Busan Ferry

Of Interest: downtown Busan, including the Busan Film Festival (October)

Lodging: not within sight, but if you walk to the main road there are some within 10 minutes. Ask at the tourist office

Tourist Office: yes. Also a good travel agency

Int'l ATM: There is a branch of the Busan Bank in the terminal

Restrooms: Clean and recently remodeled

I had a roundtrip ticket, but I missed the return date. I was STILL able to use the ticket. People often tell me that the plane is more expensive than the ferry, but discount ferry tickets are as little at 100,000. There regular tickets are good for six months and you don't even have to call if you miss your boat. (I suggest that people do call and cancel, or the company might change that policy.) They are almost the same price as a discount plane ticket which cannot be changed at all.

I took the Beetle/Mirejet high speed hydrofoil ferry that runs to Fukuoka. Kangsan Travel sells tickets and travel packages for this ferry.

There are also overnight ferries to Fukuoka, Shimonoseki, and Hiroshima. Most English speaking travel agencies do not sell tickets to these ferries, although there is a travel agent in the ferry terminal that does. If you can speak a little Korean, it is worth it to check out a regular Korean travel agency for tickets and ferry packages.

If you walk straightish along the road that leads away from the ferry terminal, you will run into a major thoroughfare. From there you have two choices. Turn left for one of Busan's downtown areas (there are more than one) or turn right for Busan Station and KTX trains. There is a subway station at the intersection. It is probably a good idea to get a map from the tourist office before you leave the ferry terminal.

The center of this downtown area is a semi-pedestrian shopping area.

Daejeo station (Busan)

Lodging: No
Tourist Office: No
Of Interest: Getting out of the city


My profile picture comes from Daejeo. Look closely. You can see the tracks in the background.

Daejeo is in north part of the Nakdong River delta. This area is flat and mainly farmland.


I grew up in the middle of nowhere. I like places like that.

Busan Station

Lodging: Both motels and hotels. Ask the tourist office for recommendations.

Tourist Office: Yes, excellent.

Of interest: Fake Chinatown, City Tour

There are really two stations, one for the subway and one for the train. They are separated by a plaza which has frequent public events. When I was there last, floats for a Buddha's Birthday parade were being displayed in the plaza.

Busan is the main KTX station for Busan. There is an excellent tourist office here. The staff in this office know a lot about Busan. Ask them any questions that you have about Busan or the surrounding area. They have good maps of Busan and other places in Korea.

Some slower trains for Seoul leave from Busan Station, but most of Busan's intercity trains leave from Bujeon.

Across the street from both the stations is a fake Chinatown. A couple of Busan's older Chinese restaurants are here, but there are more Russians than any other nationality. It is not really that international, and it is kind of skanky at night.

The City Tour buses leave from the side of the station plaza. There are two lines during the day, one going east and one going west. You have to buy a separate ticket for each line. Tickets are 10.000 won each with a 20% discount for people arriving by KTX and for groups of 20 or more. Tours run everyday except Monday.

Busan is spread out along the coast, so these tours are a good idea for a first time visitor. There is also a night time tour that runs once each night.

Dusil Station (Busan)

Lodging: No

Tourist Office: No

Of interest: Busan Ahnkook Zen Center, Busan Masjid, Turkish restaurant

Dusil subway station comes right after line 1 goes back underground heading north. The surrounding area is primarily residential with the exception of an area to the northwest.

The Busan Ahnkook Zen Center is the first building to become visible while walking away from the subway. It is a multi-story building located on the side of a hill. I first saw it the week before Buddha's birthday when it was covered with lit lanterns. Very beautiful. Inside, there are a few pieces of magnificent art. On the top floor is the largest meditation hall that I have seen since I have been in Korea. The Ahnkook Zen Center offers meditation classes to lay people. Most of these classes are in Korean. However, the Seoul Ahnkook Zen Center does offer an English language meditation class, so it is possible that something similar is offered here.

As you walk closer, the Busan masjid becomes visible. At first it looks like the zen center and mosque are the same building, but there are really across the street from each other. It was built in 1980. It is an attractive building, but not flashy.

Note: Neither of these buildings are tourist attractions. Their purpose is to serve locals practicing their religion.

There is a Turkish restaurant next to the masjid. The restaurant is a bit touristy. On the one hand, it serves hallal food and authentic Turkish dishes. On the other, this also serves a couple of non-Turkish dishes that are based on outsiders stereotypes of what middle easteners eat.

Islam was first brought to Korea by Turkish soldiers during the Korean war. Turkish restaurants are commonly found near Korean mosques.

Busan Subway

Ideally I would finish posting about the Seoul subway before moving onto other topics, but it is probably going to be another week before I go up to Seoul again. Rather than stop posting, I will continue posting about past trips. This spring I explored the Busan subway.

The Busan subway is made up of three lines. Line 1 runs from the mouth of the Nakdong River in the southeast to the Central Bus Terminal in the northwestern part of the city. It runs through central Busan. Line 2 runs from Haeundae-gu to Seobu Cross-country bus station where it heads north. Line eventually leaves the city at Geumgok to end at Yangsan City. Line 3, the shortest line of the three, starts at the relatively central Suyeong-gu and runs to Gimhae. This line stops near Gupo KTX Station.

Other subway stations close to intercity trains are at Busan and Bujeon stations on line 1, and Haeundae station on line 2. The Jungang-dong stop, one stop from Busan Station, is the closest station to the International and Coastal Ferry terminals. The City Tour buses leave from Busan Station.

The tourist offices in Busan are really good at giving visitors clear and useful information. The staff can often recommend good lodging and their tourist map shows which parts of the subway are above ground.

Line 1 runs above ground from its first to its second station then from Dongnae to Dusil. It is the only line to run entirely within the city itself. Line 2 goes above ground at Donwon, but because of walls, you can't see anything until after Geumgok. Line 3 comes above ground between Deokcheon and Gupo. (Lines 2 and 3 connect at Deokcheon.) After Gupo the line goes out on a bridge over the Nakdong River and remains elevated for the three stations remaining.

My profile picture is off the last station on the line, Daejeo. I like the countryside better than the city.

More Train Routes

That last post wasn't all the trains in Korea, was it. Doing this list is a little boring, but useful. It will get more interesting, I promise.

Next is another line that goes out of Cheongnyangni in western Seoul. Like most of the trains on this list, it is good line to take if you want to see mountains.

Jungang

Cheongnyangni (In Seoul), Doekso, Yangpyeong, Yongmun, Jipyeong, Seokbu, Gudun, Maeguk, Yangdong, Pandae, Ganhyeon, Wonju, Jecheon, Danyang, Huibangsa, Pungki, Yeongju (change for Taebaek line), Ongcheon, Andong, Uiseong, Tapri, Hwabon, Sinnyang, Yeongcheon, Seogyeongju, Gyeongju, Bulguksa, Hogye, Ulsan, Deokha, Namchang, Walnae, Jwacheon, Gijang, Songjang, Haeundae (in Busan), Dongnae (in Busan), Bujeon (in downtown Busan)

A branch of this line serves Pohang. Same from Bujeon (in Busan) to Hogye.

Angang, Hyoja, Pohang

Taebaek

Same as Gyeongbusan from Busan to Gimcheon.

Oksan, Cheongni, Sangju, Hamchang, Jeonchon, Yonggung, Gepo, Yecheon, Yeongju

Most trains end at Yeongju, but a daily train from Daegu takes an alternate route further into the mountains.

Dongdaegu, Hayang, Bokyeongcheon

Sinnyang to Yeongju same as the Jungang line.

Bonghwa, Chunyang, Imgi, Hyeondong, Buncheon, Yangwon, Seungbu, Seokpo, Cheolam, Tongri, Dogye, Singi, Donghae, Jeongdongjin, Gangneung

Yeongdongsan

Same as Jungang line from Cheongnyangni to Wonju.

Shinrim, Bongyang, Jecheon, Ssangyong, Yeongwon, Yemi, Jeungsan, Sabuk, Gohan, Taebaek, Mungak, Tongni

Same as Taebaek line from Dogye to Gangneung

A feeder line comes from Daejeon.

Daejeon, Sintanjin (in Daejeon), Jochiwon, Cheongju, Ogeumjang, Cheongjugonghang (Cheongju Airport), Jeungpyeong, Eumseong, Judeok, Dalcheon, Chungju, Dokhaeng, Samtan, Bongyang, Jecheon

Train Routes in Korea

There are nine train lines in Korea. The Gyeongbu and the Honam lines run both high speed (KTX) and regular speed trains. Here are a list of the all the rail lines that cover Korea. Please note that not all trains stop at all stations.

Gyeongbu Line

Haengshin (KTX only)

Seoul (KTX)

Gwangmyeong (in Seoul, KTX only), Yeongdeungpo (in Seoul), Anyang, Suwon,

Osan, Pyeongtaek, Cheonan (KTX trains stop at Cheonan-Asan station.), Jochiwon, Sintanjin (Daejeon), Daejeon (KTX), Okcheon,

Iwon, Yeongdong, Chupungryeong, Gimcheon, Gumi, Waegwan, Daegu, Dongdaegu(KTX), Gyeongsan, Chyeongdo, Miryang (KTX), Samrangjin, Mulgeum, Gupo (KTX) (Busan)

Busan (KTX)

Honam

Haengshin (KTX only)

Yongsan (in downtown Seoul, KTX)

Same as Gyeongbu line from here to Shintanjin except no stop at Anyang or Osan.

Seodaejeon (KTX), Gyeyreong (KTX), Yeonsan, Nonsan (KTX), Ganggyeong (Nonsan), Hamyeol,

Iksan (KTX), Gimje (KTX), Sintaein, Jeongeup (KTX),

Baekyangsa, Jangseong, Gwangju (KTX) (All trains for Mokpo stop at Gwangju Songjeong instead.)

Naju (KTX), Dasi, Hampyeong, Muan, Mongtan, Irro, Mokpo (KTX)

Janghang

Yongsan (in downtown Seoul)

Same as Gyeongbu line from here to Cheonan except no stop at Osan.

Asan (This is the same station as Cheonan-Asan KTX station.), Onyang-oncheon, Dogo-oncheon, Sillewon, Yesan, Sapgyo, Hongseong, Gwangcheon, Daecheon, Ungcheon, Pangyo, Seocheon, Janghang, Gunsan,

From Iksan same as Honam line to Seodaejeon Station.

Jeolla

Yongsan

Same as Honam to Iksan.

Samnye, Jeonju, Osu, Namwon, Guggyeong, Guryegu, Suncheon, Deokyang, Yecheon, Yeosu

Trains that run along the southern edge of Korea are also considered to be part of the Jeolla line. It starts same as the Homan line until Gwangju Sonjeong.

Seogwangju, Hycheon, Nampyeong, Hwasun, Neungju, Iyang, Myangbong, Boseong, Deukryang, Yedang, Joseong, Beolgyo, Suncheon, Gwangyang, Okkuk, Jinsang, Hadong, Huingcheon, Yangbo, Bukcheon, Wansa, Jinju, Gaeyang, Nammunsan, Galchon, Jinseong, Banseong, Jinjusumokwon, Pyeongchon, Wonbuk, Gunbuk, Haman, Jangri, Masan, Changwon, Jinyang, Nakdonggang, Samrangjin, Mulgeum, Hwamyeong (Busan), Gupo (Busan), Sasang (Busan), Bujeon (in Busan)

Gyeongchun

Cheongyangni (in Seoul), Seongbuk, Hwangrangdae, Twaegewon, Sareung, Geumgok,

Pyeongnaihopyeong, Maseok, Daeseongni, Cheongpyeong, Gapyeong, Gangchon, Gimyujeong,

Namchuncheon