Your Guide on Trains in Korea
Image credit: Korail
When visiting Korea, one must not only visit Seoul. When one can, one should venture out to other parts of Korea — but how? There are many different ways to get around Korea: by plane, bus, car, or train.
Read on for a guide to the different types of trains you can take to visit other cities in Korea!
KTX — Korea Train eXpress
Image credit: Minseong Kim
The KTX is likely the most well-known mode of transport in Korea. Capable of travelling up to 330kph, it is ideal for long distance travels between Seoul and Southern-most parts of Korea like Busan and Mokpo. A trip from Seoul to Busan would take you a little over two hours, sometimes three depending on the type of KTX train you board.
Image credit: Seoulinspired
There are five main KTX lines namely the Gyeongbu, Honam, Gyeongjeon, Jeolla, and Gyeonggang line that will bring you to most of the main cities outside of Seoul.
Image credit: Minseong Kim
The interior of a KTX train carriage is similar to that of a budget plane, with cushioned chairs, a foldable table, and a a pocket on the chair in front to hold some of your items. The leg room may be a little bit more than that of an average plane, so those who'd like more space will find it more comfortable. There may also be a charging port, but this is not guaranteed for every seat.
Image credit: ittekuru.com
The seats in a KTX carriage is also rather unique. In most trains, half of the passengers will be back-facing (i.e. facing away from the direction of travel). The seats meet at the middle where four seats face each other with a table in the middle. These seats are good for families or groups of friends who are travelling together and would like to chat or play some games on the journey.
Price-wise, KTX tickets are the most expensive. A trip from Seoul to Busan can cost you around SGD70, but prices fluctuate depending on the time of year, when you buy your tickets, which train you're taking, and if you choose to pay a premium (~SGD25) for first class seats.
You can book your tickets at letskorail.com.
ITX-Saemaeul — Intercity Train eXpress
Image credit: Minseong Kim
Although the KTX travels quickly, its price point is often a concern to budget travelers — some may not be willing to shell out close to SGD150 for a round trip to Busan. In such instance, the ITX-Saemaeul (from here on ITX) comes in as the alternative.
Image credit: SeoulNamsan on Naver
Note: Janghang Line (dark blue) is part of Seoul Subway's Line 1
The ITX travels at about half the speed of the KTX at around 150kph. It also travels on five lines, sharing four of which with KTX. It does not travel on the Gyeonggang line, but travels on the Jungang line which brings you to the Eastern part of Korea.
Both the KTX and ITX offer different stops along the way between the terminal stations so make sure to check where you are going to know which train to take. If you are taking from one terminal station (e.g. Seoul) to another (e.g. Busan), just keep in mind that the KTX travels twice as fast as the ITX and it will take you close to four hours to travel from Seoul to Busan on the ITX. Hence, only do so if you have extra time to spare and don't mind spending a good portion of your day in the train.
Image credit: Minseong Kim
The interior of the ITX is similar to that of the KTX, with the biggest difference being that all the seats in ITX are front-facing. There may not be any charging ports on board, so it's best to ready a portable charger on hand if needed.
Price-wise, ITX tickets offer the comfortable middle ground, giving a good balance between amount spent and time taken. A trip from Seoul to Busan can cost you around SGD50 and is also subject to changes depending on the situation. There are no first class upgrades for the ITX.
You can book your tickets at letskorail.com.
Mugunghwa-ho
Image credit: Minseong Kim
The national flower of Korea is the Mugunghwa, or the rose of Sharon. It is even part of the emblem of South Korea. Hence, it's no surprise that there will be a train named after this flower as well.
The Mugunghwa-ho travels even slower than the ITX at around 125kph. It travel on 11 lines thus bringing you to even the smallest towns in rural Korea. The Mugunghwa-ho has about twice the number of stops as the KTX and ITX (a journey from Seoul to Busan is about 10 stops on KTX, 11 stops on ITX, and 21 stop on Mugunghwa-ho) which extends the journey from Seoul to Busan to almost six hours. If you're extremely tight on budget and don't mind sleeping on the train for a night, this could be an option for you during your travels.
Image credit: Blake Erik
The interior of the Mugunghwa-ho is simple, similar to those that you would find on public buses here in Singapore. All the seats are also front-facing, and some trains may have other amenities such as vending machines, a snack bar, or a cafe area for passengers. (The author also remembers seeing karaoke room signages in Mugunghwa-ho trains during her visit to Korea in 2016 but didn't really come across it in her research).
Price-wise, Mugunghwa-ho tickets are the cheapest, but they come at a price of the travel time. A trip from Seoul to Busan would cost you only about SGD35, but almost six hours of your day. The prices also fluctuate depending on the situation. Like the ITX, there are no first class upgrades for the Mugunghwa-ho.
You can book your tickets at letskorail.com.
We hope that this guide on the different trains you can take around Korea inspires you to travel out of Seoul the next time you visit!
One last thing: all trains may offer a standing or non-reserved ticket where you do not have a seat assigned to you. This means that you can sit is any seat that is not occupied but if someone comes along and tells them that you're in their seat, you will have to leave. If there are no seats available, you will have to stand or sit on the floor. These tickets are marginally cheaper than the economy tickets (about SGD3) so unless you're only travelling or short distance or prefer sitting on the floor, we suggest that you just pay for a seat instead.