KTX and SRT high-speed trains cover the Busan - Seoul route on the Gyeongbu Line in as little as 2 hours 18 minutes, with 85 daily departures from Busan Station, Seoul Station and Suseo Station, running from 05:13 to 22:49. Both services arrive directly at central Seoul Station. On board you'll find allocated seating in Standard or First Class, power outlets, and vending machines. Browse the full schedule, compare fares, and book your KTX ticket online from $34 - your e-ticket arrives instantly, no queuing at the station required.
417 km
Korean trains were using French TGV technology, which is great (up to 305 km/hour). But Koreans took the next step and developed new trains that are even faster - up to 421 km/hour. It should be noted, however, these are speeds without passengers. Trains loaded with passengers run at somewhat slower speeds for safety reasons.
Korea prides itself on punctuality of its trains. It is the Asian equivalent of Swiss train punctuality in fact. It's a notable engineering achievement of Korea.
The country is quite compact and you can cross from north to south in just 2.5 hours on a high speed train. In essence, the whole country has become one large megalopolis thanks to these high speed train networks.
Korea is a very mountainous country, so you need a lot of bridges and tunnels to keep the trains running fast and smooth at speeds of 300 km/h. Luckily Korea built a massive network of tunnels and bridges and now has one of the most advanced transportation systems in the world.
Korea is famous not just for how modern and punctual its trains are, but also how immaculately clean they are too. Unlike in many European countries where trains are cleaned only at the end of the day, in Korea, trains are cleaned at every major station, again and again.
When you take a train from Busan or Seoul you don't need to worry about connectivity because wifi will work during your entire journey, even in the tunnels.
People stay quiet on Korean trains. You can use your phone, but don't overreach it - keep your tone down and conversation brief. It is a Korean tradition and etiquette not to be loud so as not to disturb others. If you need to have a long conversation, please step out from your seat and move to the hallway area. Our American friends, who can be loud sometimes, please make a special note of that.
Koreans love to buy food for the train, like snacks or ramen. Eating on the train is totally acceptable and customary. While you can buy some food in cafes on KTX trains, you can get a wider variety of options at the train station. Drinking beer on the train is also permitted.
Station names are simple Seoul Station in Seoul and Busan Station in Busan. Unlike some countries with confusing station names, Korea keeps it easy for travelers.
Both stations are centrally located. Busan Station is close to the waterfront, Jagalchi Fish Market, and the lively Nampo-dong district filled with restaurants and shops.
Plan to arrive 30 minutes before departure. Buy your snacks, locate the platform for boarding. The platform will display numbers for your train car too, so check your ticket for the car number and then locate it on the platform. Remember, the train only stops briefly so get ready before the train arrives. If you are having trouble locating your platform, ask someone around - Koreans are very helpful and nice to foreigners.
Stops are not long, so get ready to leave the train in advance. Take your luggage and head towards the exit door a few minutes before scheduled arrival. This is especially relevant for busy intermediary (non-final) stations like Daejeon or Daegu.
When your train arrives at Busan station, you will probably want to look for a taxi. The taxi stand is right outside the station. One piece of advice about taxis - make sure that you take a picture of your hotel name in Korean as taxi drivers may not read English.
You do not need to check in bags like you would on a train. You don't pay any fees for luggage as long as you can fit it. And there is no assistance with luggage - you have to carry it yourself. General guideline is that each passenger can bring luggage up to roughly 32 kg and within about 1.5 m total dimensions without issue.
There are overhead racks for smaller bags, such as backpacks or smaller cabin size suitcases. There are large baggage racks at the end of each car by the entry/exit doors. Luggage racks are not supervised, so you are responsible for keeping an eye on it yourself. Don't leave any valuables or passports in unsupervised luggage.
If you have advertised items (bikes, surfboards, etc), you may need to make special arrangements at the train station. Arrive 1.5 hours earlier and talk to station representatives about it.
If you planned your trip in a way that you need to keep your luggage somewhere, you can use station storage.
The most comfortable smooth ride is in cars located in the middle of the train.
It's slightly more expensive, but it has more comfortable seats, fewer people and more luggage space, so we highly recommend it.
There is a large electronic billboard that shows all departures. There are Korean and English versions available side by side. Look for destination Busan (부산 / Busan). Find you time departure and train number and remember that platform/track number (승강장 or "track").
Don't panic if your train is not there - Koreans sometimes publish it on the billboard 15-20 minutes before departure. But also don't be late. Trains may only take a couple minutes for boarding and you don't want to have to run to your train.
Once you know your platform/track, head there. Look for car position markers on the floor and overhead signs and walk to the marker matching your car number, and that's exactly where that car's door will line up when the train pulls in.
Before boarding the train, make sure it is the right one. Sometimes more than one train can be boarding on one track, especially in Seoul. Always verify train numbers. The train number will be displayed on each car, by the entrance. If you have any doubts, ask the train attendant for help - look for people in red uniforms (they speak English).
Rarely, KTX will combine two trains into one. They will start as one, but then split and go to different places. This is why you want to make sure you board the right train (look for the train number on the side).
Experience one of the most tech advanced journeys in the world across beautiful Korean landscapes as high-speed train weaves across beautiful country side.
Meet the brand-new AI specialist for Korean rail - fares, schedules and seat reservations, handled in seconds.
