrival at mid nite and getting around in Seoul at such hour.
    We, family of 4, too will reach Icn airport T1 at 11pm , with immigration could we really catch the last train? Since we would probably be trying to orientate ourselves and getting discovery pass & etc necessities
    How did you get around in Seoul station to your lodging them?
    If really cannot get on last train (AREX) are there alternative?
    Judy

    • Hi Judy,
      Thanks for your question. We were able to catch the last train that leaves Incheon airport at 11:39 pm, and thereafter, we walked to our Airbnb from Seoul stn.
      For your flight timing, catching the AREX would be quite impossible, so we’ll suggest that you can take a taxi or a private chartered car from Incheon to Seoul.
      Hope this helps! πŸ™‚
      -Edelyn

  22. I love your itinerary. Is good to be young and full of energy. I hope you can answer my queries about dropping/store your luggages? Or did you backpack?

    I am also thinking of going to Busan from Seoul but how did you managed to cover Busan from Haeundae Beach and back to Gamcheon Culture Village and the Jagalchi market in a day? Haeundae Beach is quite far from Gamcheon Cultural Village. I am amazed you covered so much places in Busan just in a day. How early is your train? So you all just took the subway in Busan? Did you have to put your luggage somewhere first before you traveling to Busan for a day? Or Did you bring the whole luggage with you to Busan? Sorry I asked so many questions as it is my first time traveling to Seoul/Busan. I am wondering about the hassle of the luggages. Thank you in advance.

    • hahaha thanks! This trip was some time back so I’ll try my best to recall.

      – We brought backpacks but there are lockers at major stations to store your luggages.
      – Yes we really did cover everything in a day. On hindsight, it might have made more sense to stay nearer to Busan station but we really loved the vibes around Haeundae beach. Alternatively you could ask the accommodation (especially hostels) if you could keep your bigger luggages for a night and only bring a day’s worth of clothes to Busan. That way you wouldn’t have to travel all the way to Haeundae beach to check in before exploring all the sights near Busan station.
      – The pass only covers ITX and Mugunghwa trains so I think the first train was at 6AM. You can use this to check for timings: http://www.letskorail.com/ebizbf/EbizBfTicketSearch.do

      Hope this helps!

  23. Hi Cherie and friends, I am actually planning my first time trip to Korea based on your itinerary. However, I was wondering if you could let me know if 1 day trip to Jeonju is good enough or should I book a room there to stay for a night before travelling to Busan? Is 1 day trip enough to cover the whole of Jeonju?

    Thank you!

    • Hey Desmond, I personally felt that the day trip was sufficient but it would have been nice to stay a night too. The reason why we didn’t head straight to Busan is because there isn’t a direct train to Busan from Jeonju, whereas the train from Seoul to Busan is only 2.5hours direct.

  24. Hi Cherie, so much information to take it which is excellent. It must have taken you a while to write all that. I look forward to checking out your other posts. I recently wrote an article about which is better Seoul or Busan, would be great if you could check it out: https://boundforbusan.com/?p=1191

    Thanks again for sharing your post.

  25. Hi Cherie,

    Im planning for everland and will buy their 1 day ticket from klook.
    Can i know if i can purchase the Everland Q pass on the day itself at the ticket counter? If so what is the cost and is there a limited quantity available or i can buy it at any time?

    • Hi Zlatan,
      As far as I’m aware, the Q-Pass is only available online, and there is limited quantity available each day, about 50 each ride.
      -Edelyn

  26. Hi
    I like your itinerary and am using it for my current trip. One thing to correct is that to go from Seoul to Jeonju via Ktx, it should be from Yongsan station not Seoul station. Ok? Tks

    Rgds

    • Glad you found it useful! I just double checked on the Korail website. The KTX to Jeonju leaves from Seoul station. Did you mean the Mugungwha train? That train leaves from Yongsan station. You can find this at the end of day 5.

  27. Hello! Am wondering how did you get to Jeonju Hanok Village? Is there any public bus we can get from the KTX station? And did you stop at jeonju station?

    Your reply is very much anticipated! Am going there soon. Thanks!

    • Yes, we took the KTX from Seoul to Jeonju station and took a bus. I can’t remember the bus number now but you can find out from the Naver Map or just ask any local at the station.

    • Hi there! This itinerary is a free&easy guide for travellers to follow. However, do note that some of the places mentioned in the article could be closed or operating on a revised timing due to ongoing covid measures in South Korea. Thank you & have a great trip ahead! πŸ™‚

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