How do you get from Seoul to Jeonju by KTX or bus?

KTX, slower train or express bus

Prices below are standard-class adult fares from the timetables on 11 November 2026.

KTX from Yongsan: the default

Jeonju is on the Jeolla line, and its KTX trains start at Yongsan Station (Subway Line 1 and the Gyeongui–Jungang line), not Seoul Station. On a weekday in November 2026 there were 27 trains from Yongsan to Jeonju, of which 19 were KTX or KTX-Sancheon, between 05:08 and 21:48, with extra trains Friday to Sunday. The fastest takes 1 hour 26 minutes and most take about 1 hour 40.

If you are staying in Gangnam or Jamsil, check the four daily KTX-Sancheon trains from Suseo, at 06:39, 10:20, 13:09 and 19:08 on the current timetable. Since Korail and SR began running the two high-speed networks together on 1 September 2026, KTX trains also use Suseo, so do not assume a train from there must be an SRT.

Book on korail.com (the old Let's Korail site now redirects there) or the Korail+ app. Friday evening, Sunday afternoon and holiday trains fill up, so book those as soon as you know your dates. Our Seoul to Busan KTX guide covers how tickets and seat classes work.

Express bus from Central City: cheaper, slower, more frequent

Jeonju buses leave from the Honam line side of Central City Terminal, at Express Bus Terminal station (Lines 3, 7 and 9), not from the Gyeongbu building next door. There are about 90 departures a day from 05:30 to midnight, so you can usually turn up and buy a seat outside holiday weekends.

The schedule says 2 hours 51 minutes to Jeonju Express Bus Terminal. Friday evening and Sunday traffic can stretch that. Fares are ₩16,400 (≈ $12.3) general, ₩22,000 (≈ $16.5) premium-class (udeung) and ₩27,900 (≈ $21) premium. The wider premium-class seats are worth the difference on a three-hour ride.

The bus wins when the KTX is sold out, when you are staying near Express Bus Terminal, or when ₩15,000 (≈ $11.2) matters more than an hour. Jeonju's bus terminal is also closer to the hanok village than the train station.

From Jeonju Station or the bus terminal to the hanok village

Jeonju Station is north-east of the centre. The official Hanok Village map lists city buses from the station stop to Jeondong Catholic Church, at the edge of the village, in about 25 minutes, including routes 79, 119, 508, 536, 542 and 546. A taxi is about ₩6,000 to ₩7,000 (≈ $4.5–5.2).

From Jeonju Express Bus Terminal, buses 79, 999 and 1994 reach the same stop in about 15 minutes, and a taxi is about ₩5,000 to ₩6,000 (≈ $3.7–4.5). T-money and other Korean transit cards work on Jeonju buses; see our T-money guide.

Hanok guesthouses inside the village sit on narrow lanes that taxis cannot always enter. With a big suitcase, ask your host for the nearest drop-off point before you arrive.

Day trip or overnight?

A day trip works on the KTX: the first KTX leaves Yongsan at 05:08 and the fastest trains take under 1 hour 30 minutes, so you can be in the village by mid-morning. Check the last return train for your date before you go. Still, one night is a better use of the round trip, because the village is calmer in the evening and early morning. Our Jeonju Hanok Village guide covers what to see and eat, and how many days in Jeonju helps with the length of stay.

Jeonju also fits a southbound route: the Jeolla line continues to Suncheon and Yeosu, as in our 32-day Korea route.

Frequently asked questions