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Hi, I’m SeoulAslanSemiwon Garden by Subway from Seoul: Hours, Tickets, Autumn Visit (2026)
Checked Oct 18, 2026
Semiwon (세미원) is a waterside garden in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi, reachable from Seoul on the Gyeongui–Jungang Line: get off at Yangsu Station and walk about 700 m. Adults pay 7,000 won, no booking is needed, and it is open 09:00–18:00 every day through October, then closed on Mondays from November. Its Water Lily Culture Festival runs until Oct 31. The garden's own site says the area is always congested and recommends public transport.
My family has been going to Semiwon, on and off, for a very long time. My parents like it, and it is not far from Seoul, so we went for the water and some fresh air. At some point the whole area became famous for second houses, the roads started to jam, and we stopped going. I have not been this year, so this guide comes from the garden's and the expo's own pages, not from a visit.
Jump to: What it is · Autumn visit · Getting there · Cost and hours · Dumulmeori · FAQ
What is Semiwon, and why is it famous?
It is a 127,085 sq m garden on the Namhan and Bukhan river side, built from May 2004 and holding about 270 kinds of plants, around 70 of them water plants (Semiwon's own overview). It became Gyeonggi Province's first local garden in 2019. It is best known for lotus and water lilies. Its signature is the Baedari (배다리), a floating bridge of 44 traditional boats about 200 m long that links the garden to Dumulmeori; it re-opened in 2024 and recalls King Jeongjo's royal procession, according to Semiwon.
What can you see at Semiwon in autumn?
Lotus is a summer flower, so by late October expect leaves, water lilies and seasonal displays rather than lotus blooms. The garden's "Water Lily Culture Festival" runs Sept 1–Oct 31 with Saturday performances, three exhibitions and crafts you book on the garden's site. Semiwon's notice board for Oct 5–7 showed chrysanthemum displays going into the Tropical Water Lily Garden, and its "Today's Semiwon" page posts photos of the current state, so look there before you go.
- The expo has finished. The 14th Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo was held at Semiwon and Dumulmeori on Oct 16–19, 2026, with admission free during those days. Normal tickets and hours apply again.
- November. The garden stays open 09:00–18:00 but closes every Monday from November to March. If a Monday is a public holiday, the closing day moves to the next day.
How do you get to Semiwon from Seoul?
Take the Gyeongui–Jungang Line toward Yongmun. Semiwon's directions list the stops: Munsan, Yongsan, Oksu, Wangsimni, Cheongnyangni, Hoegi, Deokso, Yangsu, Yangpyeong, Yongmun. Get off at Yangsu Station and walk about 700 m. Naver Map shows the live ride time for your start station, and it is covered in the map comparison. Subway basics are in the subway guide.
| # | Place | How to use it | Naver Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Semiwon (세미원) | The garden · 93 Yangsu-ro, Yangseo-myeon | Open |
| 2 | Yangsu Station (양수역) | Gyeongui–Jungang Line · about 700 m on foot | Open |
| 3 | Dumulmeori (두물머리) | Across the Baedari bridge from Semiwon | Open |
| 4 | Gangbyeon Station (강변역) | Start of bus 2000-1 | Open |
| 5 | Jamsil Station (잠실역) | Start of bus 2000-2 | Open |
- Buses. Bus 2000-1 from Gangbyeon Station and 2000-2 from Jamsil Station stop in front of Semiwon, about 100 m from the gate. Both are limited weekday routes, so at a weekend use the train; the Yangpyeong terminal answers bus questions on 031-772-2341. Express bus G9311 stops at Yangsu Police Station, about 600 m away.
- By car. Semiwon says the area is always congested and asks visitors to use public transport. The Yangseo sports park car park beside it is closed for building work, so use the public car parks, about a 5-minute walk away.
- The traffic is why my family stopped going. On a sunny autumn weekend I would take the train.
How much does Semiwon cost, and what are the rules?
| Ticket | Price | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 7,000 won | Age 19 and over |
| Discount | 4,000 won | Children and teens aged 6 and over, age 65 and over, mild disability |
| Group | 4,000 won | 30 or more, no further discounts |
| Free | 0 won | Age 5 and under, Yangpyeong residents, and some other groups with proof |
- Local voucher. The ticket page says adults get a 2,000 won Yangpyeong gift voucher and discounted tickets get 1,000 won.
- Hours. 09:00–18:00, last entry 17:30, tickets sold until 30 minutes before closing. No closing day from April to October.
- Food. Food is not allowed inside; drinks are. Pets (except assistance dogs), tents, bicycles, balls, drones, speakers and musical instruments are not allowed either. There is a book café, and a shop beside the ticket office sells lotus-leaf, lotus-seed and lotus-root buns.
- Guided tour. A culture and tourism interpreter can be booked free (admission extra) by phone at 031-775-2009.
What is Dumulmeori, and can you walk there?
Dumulmeori (두물머리) is where the Namhan and Bukhan rivers meet. From Semiwon you cross the Baedari floating bridge to reach it, a short walk. Korea Tourism Organization lists no entrance fee and a zelkova tree more than 400 years old. It was the second site of the garden expo in mid-October.
The simplest route is Semiwon first, across the Baedari to Dumulmeori, then back the same way to Yangsu Station. On a fine weekend expect the walking route and the Baedari to be busy. For another day trip east of Seoul, see the Nami Island ferry times guide, and for the festivals running in Seoul until the end of October, the Oct 12–31 festival list.
FAQ
Is Semiwon open in October and November?
Yes. It is open every day from 09:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:30, through October. From November to March it is closed on Mondays.
Do I need to book Semiwon?
No, not for entry. The garden's workshops, such as natural dyeing and mood lights, are booked on its site.
Which subway line goes to Semiwon?
The Gyeongui–Jungang Line toward Yongmun. It runs from Seoul's Yongsan, Wangsimni and Cheongnyangni stations to Yangsu Station, then it is about 700 m on foot.
Are the lotus flowers in bloom in autumn?
No, lotus is a summer flower. In October the garden's Water Lily Culture Festival runs to Oct 31, and its notice board showed chrysanthemum displays. "Today's Semiwon" shows the current state.
What to watch next
"Today's Semiwon" posts photos of what is on show, a good look before you set out.
Sources
- Semiwon, official site, checked Oct 18, 2026 (Korean): visitor information · directions · overview · facilities · guide booking · notice board · Water Lily Culture Festival notice · Today's Semiwon
- 2026 14th Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo, official site (Korean): overview
- Yangpyeong County tourism, 2026 Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo (Korean)
- Gyeonggi Province news, Baedari re-opening, May 7, 2024 (Korean) · Korea Tourism Organization, Dumulmeori (Korean)
- Photos: Korea Tourism Organization photo gallery, Korea Open Government License Type 1 (credited; cropped to size)
— SeoulAslan
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