Getting Around South Korea: KTX Trains, Buses, T-money and Jeju

Korea’s rail network is run mainly by Korail, with one important exception. The KTX (including the newer KTX-Sancheon, KTX-Eum and KTX-Cheongryong trains) is the bullet train, running from Seoul Station and Yongsan on the Gyeongbu line to Daejeon, Daegu, Singyeongju for Gyeongju, and Busan, and on the Honam and Jeolla lines to Gwangju, Mokpo, Jeonju and Yeosu. The Gangneung line reaches Gangneung on the east coast via Pyeongchang, and KTX-Eum trains serve Andong.

The SRT is a separate operator running bullet trains from Suseo station in south-east Seoul (Gangnam side) to Busan and Mokpo on the same high-speed tracks. Fares are about 10 percent below the KTX, and if you are staying in Gangnam, Suseo is often closer than Seoul Station. It sells tickets on its own SRT app and website, not on Korail.

Below the bullet trains, ITX-Saemaeul and the newer ITX-Maeum are intercity expresses, ITX-Cheongchun runs from Yongsan to Chuncheon in about 70 minutes, and Mugunghwa trains are the slow, cheap stopping service.

First class on the KTX costs about 40 percent more for wider 2+1 seating and is rarely worth it on a two-hour ride.

Book Korail trains on the English Korail website or the Korail Talk app, which accept foreign cards; book the SRT on its own app. Tickets go on sale about a month ahead, and on ordinary weekdays you can usually walk up and buy a seat for the next hour or two. Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons are busier, and during Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (harvest festival) every train sells out: Korail opens holiday sales weeks in advance and allocates them in a rush. If you are stuck, standing-room tickets on the KTX cost slightly less, or you can switch to an express bus.

Your ticket is on your phone, there are no ticket gates, and conductors check digitally, so simply board and find your car and seat. Luggage goes on racks at the end of each car; there is no size reservation system like Japan’s.

The Korail Pass is sold only to foreign visitors and gives unlimited travel on Korail trains (KTX, ITX and Mugunghwa) on a set number of days. Under the 2026 structure all versions are flexible, used on 2, 3, 4 or 5 days of your choice within a 10-day window, at about 131,000 won (2 days), 186,000 won (3 days), 234,000 won (4 days) and 275,000 won (5 days) for adults, with youth and group discounts. It does not cover the separately run SRT. Check current prices on the Korail website before buying, because the pass has been restructured more than once.

Do the maths before buying. The classic first-trip route of Seoul to Busan, Busan to Gyeongju and Gyeongju back to Seoul costs about 59,800 + 11,000 + 49,000 = 119,800 won in point-to-point tickets, so a 3-day pass at 186,000 loses you 66,000 won. Add a Seoul to Gangneung return (55,200) and you are at 175,000, still below the pass price. The pass only pays off if you make two or more long KTX trips a day, such as Seoul to Busan and back in one day, or if you are crossing the country repeatedly on a 5-day pass.

Seoul’s subway has more than 20 lines including Korail commuter routes, with signs, maps and announcements in English and every station numbered. A ride costs 1,550 won for the first 10 km with a T-money card plus 100 won per extra 5 km, and city buses cost 1,500 won, with free transfers between subway and bus within 30 minutes. Single-journey paper tickets cost more and need a 500-won deposit, so get a T-money card on day one at any convenience store (3,000 to 4,000 won) and top it up with cash at subway machines or the counter. The same card works on the subways of Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju, on city buses nationwide and in most taxis.

If you will ride a lot in Seoul, the city’s Climate Card for short-term visitors gives unlimited rides on Seoul subway lines and Seoul city buses: 5,000 won for one day, 8,000 for two, 10,000 for three, 15,000 for five and 20,000 for seven, plus 3,000 won for the card. It breaks even at about four rides a day. It does not cover Gyeonggi province’s red express buses, the Shinbundang line or the airport train beyond Gimpo, so check before using it for day trips.

Most visitors land at Incheon (ICN), about 50 km west of central Seoul. AREX (the Airport Railroad) has two services. The all-stop commuter train reaches Seoul Station from Terminal 2 in about 67 minutes for 5,350 won with T-money, stopping at Gimpo Airport and Hongik University (for Hongdae) on the way. The Express train runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and 51 from Terminal 2, for around 11,000 won, every 30 to 40 minutes.

Airport limousine buses suit anyone staying in Gangnam, Myeongdong, Jamsil or near a big hotel: they cost 17,000 to 18,000 won and take 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, with ticket desks in the arrivals hall. A taxi to central Seoul costs 65,000 to 90,000 won including tolls. Some KTX trains run directly from Incheon Airport, but frequencies are low; for Busan, most people take AREX to Seoul Station and change. Gimpo (GMP), used for Jeju and other domestic flights, is on subway lines 5 and 9 as well as AREX.

Buses go everywhere the KTX does not and are often faster for the east coast and small towns. Express buses (gosok) run between big cities from Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Gangnam, line 3, 7 and 9 station), Central City terminal next door for the southwest, and Dong Seoul Terminal for Sokcho, Gangneung and the east. Intercity buses (sioe) serve smaller towns from separate terminals, often next to the express one.

Seats come in three classes: general (four across), udeung (three wide reclining seats) and premium (21 near-lie-flat seats with screens). Seoul to Busan takes about 4 hours 15 minutes, Seoul to Jeonju about 2 hours 45, Seoul to Sokcho about 2 hours 30, and fares are generally 30 to 50 percent below the KTX for the same route. Night buses after 10pm carry a small surcharge. Book on the Kobus app (express) or Bustago (intercity), or buy at terminal machines that take foreign cards. Buses make one 15-minute rest-area stop on journeys over about three hours, and the driver will not wait for latecomers.

Domestic flights make sense mainly for Jeju. Korean Air, Asiana and low-cost carriers including Jeju Air, Jin Air, T’way, Air Busan, Air Seoul and Eastar Jet fly Gimpo to Jeju in about 65 minutes, with dozens of departures a day and one-way fares from about 30,000 won midweek to over 100,000 on holiday weekends. Busan’s Gimhae airport, Daegu, Gwangju, Cheongju and Yeosu also fly to Jeju. On the mainland the KTX is usually faster door to door than flying. Carry your passport for domestic check-in.

Ferries to Jeju are slower but take cars and save a night’s hotel on overnight routes. The quickest crossings are from Wando (about 1 hour 40 minutes to 3 hours) and Mokpo (about 4 to 5 hours); Yeosu and Goheung also have services, while Busan and Incheon run overnight boats. Smaller ferries reach Udo from Jeju itself, Tongyeong’s islands, and the West Sea islands from Incheon. Schedules change by season and weather, so check sailings a day before.

Taxis are cheap by world standards. Seoul’s regular orange, silver or white taxis start at 4,800 won for the first 1.6 km, with a late-night surcharge of 20 to 40 percent between 10pm and 4am; black “deluxe” taxis cost more. Few drivers speak English, so show the destination in Korean on your phone. Kakao T is the app everyone uses to hail cabs, and it accepts most foreign Visa and Mastercard cards; Uber also operates in Seoul through local taxis. T-money and cards work in almost every cab.

For navigation, download Naver Map (which has an English interface) or KakaoMap before you arrive. Google Maps shows public transport routes but cannot give walking or driving directions in Korea because of government restrictions on map data, and its business listings are thin. Naver Map gives exact subway exits, bus arrival times and walking routes.

You do not need a car in Korean cities, where parking is hard and public transport is better. Driving is worth it mainly on Jeju, where buses are slow and the coast, the Olle trails and Hallasan trailheads are spread out, and to a lesser degree for rural Gangwon and the southern coast. Rental costs about 30,000 to 80,000 won a day on Jeju plus fuel.

To rent you need your home licence plus an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, obtained before you leave home, and most companies require you to be 21 or over with at least a year’s driving experience. Korea drives on the right. Speed cameras are everywhere and fines follow the rental car to your card; car GPS units and Naver Map announce them. Highways have tolls payable by card, and drink-driving limits are strict at 0.03 percent blood alcohol.

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