KTX, Airplane, or bus?
Best ways to travel around Korea
Internship report by Jake
In this blog, 3 transportation methods will be compared to see what are the pros and the cons of each transportation method and compare prices from Seoul To Busan. A bonus transportation method is mentioned at the end.
Firstly, Korean Train Express or better known as KTX is a high-speed railway service that can reach the top speed of 305 kilometers per hour (approximately 190 miles per hour).
There are plenty of trains going daily between Seoul and Busan. And it takes approximately 2,5 hours from Seoul Station to Busan Station. And can be booked on Korea's official website: https://info.korail.com/infoeng/index.do
For first-class, you will pay 83,700₩ and for economy Class 59,800₩ for a one-way ticket. For the KTX you will be basically right in the middle of Busan. Depending on where you have booked your accommodation it can take up some extra time to reach your final destination.
Secondly, by plane. There are plenty of airlines that fly between the two cities like Korean Air, Jeju Air, T'way, and many others. We will focus on flights between Seoul Gimpo Airport and Gimhae International Airport (Busan). KTX prices stay mostly the same no matter when you book but for airlines, they can differ. Most airfare is around 42,000₩ for a one-way and it usually takes around 50 minutes to 1 hour before reaching Busan Gimhae Airport. Walking from the airport to the 'light rail' is 5 minutes and will connect you to Line 2 and Line 5 within 15 minutes. Just like the KTX method, depending on where your accommodation is, it varies on when you reach your end destination. Contact Yanatrip for any inquiries about air travel. More information is down below.
And lastly, the bus. The bus is the slowest option out of the 3 but will be the cheapest. For a one-way economy ticket, you are looking at around 24,200₩, and a premium option for around 39,800₩ is not much cheaper than taking the plane. The bus will take around 4 hours and departures from the Gyeongbu Express Bus Terminal in Seoul. Official website: https://www.kobus.co.kr/main.do
So what are the pros and cons of each transportation method?
Let's start with KTX.
Pros:
It is convenient
Fast
On-Time
Cons:
The most expensive option
Next up, is the airplane.
Pros:
Fastest method
Cheap
Cons:
Commute to airport
Check-in
Lastly, the bus.
Pros:
The Cheapest method of them all
Cons:
Traffic might make your trip longer.
Slowest method
By plane, you might think is a hassle with luggage check-in and security. However, to get your boarding pass you will have to self check-in first and after that, you can go to the counter to check-in your luggage. If you only have a small carry-on you can go directly to security which only takes 2 minutes but can be busier at busier times. Gates do close 10 minutes before take-off so even if you are a bit later you should still be able to get on your flight.
And finally, for the one who wants to have their own method and not be bound to a certain time, YanaTrip can arrange charter vehicles for your own convenience. An all-out private car with a chauffeur that will drive you to your desired destination. No hassle with check-ins, or being on time at your departure location. More information is down below on how to book one.
Korea travel inquiry and quotation request email: service@yanatrip.com | https://yanatrip.com/
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(03131) Garden Tower #1703, 84, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea. YANATRIP. Co., Ltd.
