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Itinerary · 10 days

Korea in 10 Days: Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan and Jeju

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Korea in 10 Days: Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan and Jeju

Ten days fits Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan and Jeju: 3 nights in Seoul, 1 in Gyeongju, 2 in Busan and 3 on Jeju. Ride the KTX south, fly Busan to Jeju (about 1 hour), and on the last day fly Jeju to Gimpo and take the AREX to Incheon, allowing at least 5 hours. Facts checked 15 October 2026.

Day Sleep in Main sights Getting there
1 Seoul Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, Changdeokgung, Insadong Subway
2 Seoul Gwangjang Market, DDP, N Seoul Tower, Myeongdong Subway, Namsan bus
3 Seoul Bongeunsa, Lotte World Tower, Hongdae Subway
4 Gyeongju Tomb park, Hwangnidan-gil, Wolji Pond at night KTX Seoul → Gyeongju, about 2 h 10 min
5 Busan Bulguksa, Seokguram, Gwangalli KTX Gyeongju → Busan, about 30 min
6 Busan Gamcheon, Jagalchi, Gukje Market Busan Metro Line 1
7 Jeju City Haedong Yonggungsa, Dongmun night market Flight Gimhae → Jeju, about 1 h
8 Seogwipo Manjanggul, Seongsan Ilchulbong, Cheonjiyeon at night Car or island buses
9 Jeju City Jeongbang Falls, Jusangjeolli, Hyeopjae, Iho Tewoo Car or island buses
10 — Departure Flight Jeju → Gimpo, about 1 h 10 min, then AREX to Incheon

This is the 7-day Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan route with three Jeju days added at the end. The mainland part follows one rail line, so nothing is backtracked; Jeju comes last because one flight brings you back to Seoul for an Incheon departure.

The two flights and the last-day transfer

The trip has two KTX rides, two domestic flights and one airport train. The flights are the part to get right.

Leg From To Time
Day 4 Seoul Station Gyeongju (경주) About 2 h 10 min by KTX
Day 5 Gyeongju (경주) Busan Station About 30 min by KTX
Day 7 Busan Gimhae Airport Jeju International Airport About 1 h in the air
Day 10 Jeju International Airport Seoul Gimpo Airport About 1 h 10 min in the air
Day 10 Gimpo Airport station Incheon Airport T1 / T2 37 / 44 min by all-stop AREX
  • Gimpo is not Incheon. Flights from Jeju land at Gimpo, Seoul’s domestic airport. The all-stop AREX train links them: ₩4,350 to Terminal 1 or ₩4,950 to Terminal 2 with a transport card, first train 05:42 (AREX, checked 15 October 2026). The express AREX does not stop at Gimpo.
  • Allow at least 5 hours from take-off in Jeju to your international departure. The two flights are separate tickets, so your bags come off at Gimpo and must be checked in again at Incheon, and a delay on the Jeju flight is not the long-haul airline’s problem.
  • Carry your passport on domestic flights. It is the photo ID foreign travellers show at check-in and security, and the name on the ticket must match it.
  • Gyeongju’s KTX station is now just “Gyeongju” (경주), renamed from Singyeongju on 28 December 2023. Seoul to Busan costs ₩54,400 one way in standard class since Korail cut KTX fares on 1 September 2026. See how to book KTX tickets.

Domestic fares change by the day and the airline, so compare them when you book. Weekend and holiday flights to Jeju fill first.

Jeju: rental car or buses?

Jeju is about 70 km across, and days 8 and 9 cover both ends of the island.

  • Rental car: the fastest way to fit in Manjanggul, Seongsan and the west coast. You need an International Driving Permit (issued under the Geneva or Vienna Convention), your home licence, your passport and a card, and you must be 21 or over. Korea drives on the right, the opposite of the UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and India.
  • Island buses: they reach every stop on this route, including express buses from the airport to Seongsan and Seogwipo, but rural buses run infrequently. Without a car, drop Udo on day 8 and either Manjanggul or the west coast on day 9.
  • Taxi tours: a hired taxi for the day is the middle option, with no driving and no bus timetables.

The Jeju guide covers buses, ferries and where to stay in more detail.

What to book before you go

  1. KTX seats for days 4 and 5. Sales open at 07:00 Korea time two months before departure; Friday to Sunday trains sell out first.
  2. Both domestic flights (Busan–Jeju on day 7, Jeju–Gimpo on day 10), with an early-afternoon flight on day 7 and an early flight on day 10.
  3. The Changdeokgung Secret Garden tour for day 1, a timed guided tour with a few English sessions a day.
  4. A rental car on Jeju (with your International Driving Permit arranged at home), or a hotel in Jeju City and Seogwipo near bus routes.
  5. A Hallasan summit slot, only if you swap day 9 for the hike. Bookings open at 09:00 on the first working day of the month before your hike, so it comes later than everything else.
  6. A K-ETA if your passport needs one, and a T-money card for subways, buses and the AREX.

Closing days and last entries

Place Day Closed or limited
Gyeongbokgung 1 Tuesdays
Changdeokgung 1 Mondays
Bukchon red zone 1 Tourists only 10:00–17:00
Gwangjang Market 2 General market closed Sundays (food alley open daily)
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond 4 Open daily 09:00–22:00, last entry 21:30
Jagalchi Market 6 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday of the month
Manjanggul Lava Tube 8 09:00–18:00, tickets until 17:00
Seongsan Ilchulbong 8 First Monday of the month: 2 Nov, 7 Dec 2026, 4 Jan 2027
Cheonjiyeon Falls 8 09:00–22:00, last entry 21:20
Jeongbang Falls 9 09:00–17:50 (earlier with sunset), last entry 17:30

If day 1 lands on a Monday or Tuesday, swap days 1 and 2 in Seoul. If day 8 is the first Monday of the month, swap days 8 and 9 on Jeju.

What the main sights cost

Item Adult price
Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung ₩3,000 each (₩6,000 integrated palace ticket covers both, plus three more sites)
Changdeokgung Secret Garden tour ₩5,000 extra
N Seoul Tower observatory ₩29,000
Seoul Sky, Lotte World Tower ₩33,000
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond ₩3,000
Bulguksa, Seokguram, Gamcheon, Haedong Yonggungsa Free
Seongsan Ilchulbong ₩5,000
Cheonjiyeon Falls, Jeongbang Falls ₩2,000 each
KTX Seoul–Busan, standard class ₩54,400 one way
AREX all-stop, Gimpo → Incheon T1 / T2 ₩4,350 / ₩4,950
Domestic flights Vary by date and airline

Entry fees for the whole trip stay under ₩100,000 even with both Seoul towers. The budget goes on hotels, the two flights, the KTX and, if you rent one, the car. Foreign visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over enter the royal palaces free.

Swaps for rain, Hallasan and a shorter trip

  • Hallasan: give it day 9. With a summit slot, start early on the Seongpanak trail (trails open at 05:00); last entry is 11:30 from October to March and 12:30 from April to September. Sleep in Jeju City the night before.
  • Rain on Jeju: Manjanggul is underground and the Haenyeo Museum is indoors; save the beaches and Seongsan for the dry day.
  • Autumn (late October to mid-November): Bulguksa is a classic maple spot, and Jeju’s oreum turn silver with grass. See autumn leaves in Korea.
  • Nine days: drop day 3 in Seoul.
  • Flying home from Jeju: if your airline has a direct flight home from Jeju, skip day 10 and fly out from there.

Book your trip

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Day 1: Palaces, Bukchon and Insadong (Seoul)

  1. Gyeongbokgung PalaceBe there for the 09:00 opening. Closed on Tuesdays; adults pay ₩3,000, and the ₩6,000 integrated ticket also covers Changdeokgung.
  2. Bukchon Hanok VillageWalk east through the hanok lanes. Tourists may enter the red zone around Bukchon-ro 11-gil only from 10:00 to 17:00.
  3. Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret GardenClosed on Mondays. The Secret Garden is a timed guided tour (₩5,000 extra); English tours start at 10:30, 11:30 and 14:30, plus 15:30 from March to November.
  4. InsadongCraft shops, galleries and teahouses for the late afternoon and dinner.

Day 2: Markets, Namsan and Myeongdong (Seoul)

  1. Gwangjang MarketLunch in the food alley (open daily 09:00–23:00). The general market around it closes on Sundays.
  2. Cheonggyecheon and Dongdaemun Design PlazaFollow the stream to Zaha Hadid's curving landmark and the fashion malls around it.
  3. N Seoul TowerGo up late in the afternoon to see the city by day and after dark. The observatory costs ₩29,000 for adults.
  4. MyeongdongCosmetics shops and evening street food at the foot of Namsan.

Day 3: Gangnam, Jamsil and Hongdae (Seoul)

  1. Bongeunsa Temple and Starfield LibraryA historic temple facing the COEX towers, then the tall bookshelf atrium inside the COEX mall.
  2. Lotte World Tower and Seoul SkyKorea's tallest building; Seoul Sky costs ₩33,000 for adults and opens at 10:30.
  3. HongdaeStreet performers, cafés and nightlife. Pack tonight: the train leaves in the morning.

Day 4: KTX to Gyeongju, tombs and Wolji Pond by night

  1. KTX from Seoul Station to Gyeongju StationAbout 2 hours 10 minutes. Book the station called Gyeongju (경주); it was named Singyeongju until December 2023. It lies on the western edge of the city, so take a city bus or taxi to your hotel.
  2. Daereungwon Tomb Complex and CheomseongdaeThe park of grassy royal mounds is free to walk; only the inside of Cheonmachong tomb charges a fee.
  3. Hwangnidan-gilHanok cafés and bakeries beside the tomb park, and a good street to sleep on for this one night.
  4. Donggung Palace and Wolji PondArrive after sunset, when the pavilions are lit. Open 09:00–22:00 (last entry 21:30), adults ₩3,000.

Day 5: Bulguksa and Seokguram, then on to Busan

  1. Bulguksa TempleGo first thing, before tour groups arrive. Admission has been free since May 2023.
  2. Seokguram GrottoBus 12 up from Bulguksa (08:40–16:40, every 60–80 minutes) or a 2.2 km forest trail, about 50 minutes. Also free.
  3. KTX from Gyeongju Station to Busan StationAbout 30 minutes. Collect your bags in town first, then allow time for the ride out to Gyeongju Station.
  4. Gwangalli BeachYour first Busan evening: dinner by the sand and Gwangan Bridge lit up after dark.

Day 6: Gamcheon, Jagalchi and old Busan

  1. Gamcheon Culture VillageVisitors may enter the residential alleys from 09:00 to 18:00 only. Entry is free.
  2. Jagalchi MarketSeafood lunch upstairs. The main building closes on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday of the month.
  3. Gukje Market and BIFF SquareCovered market streets and street-food stalls next door to Jagalchi.
  4. Busan TowerA view over the harbour from Yongdusan Park to finish the day.

Day 7: Haedong Yonggungsa, then fly to Jeju

  1. Haedong YonggungsaA temple on the sea rocks, open from 04:30 and free. Go early: Gimhae Airport is on the far western side of the city.
  2. Flight from Busan (Gimhae) to JejuAbout 1 hour in the air. Book an early-afternoon flight and carry your passport: it is the ID foreigners show for domestic flights.
  3. Dongmun MarketSleep in Jeju City tonight. The night market runs daily from 19:00 (May–October) or 18:00 (November–April) to midnight.

Day 8: Jeju's east coast and Seogwipo by night

  1. Manjanggul Lava TubeReopened on 30 May 2026 with about 1 km open on a level walkway. Open 09:00–18:00, tickets sold until 17:00.
  2. Seongsan IlchulbongA stair path climbs the tuff cone to a vast grassy crater. Adults ₩5,000. Closed on the first Monday of every month.
  3. Udo (optional)A short ferry from Seongsan Port to a small island of white-sand beaches. Skip it if you want daylight for the drive south.
  4. Cheonjiyeon FallsSleep in Seogwipo. The falls are lit after dark: open 09:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20), adults ₩2,000.

Day 9: Jeju's south and west coast (or Hallasan)

  1. Jeongbang FallsA waterfall that drops straight into the sea. Open 09:00–17:50 (last entry 17:30), adults ₩2,000.
  2. Jusangjeolli CliffHexagonal basalt columns on the shore near Jungmun.
  3. O'sulloc Tea Museum and Hyeopjae BeachGreen tea fields, then turquoise water on the west coast in the afternoon.
  4. Iho Tewoo BeachSunset by the horse-shaped lighthouses, then sleep in Jeju City, close to the airport.

Day 10: Fly back to Seoul and home

  1. Flight from Jeju to Seoul (Gimpo)About 1 hour 10 minutes in the air. Gimpo is Seoul's domestic airport, not Incheon.
  2. AREX from Gimpo Airport to Incheon AirportTake the all-stop AREX train: 37 minutes to Terminal 1 (₩4,350 by card) or 44 minutes to Terminal 2 (₩4,950). Allow at least 5 hours between the Jeju take-off and your international departure.

Frequently asked questions

Is 10 days enough for Seoul, Busan and Jeju?

Yes, at a steady pace: 3 nights in Seoul, 1 in Gyeongju, 2 in Busan and 3 on Jeju. It works because the mainland part follows one KTX line and Jeju is a one-hour flight from Busan. You will see the highlights of each place, not the whole of Jeju.

How do I get from Busan to Jeju?

Fly from Busan's Gimhae Airport to Jeju International Airport, about 1 hour in the air. Almost every visitor flies. Foreign travellers show their passport as ID for domestic flights.

How do I get from Jeju to my flight home at Incheon?

Fly from Jeju to Gimpo Airport in Seoul (about 1 hour 10 minutes), then take the all-stop AREX train to Incheon Airport: 37 minutes to Terminal 1 or 44 minutes to Terminal 2. The domestic and international flights are separate tickets, so collect and re-check your bags. Allow at least 5 hours.

Do I need a car on Jeju?

Not strictly, but it saves a lot of time. Island buses reach every sight on this route, including express buses from the airport, but rural services are infrequent. Renting needs an International Driving Permit, your passport and a card; Korea drives on the right, which matters for visitors from the UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and India.

Can I climb Hallasan on this trip?

Yes, by giving it day 9. The summit trails need a free reservation, which opens at 09:00 on the first working day of the previous month, so you cannot book it as early as your KTX seats. Without one, the Eorimok and Yeongsil trails need no booking. See the Hallasan page.

Should I do Jeju first or last?

Last, if you can fly home from Incheon: the mainland part then runs south without backtracking and only one flight takes you back to Seoul. If your airline flies directly to Jeju from your region, you can start there instead and finish in Seoul.

Which day of the week should I start?

Avoid starting on a Monday or a Tuesday, when Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung close. Then check that day 8 is not the first Monday of the month, when Seongsan Ilchulbong closes (2 November and 7 December 2026, 4 January 2027), and that day 6 is not a Jagalchi closing Tuesday.

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 15 October 2026. Prices, hours and rules change — confirm with the operator before you go.