Before You Go Korea

Checked Oct 10, 2026 Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. When you book through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change the prices I show or what I recommend. Details in my Privacy Policy . Gwangalli Beach and Gwangan Bridge at night, Busan. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) Between Oct 12 and Oct 31, 2026, Seoul and Busan have 11 events worth planning around. Free to walk in: the Seoul Silver Grass Festival (Oct 17 to 23), the Hangang drone show (Sat Oct 31), Busan's Saturday drone shows at Gwangalli Beach, and the Seoul palaces from Oct 29. Book or sign up early for the Joseon Royal Tombs Festival (foreigners book in English on Creatrip), the Hansik Festa (sign-up opens Mon Oct 12) and the Namsan Night Festival (booking opens Mon Oct 12). The Busan International Film Festival ends Oct 15. Each event below has the date, place, subway exit, cost and one tip. Window Mon Oct 12 to Sat Oct 31, 2026 (plus one Busan eve...

Checked Oct 5, 2026 💬 Reader Question · asked by a traveler on Threads Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. When you book through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change the prices I show or what I recommend. Details in my Privacy Policy . Day 1 Incheon to Busan, day 4 Busan back to Seoul. Photo: Busan Tourism Organization via Korea Tourism Organization If you land at Incheon, go straight to Busan, and come back to Seoul on day 4, the cheapest way is the K-Tour Pass 1 (15,000 won) for the trip down and a regular KTX ticket for the trip back. For this route that comes to about 102,040 won in KTX fares and pass, against 108,800 won for two plain tickets and 131,000 won for a 2-day KORAIL PASS. The K-Tour Pass discount only works going to Busan, so the ride back is full fare whatever you do. A reader messaged me with exactly this plan. He'd noticed the discount worked from Incheon to Busan but not on the way back, and asked whic...

Checked Oct 3, 2026 Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. When you book through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change the prices I show or what I recommend. Details in my Privacy Policy . Orangdae on the Gijang coast, September 2023. Photo: Aslan Most Busan attractions cost less on Klook than at the gate if you hold a foreign passport: Busan X the Sky is 18,400 won instead of 29,000, Lotte World Busan 33,200 instead of 49,000. So if you have the K-Tour Pass and its one free entry, use it on the place that would cost you the most online, and book the rest ahead. Prices below are what each place and Klook listed on Oct 3, 2026. I've been to Busan four or five times, once before I got married and again with my kids. After a few trips I started using it as a base for Ulsan, Namhae and Geoje. I keep going back for the food, Jagalchi Market, Dongbaek Island, even the subway. I'm not sure I'd want to live there, but as a plac...

Checked Oct 3, 2026 Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. When you book through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't change the prices I show or what I recommend. Details in my Privacy Policy . Korea launched the K-Tour Pass for Busan on Oct 1, 2026. Photo: Busan Tourism Organization via Korea Tourism Organization The K-Tour Pass is a new 15,000 won pass, for foreign visitors only, that bundles travel discounts for a trip to Busan. It gives you 50% off one one-way AREX Express ticket, either 40% off a one-way train or bus to Busan or 24,000 won off a KORAIL PASS, free entry to one of 35 attractions (34 in Busan, plus Gyeongju World), and a WOWPASS card. Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (문화체육관광부) and the Korea Tourism Organization (한국관광공사) started it as a pilot on Oct 1, 2026. Before any trip abroad I ask the same five things: does cash work, how do the ticket machines work, does my card work, can I just tap, and where ...

Checked Sept 30, 2026 Busan in a day from Seoul, by KTX. Image: Before You Go Korea Yes. With the KTX, Busan works as a day trip from Seoul. The first train leaves Seoul Station at 05:13 and reaches Busan at 07:50. The last daily train back leaves Busan at 22:10 and gets into Seoul at 00:42. That's up to 14 hours 20 minutes in Busan, for 54,400 won each way in a standard adult seat. Two things changed this autumn. SRT merged into KTX on Sept 1, 2026, so the trains from Suseo are KTX now too. And from Oct 1, tickets go on sale two months ahead instead of one. I once wanted to see Amalfi so badly that I went from Rome, and the schedule still got me back to my room in Rome the same day. Korea has the KTX, so even if you finish late, Seoul to Busan and back fits in one day. You just have to get the train times right. Fastest train 2 h 18 min, Seoul Station to Busan First down 05:13 Seoul Station → 07:50 Busan, daily Last back 22:10 Busan → 00:42 Seoul Station, dail...