Day Trips from Seoul

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There are lots of things to do in Seoul but if you want to escape the city, there are numerous day trips from Seoul.

From the natural wonders of Nami Island and the Garden of Morning Calm to the solemn history, there are a wide range of day-trips from Seoul – many of these can be done independently using trains or buses, and some by using organised tours.

Eunpyeong Hanok Village Seoul — *Eunpyeong Hanok Village*

A little further afield, jump on South Korea’s KTX High Speed train to Gyeongju or do a day tour from Seoul to Seoraksan National Park. Alternatively, for budget breaks, just use the subway / bus to Eunpyeong hanok, Seoul’s lesser known hanok village.

With destination highlights and how to reach all of them by public transport or inexpensive tours, here is our guide to the best day-trips from Seoul in South Korea.

You might like – 40 best things to do in South Korea >

South Korea checklist

We love using agoda.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.

For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, Trazy or Klook.

For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.

Table of Contents

Using Seoul public transport for day-trips

Seoul has one of the best transport infrastructures in the world – from the airport limousine buses from Incheon International Airport to the huge subway network, getting around Seoul is easy and inexpensive.

Even taxis in Seoul and South Korea are relatively inexpensive compared to other parts of the world.

*Premium long distance buses in South Korea*

We’ve put together a guide to the best South Korea travel apps to use whilst in Seoul including transport, taxi and translations apps.

Don’t forget to buy a T-Money card or Climate card for getting around Seoul – you just tap on and off every time.

For those that are better reached by shuttle bus or tour (for instance, you must have a registered tour guide for the DMZ), check out the best Seoul day trips with Viator, Trazy, Klook and Get Your Guide,

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1. DMZ tour from Seoul

The DMZ is the heavily controlled border separating North and South Korea – unlike most day trips from Seoul on this lift, a visit to the DMZ MUST be done with a professional tour guide. You are not allowed to visit independently.

You can book half day DMZ tours from Seoul that usually start with a visit to Imjingak Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park (where you can see the famed Bridge to Freedom and buy North Korean money as souvenirs).

Given the history and complex relationship of North and South Korea, this is an interesting way to learn about this important piece of history and is an easy day trip from Seoul (many tours are available).

At Imjingak Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park you get to look across into North Korea from the Dorasan Observatory. Using telescopes and state of the art electronic cameras, you can see guards on patrol in North Korea plus farmers and local residents go about their daily work.

Finally, take a long, dark walk down into the 3rd Infiltration Tunnel, built by North Korea as a means of invasion (although they still deny this, even though four such infiltration tunnels exist).

Book a DMZ tour with Viator, Trazy or Klook.

Or look to do a DMZ Tour from Seoul with a North Korean Defector >

CK Travels Tip – another possible day to the DMZ you can do independently is to the new Starbucks at Aegibong Peace Ecopark which has a terrace and seating area looking out into North Korea. The journey takes around two hours one-way from downtown Seoul using buses, trains and the Metro so you might want to drive instead.

How to get to the DMZ from Seoul

You need a professional guide to accompany you so this is the one day-trip from Seoul you can’t do independently, if you want to go inside the main historic sites.

Read more in our guide to visiting the DMZ from Seoul >

You might like these Seoul neighbourhood guides:
Hannam-dong
Hongdae
Myeong-dong
Insadong
Ikseon-dong
Gangnam
Seongsu-dong
Euljiro
Itaewon
Dongdaemun

Or check out our best neighbourhoods in Seoul Guide >

2. Nami Island

One of the best day-trips from Seoul, Nami Island is home to wonderful woodland walks along the river, beautiful landscapes and an incredible array of wildlife including hundreds of wild rabbits.

Popularised by a starring role in the romantic K Drama ‘Winter Sonata” (there is even a commemorative statue of the characters), Nami Island has dozens of cafes and other attractions to enjoy, from zip lines to boat hire.

We’ve visited Nami Island in autumn on a couple of occasions and were amazed by the incredible colours and fall foliage of the red maple leaf and yellow ginkgo trees.

Located in the middle of the Han River and just over 60km away from South Korea’s capital, Nami Island is located in the Gwanghwamun and Jongno region.

The island has an area of over 460,000m² and an outer riverside walking trail that is 5km. Formed by the sediment of pebbles and sand, there are no mountains on the island but it is home to huge trees, flora and fauna plus lots of wildlife.

CK Travels Tip – You can even arrive on Nami Island at speed via a zip-line across the water – wow!

Read our detailed guide to Nami Island here >

How to get to Nami Island from Seoul

Nami Island is 63 km from Seoul and can be visited via a tour from Seoul, shuttle bus , train or car.

We would recommend taking a Nami Island tour from Seoul as they usually include the admission fee to the island, a central Seoul pick-up and drop-off, plus a knowledgeable guide with local insights.

Many Nami Island tours from Seoul also offer options to visit places on the same day like Petite France, the Rail Bike and the Garden of Morning Calm.

Getting the train from Seoul to Nami Island
The nearest train station to Nami Island is Gapyeong Station. From Gapyeong Station, Nami Island ferry terminal is about 1.5km away. It takes 20 minutes to walk, or 5 minutes in a taxi.

By subway train to Gapyeong Station
Take the subway train along the Gyeongchun Line from Sangbong Station to Gapyeong Station (about 50 minutes).

By ITX high speed train to Gapyeong Station
Take the ITX Cheongchun train from Yongsan station to Gapyeong Station (about 57 minutes). You can also take the train from either Cheongnyangni station or Chuncheon station.

You might like – Our things to do in Seoul at night >

3. Garden of Morning Calm

The Garden of Morning Calm is a must visit and an easy day-trip from Seoul. With 30 gardens to explore and cute cafes overlooking gorgeous green spaces, South Korea’s Garden of Morning Calm is one of the most incredible arboretums in the world.

From traditional Korean gardens to English cottages, colourful conservatories to pretty ponds, the Garden of Morning Calm has much to explore and is a peaceful place in the mountains.

Located on Chungryeongsan Mountain and a popular K-drama filming location (‘Love in the Moonlight’ and ‘Now We Are Breaking Up’), it opened in 1996 and was curated by Professor Sang-kyung Hang. It is the result of his vision to open a world-class beautiful garden, inspired by his teaching in the United States.

One of the key design points and philosophies of the Gardens of Morning Calm is that there are no straight lines on display as there is beauty in curves and asymmetry.

Read our full guide to visiting the Garden of Morning Calm including admission prices >

How to get to The Garden of Morning Calm

The easiest way to get to the Garden of Morning Calm from Seoul is by public transport or via a Garden of Morning Calm tour – they usually include admission, a central Seoul pick-up and drop-off plus a knowledgeable guide with local insights.

You can book a tour from Seoul to the Garden of Morning Calm with Klook, Viator or GetYourGuide.

Alternatively, to get there by public transport, you can take a bus or subway from Seoul to Cheongpyeong Station and then take a 20 minute taxi to the gardens (the taxi should cost between 15,000 Won and 20,000 Won).

You might like – Our guide to the Discover Seoul Pass, 70 attractions for 1 one low price >

4. Eunpyeong Hanok Village

One of Seoul’s most sublime suburbs, Eunpyeong Hanok Village feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city – and yet it is only a short bus ride away.

Whilst most tourists visit Ikseon-dong hanok village or Bukchon Hanok Village, Eunpyeong Hanok Village is a much quieter but equally epic Seoul neighborhood that has cute cafes, museums plus beautiful views of Bukhansan Mountain.

A relatively new hanok village established in 2014 to help promote Korean culture, several K-dramas have been filmed at Eunpyeong Hanok Village including ‘Somebody’ (Netflix), ‘The Third Marriage’ and ‘Moving’.

For the best aerial views of Eunpyeong Hanok Village and the surrounding mountains, head to 1in1jan cafe. This six storey restaurant and cafe offers incredible panoramic vistas of Namsan mountain and the houses below.

Read our ultimate guide to visiting Eunpyeong Hanok Village in Seoul >

How to get to Eunpyeong Hanok Village

For most visitors to Eunpyeong Hanok Village, it will require a metro ride and then a short bus trip – be sure to have a T-Money card to make using public transport in Seoul and South Korea much easier.

The nearest metro station to Eunpyeong Hanok Village is Gupabal station on Line 3 of the Seoul subway. You can then take a bus from there to Hana High School bus stop which is in front of Eunpyeong Hanok Village.

If you are staying in Myeongdong, you can take the red subway line to Yeonsinnae station and then take bus 701 or 7211 – these bus stops are about a 2 minute walk from the station.

Check on Naver or Google maps as to the best way to get to Eunpyeong Hanok Village.

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5. Seoraksan National Park

South Korea’s Seoraksan National Park is stunning and about 3 hours outside of Seoul.

There are various hikes for all abilities in the Seoraksan National Park – surprisingly as well as tranquil temples, there were also a lot of food courts and restaurants by the entrance – but we found a nice coffee shop with amazing views.

South Korea Seoraksan National Park - day trip from Seoul

bronze Seoraksan Buddha, South Korea Seoraksan National Park - day trip from Seoul

The walks in the park are amazing and there are trails for all abilities – if you don’t fancy hiking, there is a cable car that goes high into the mountains or take a stroll to Seoraksan Sinheungsa Temple located within the park. Also look out for the huge bronze Seoraksan Buddha, Sinheungsa.

We visited Seoraksan National Park in October 2024 as part of a day trip from Seoul to see the autumn leaves and explore the trails – our highlight was the trail alongside Biryong Falls and up to a suspension bridge with amazing valley views.

How to get to Seoraksan National Park from Seoul

Given the remote location of Seoraksan, if you don’t have a car, you are best to do a group tour or a shuttle to the national park.

Mount Seorak hike with Naksansa Temple or Nami Island from Seoul >

Mount Seorak, Nami Island and Korean Garden tour from Seoul >

6. Incheon

A lot of travellers to Seoul think that Incheon is just about the airport, but there are lots of fun things to do in Incheon and it is easily reached by MRT.

Wolmido Island in Incheon is a nice place to get away from it, from waterside coffee shops and its Culture Street to a very vintage themed park. K-Pop fans may also recognise it as the ocean view from their video ‘For you MV’.

Go for a walk along Songdo Central Park or Incheon Grand Park or look down on it all from G Tower, an observation deck with free entry. Finally, Incheon has lots of shopping areas and malls so shop ‘til you drop.

How to get to Incheon from Seoul

The journey from Seoul Station to Incheon Station is direct and takes just over an hour – from Incheon Station, you can walk to most major attractions.

There are several day trip group tours to Incheon including this one which includes Incheon Seagull Feeding / Seaside Rail Bike / Inspire / Wolmi Train on Klook, or this Incheon Inspire Resort & Theme Park & China/Japan Town & Beach Tour.

You might like – Our guide to 20+ Seoul best malls and shopping districts >

7. Gyeongju

First things first – this is one the LONGEST day-trips from Seoul and 2.5 hours by KTX train or 3.5 hours by bus or car (so you’d have to leave early and return late) – however if you only have limited time in Seoul, Gyeongu’s history and ancient wonders are worth making the effort.

Gyeongju is one of South Korea’s best preserved ancient cities with the most temples, pagodas and former palaces anywhere in the country. Famous attractions include the Gyeongju Gyochon Traditional Village, Woljeonggyo Bridge and Bulguksa Temple.

Very different from the big cities of Busan and Seoul, Gyeongju is a marvelous mix of old and new South Korea and once the capital of the Korean Silla Dynasty – for every cool coffee shop, there is a historic hanok house or centuries old site.

From hanbok hire to tranquil temples, night markets to craft beer breweries, these are the very best things to do in Gyeongju, South Korea >

How to get to Gyeongju From Seoul

The best way to reach Gyeongju from Seoul is by bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal. The journey takes 3.5 hours. Book your Seoul to Gyeongju bus ticket on Klook >

Alternatively you can reach Gyeongju from Seoul by taking the high-speed KTX train from either Seoul Station or Yongsan Station to Gyeongju Station.

Please note Gyeongju Station is located quite far from the city center so we recommend taking the bus. The journey takes around 2.5 hours. Book your Seoul to Gyeongju KTX train ticket on Klook >

Or check out this Seoul to Gyeongju 1 day tour on Viator >