Getting There
Gangneung used to have a small airport, but now the nearest airport is at Yangyang (since it consolidated the Gangneung and Sokcho airports). Most people take the bus into Gangneung, since it is the fastest and most economical way to travel into the city. You can take a bus from the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (take Seoul subway line 2, exit 4) daily from 6:30am to 11pm. It takes about 3 hours and buses run every 30 to 50 minutes. From Seoul's Express Bus Terminal in Gangnam (take Seoul subway line 3, exit 1), buses run every 15 to 30 minutes, daily from 6am to 11:30pm. There are two bus stations in town, the newer one (far from the city center) and the older one, which serves buses from closer cities.
If you prefer to travel by rail, you can take a train from Seoul's Cheongnyangni Station. There are usually between four and nine trains daily into Gangneung. The best way to arrive by train is to catch the "sunrise" train the night before, sleep on the way, and arrive in time to see the sun rise over Jeongdongjin Beach. There are daily Mugunghwa trains leaving at 10:40pm, arriving at 4:40am for early risers, and a midnight train that arrives at 6:22am. Night owls can take either the 2pm train that arrives at 8:10am or the 5pm train, arriving at 11:15pm.
Getting Around
Local buses will get you pretty much anywhere you need to go. Unfortunately, most signs are not in English and drivers don't speak English. However, if you can say the name of your destination in Korean, you can indicate to your driver to let you know when to get off. Local buses run frequently and cost about W1,000, so be sure you have plenty of small bills to get around.
Visitor Information
The Tourist Guide Office, 992-3 Hongje-dong, Gangneung-si (tel. 033/640-4757; daily 8:30am-10pm), is located a couple of minutes from the bus terminal. Other tourist info centers can be found at the train station, Jeongdongjin (tel. 033/644-5062), and the entrance to Gyeongpo Beach. The city's website is www.gntour.go.kr.
Fast Facts
Banks, Foreign Exchange & ATMs Most banks in the city are located in the downtown area and are open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm.
Internet Access If you have your own laptop, there is free wireless Internet access on Gyeongpo Beach. If you didn't bring your own computer, you can always stop in at one of the PC bahng in the city. Most of these are open 24 hours for those addicted gamers.
Post Office There are many post offices in Gangneung, but the one downtown (in the old section of town) is the most convenient and has Saturday hours (9am-1pm), while the other ones are open Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm only.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
