In this guide
- Getting there and back
- Day 1, morning: Jeongdongjin
- Day 1, midday: Anmok Coffee Street
- Day 1, late afternoon: Gyeongpodae and Gyeongpo Beach
- Day 1, evening: on to Sokcho
- Day 2, early morning: Seoraksan and the Gwongeumseong cable car
- Day 2, midday: Sokcho market
- Day 2, afternoon: back to Seoul
- If the weather changes
- Small things that help
Korea's east coast is an easy escape from Seoul: sea, cafés and pine trees in Gangneung, and granite mountains and a harbor market in Sokcho, about an hour apart up the coast. This one-night plan goes up by KTX and comes home by bus, so you never have to retrace your steps. You sleep in Sokcho, which puts you close to Seoraksan for an early start on the second morning.
Getting there and back
- KTX to Gangneung: Gangneung city lists about 1 hour 55 minutes from Seoul Station and about 1 hour 26 minutes from Cheongnyangni Station. Cheongnyangni has more departures, so check it first. Book through Korail, especially for weekends.
- Bus to the coast: both Seoul Express Bus Terminal and Dong Seoul Terminal serve Gangneung and Sokcho, according to VisitKorea. KOBUS has English, Japanese and Chinese pages for express buses, and T-money Bus and Bustago sell intercity tickets.
- Gangneung to Sokcho: intercity buses run between the two terminals. Published timetables show about 1 hour on many services and up to about 1 hour 45 minutes on others, so look at the running time before you book.
- Sokcho to Seoul: VisitKorea lists about 2 hours 30 minutes from Sokcho Express Bus Terminal to Seoul Express Bus Terminal, and about 2 hours from Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal to Dong Seoul. Sokcho's two terminals are separate, so check which one is on your ticket.
Day 1, morning: Jeongdongjin
Jeongdongjin Station stands beside the sea, and the beach is about three minutes' walk from the station. Some KTX-Eum trains from Cheongnyangni continue past Gangneung and stop here, so search Korail for your date. Otherwise, ride to Gangneung and change: trains between Gangneung and Jeongdongjin take about 14 minutes on the Donghae Line, and VisitKorea puts a taxi at about 20 minutes.
Day 1, midday: Anmok Coffee Street
Go back to Gangneung Station and take a city bus to Anmok Beach. Gangneung city and VisitKorea list routes such as 223-1, 225-1 and 314-1, taking about 15 to 20 minutes. Anmok's beachfront is lined with cafés looking straight at the water, which is why this strip gave Gangneung its reputation for coffee. Have lunch nearby and take a coffee out to the sand.
Day 1, late afternoon: Gyeongpodae and Gyeongpo Beach
Gyeongpodae is an old pavilion on a small hill north of Gyeongpoho Lake. It was first built elsewhere in 1326 and moved to its present site in 1508, and it is counted among the eight scenic sites of Gwandong. A walk around the lake and on to Gyeongpo Beach makes a gentle end to the day's sightseeing. From Anmok, a short taxi ride is the simple way over; the city bus site (bis.gn.go.kr) shows current routes. Bus 202 serves the Gyeongpodae stop and also runs to the Gangneung bus terminals.
Day 1, evening: on to Sokcho
From Gangneung Intercity Bus Terminal, take a bus north to Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal. Sleep near the terminal or the market if you can: the market is about five minutes on foot from there, and the bus to Seoraksan leaves from the same area in the morning.
Day 2, early morning: Seoraksan and the Gwongeumseong cable car
Leave early, particularly at weekends and in the autumn leaf season, when lines form at the ticket office. Buses 7 and 7-1 run from Sokcho's terminals to the Seoraksan terminus near Sogongwon Park; VisitKorea gives the ride as about 45 minutes, and a taxi as about 20.
The operator's rules are worth reading before you go:
- Tickets are sold on the day at the counter only, with no advance booking.
- Only round-trip tickets are sold, and the operator says there is no hiking trail for walking back down, so plan to ride both ways.
- The ride takes about five minutes each way. If you take the last car up, you get only about 20 minutes at the top.
- Strong wind or bad weather can stop the service, and unused tickets are then refunded. Check the live notice on the operator's site (sorakcablecar.co.kr) before you set out.
At the top, a short walk leads onto the bare rock of Gwongeumseong, with views over the ridges of Seoraksan. Wear shoes with grip, and bring a layer, since the rock is exposed.
Day 2, midday: Sokcho market
Ride the bus back to town for the Sokcho Tourist and Fishery Market, formerly Jungang Market, the name you will still see in older guides. It is under a rain cover, with alleys organized by product and a raw fish center in the main building. VisitKorea picks out the chicken alley's dak gangjeong, crunchy glazed fried chicken, which travels well if you want something for the bus. Hours vary by shop. The market is about five minutes on foot from Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal and about 15 minutes from the Express Bus Terminal.
Day 2, afternoon: back to Seoul
Book your bus for mid or late afternoon, which leaves a buffer if the cable car line was long.
If the weather changes
- If wind stops the cable car, walk the valley around Sogongwon Park instead and spend more time at the market.
- You can also run the route in reverse. Going by bus to Sokcho first and returning from Gangneung by KTX gives you the mountain while you are fresh.
Small things that help
- This trip pairs well with three days in Seoul. After two days of walking and bus rides, keep your next evening quiet; our notes on resting well on a Korea trip may help.
