Getting Around

By Train

Seoul is the center of an extensive domestic rail system operated by the Korean National Railroad (tel. 02/1544-7788; www.korail.go.kr). Tickets can be purchased up to a month in advance at many travel agents and up to an hour before departure at train stations. You should book ahead, especially if traveling during high-traffic times, such as the Lunar New Year (usually early Feb) or Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving (usually sometime in Sept).

Since 2004, the KTX (Korea Train Express; http://ktx.korail.go.kr/eng) bullet train has also been available. There are two lines with stops in major cities. The Gyeongbu line goes to Busan (Seoul to Busan tickets are W44,800/$48/£24) in under 3 hours via Daejeon and the Honam Line, which travels through West Daejeon and ends at Gwanju (W33,300/$36/£18 from Seoul) or Mokpo (W37,200/$40/£20 from Seoul). The second phase, linking Daegu and Gyongju to Busan, is scheduled to be completed in 2010. You can purchase tickets up to 2 months in advance or as close to an hour before departure. Tickets are available online, at most travel agents in Seoul, or at ticket counters and automatic ticket machines at the station.

Foreigners can by a KR Passes in their home country and exchange those passes in Seoul for unlimited travel on the railways for the duration of the pass (Note: The passes are not available for purchase in South Korea, so buy them before you leave home.). The KR Passes are available for travel during consecutive days in increments of 3 days ($76/£38), 5 days ($115/£58), 7 days ($145/£73), and 10 days ($166/£83). A Saver Pass can be purchased for two to five people traveling together at a 10% discount. Those under 25 can get a Youth Pass for 20% less. Check the Korean Railroad website (www.korail.go.kr) for more info or contact STA Travel (tel. 800/777-0112 or 02/733-9494 in Seoul; www.statravelgroup.com). In Seoul, STA Pass vouchers can be exchanged at Kises Tour in the YMCA Building, Suite 505, Jongno 2-Ga. Take subway line 1 to Jonggak station, exit 3 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 9am-3pm).

By Bus

There are several types of buses that travel to and from major cities throughout South Korea. Express buses from Seoul to every major bus station in the country originate from either the Seoul Express Bus Terminal or the Central City Terminal next door. To get to smaller stations outside the larger cities, you can change buses or take a direct bus from one of Seoul's smaller bus stations.

Express buses to the Gyeongnam area (Gyubu line), Chungcheong area (Guma line), and Gangwon-do (Yeongdong line) start from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal, 19-4 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu (tel. 02/535-4151). Buses on the Honam line that go to Jeolla-do to the south and the Namhaeseon (southern coastal line) start from the Central City Terminal, 19-4 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu (tel. 02/6282-0114), which is located right next to the Seoul Express Bus Terminal. Both bus terminals can be accessed by subway. Take line 3 or 7 (line 3 is easier) to the Express Bus Terminal station and take the underground passage that leads to the bus terminals.

Buses from the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, 546-1 Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu (tel. 02/446-8000) go primarily north and east from Seoul. You can catch a bus to Andong, Gangneung, Sokcho, and Wonju from here. Also, buses from this terminal take the scenic (but longer) route to Seoraksan National Park. You can get to the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal by taking subway line 2 to Gangbyeon station (exit 4).

The Nambu Bus Terminal, 1446-1 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu (tel. 02/521-8550) services mostly the southern region. Popular destinations from this station include Osan, Pyongtaek, and Songnisan National Park. You can get to the Nambu Bus Terminal by taking subway line 3 to the Nambu Bus Terminal station (exit 5).

Buses from the Sangbong Bus Terminal, 83-1 Sangbong-dong, Jungnang-gu (tel. 02/435-2122, ext. 8) go generally east and north. You can get to Chuncheon and Sokcho from this station. You can get to the Sangbong Bus Terminal by taking subway line 7 to the Sangbong station (exit 2). Walk straight for about 5 minutes and the bus terminal will be on your right, across the street from the E-Mart.

By Car

Driving in Seoul and Busan is not recommended and it's not particularly economical to rent a car in the country. There are frequent flights, trains, and buses to key cities and regions, especially to and from Seoul. Within the cities, taxis are widely available and buses are cheap and run frequently. However, if you want to explore the nooks and crannies of South Korea, it is easiest to travel by car.

South Korea also has one of the highest rates of traffic accidents of any developed country in the world. Especially in Seoul, there can be traffic in some parts of the city 24/7. Even driving in the countryside can be a harrowing experience. However, if you do choose to drive, here are some rules and recommendations for your safety. Koreans drive on the right side of the road. The maximum speed limit on the expressway is usually 100kmph (62 mph), while a few go up to 110kmph (75 mph) and some are 80kmph (about 50mph). The speed limit on city streets is 60kmph (37mph) and falls to 30kmph (19 mph) near schools. Lanes marked in blue (usually on the left side in Seoul and on the right side in Busan) are reserved for buses. On the expressways, you may be tempted to drive faster than the posted limits, but you could receive a nasty surprise in the mail upon return from your trip. Sophisticated cameras can catch you speeding, costing you W40,000 ($43/£22) each time you're nabbed, although they're nice enough to warn you that there is a camera nearby beforehand.

Most of the major expressways (those with blue and red signs) are toll roads. The ones run by the government are cheaper than private roads, but there's no way of telling which is which. You take a ticket when you enter and pay when you exit. It costs about W18,000 ($20/£10) from Busan to Seoul and about W3,000 ($3/£1.50) from Seoul to Suwon. Regular highways have blue signs and roads with yellow signs are usually more scenic, but are windy country roads. A majority of the roads are now paved and they are creating new roads all the time.

As for parking, you cannot park within 10m (33 ft.) of a traffic light and within 5m (16 ft.) of a fire hydrant, crosswalk, bus stop, or intersection on some city streets. In Seoul and Busan you should park only in parking lots and they will cost you a pretty won, depending on the popularity of the destination. All tourist destinations have parking available and will cost you anywhere from W2,000 to W4,000 ($2-$4.30/£1.10-£2.15).

Drive slowly and be cautious around pedestrians. Also, be aware of bicycles, and especially motorcycles, that may speed past you on the narrow right side between your car and the sidewalk.

Out in the countryside, some roads aren't paved well and can be very hilly and curvy. The winter snows and the rainy season can also cause serious potholes. It is also not uncommon to see human- or animal-drawn carts sharing the road with cars. It's best to stay on expressways (usually with red and blue signs) and avoid country roads (indicated with yellow signs).

You may notice that many Korean drivers pay no heed to traffic lights and stop signs, especially in the countryside or even in the cities. That doesn't mean you should follow suit. Obey all traffic signs to avoid accidents or trouble with the law.

Among the oil companies in South Korea, the most prevalent are SK and GS. You will also see S-oil and Hyundai Oilbank gas stations, although a bit less frequently. A liter of unleaded will cost you over W1,500 ($1.65/83p) in the cities, but a bit less in rural areas. All gas stations are full service. Rest stops are frequent between cities, and all of them have gas stations, clean restrooms, convenience stores, and Korean fast food.

By Plane

Domestic flights to major cities throughout South Korea originate mostly from Seoul's Gimpo Airport, but some fly from Incheon as well. The international airports are Cheongju, Gwangju, Daegu, Gimhae (in Busan), and, of course, Jeju. The domestic only airports are at Gunsan, Mokpo, Yeosu, Sacheon, Ulsan, Pohang, and Wonju. The best way to get to Jeju-do is by plane, since ferries even from Busan can take many hours.

By Boat

South Korea has over 300 small islands off its shores. Many are uninhabited, but some are open to visitors. Jeju-do, South Korea's largest island, and other parts are accessible by boat. The two major domestic and international ports are Busan to the southeast and Incheon in the northwest. It will take you 11 hours (3 1/2 hours via super-express ferry) to get from Busan to Jeju by sea. From Mokpo to Jeju, it takes about 5 1/2 hours.