Getting Around Korea: Trains, Buses, Flights and City Transport

Overview

South Korea is compact and well connected. High-speed KTX trains link Seoul with most large cities in about two to three hours, buses fill in the gaps, and Jeju is a short flight away. Inside cities, subways and buses all accept the same rechargeable transport cards.

Trains: KTX and conventional services

Korail runs almost all of Korea’s passenger trains. The KTX family (KTX, KTX-Sancheon and KTX-Eum) serves Busan, Gyeongju, Daejeon, Gwangju, Jeonju, Gangneung and many other cities. Slower ITX-Cheongchun, ITX-Saemaeul, Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains stop at smaller towns and cost less.

Since 1 September 2026 the former SRT high-speed service is part of Korail. Its trains now run as KTX-Sancheon, mostly from Suseo Station in southern Seoul, while other KTX trains leave from Seoul, Yongsan and Cheongnyangni stations. Korail lowered KTX fares by an average of about 10% at the same time; Seoul–Busan now costs ₩54,400 in standard class.

Korail’s English website sells tickets up to two months ahead. Buy them there, in the Korail+ app, at ticket machines or at station counters. Foreign visitors making several long trips can buy a rail pass: see KORAIL PASS: types, prices and is it worth it.

Typical journey times from Seoul

From	To	Train	Typical time
Seoul Station	Busan	KTX	from about 2 h 20 min (fastest trains); many stop more and take longer
Seoul Station	Gyeongju (Gyeongju Station, formerly Singyeongju)	KTX	about 2 h 10 min
Seoul Station	Gangneung	KTX-Eum	about 2 h
Yongsan	Jeonju	KTX	about 1 h 40 min

Express and intercity buses

Long-distance buses reach many places without a railway station. Express buses run non-stop on expressways between major cities. Intercity buses make stops along the way and serve more small towns. Neither has toilets on board, so longer routes stop at motorway service areas.

In Seoul, express buses leave from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal and Central City (both at Express Bus Terminal subway station), while Dong Seoul Terminal and Seoul Nambu Terminal handle many intercity routes. Always check which terminal your bus uses. Tickets can be booked on the official express bus site (kobus.co.kr) and the intercity bus site (txbus.t-money.co.kr), both of which have English pages, or bought at terminal counters and kiosks.

City subways, buses and transport cards

Seoul, Busan and other large cities have subway networks backed by dense city bus systems. The easiest way to pay is a rechargeable T-money card. It is sold at convenience stores and at subway stations (no ID needed), topped up at subway ticket machines, and accepted on subways and buses nationwide and in taxis with card readers.

Seoul’s Climate Card unlimited pass changed in 2026: the 30-day version could no longer be recharged after 31 August 2026 and is being phased out, but the short-term 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7-day versions for visitors continue. Holders of a KORAIL PASS can add a Rail+ transport card for ₩8,000 through KORAIL PASS Plus, which works on subways and buses nationwide.

From Incheon Airport, the AREX airport railway runs to Seoul Station; Korail lists the AREX express ticket at ₩13,000.

Domestic flights

Domestic flights matter mainly for Jeju. Gimpo Airport in Seoul has flights to Jeju, Gimhae (Busan), Ulsan, Yeosu, Gwangju and other cities, and Jeju International Airport is linked to nearly every airport in the country. Korean Air, Asiana and several low-cost carriers fly these routes.

Ferries

Ferries serve Korea’s islands. Ulleungdo, for example, is reached by boat from Mukho Port near Donghae on the east coast. Busan, Incheon and other ports also have international ferries to Japan and China. Schedules change with the season and the weather, so check before you travel.

Taxis

Kakao T is the taxi app most Koreans use. Its sister app k.ride, launched in 2024 for foreign visitors, works in English, Japanese and Chinese, does not need a KakaoTalk account, and lets you register an overseas credit card for in-app payment.

Where to go next

Start with Seoul, then head south to Gyeongju and Busan, or fly to Jeju. Check what to sort out before you go, including the K-ETA.