How do you get from Seoul to Sokcho and Seoraksan National Park, and is it doable as a day trip?

Express bus from Seoul to Sokcho: terminals, time and fare

• Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (Gangbyeon station, Line 2) and Seoul Express Bus Terminal (Express Bus Terminal station, Lines 3, 7 and 9) both run frequent buses to Sokcho, roughly 6 am to 9 pm.

• Journey time is about 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours, longer on weekends in October and on holiday weekends when the expressways jam.

• Fares in 2025-26 listings run roughly ₩18,000 to ₩26,000 one way depending on the terminal and seat class (premium buses cost more). Check and book on Kobus or the T-money bus app; seats on autumn weekends sell out.

Sokcho has two terminals about 3 km apart: the Express Bus Terminal in the south (closer to Seoraksan) and the Intercity Bus Terminal in the north (closer to the fish market). Check which one your ticket uses.

For getting around Seoul before you leave, see our 3 days in Seoul itinerary.

Local bus 7 / 7-1 to Seoraksan

City buses 7 and 7-1 run through Sokcho to the last stop at Seorak-dong (Seoraksan Sogongwon). The ride is about 24 minutes from the Express Bus Terminal and about 38 minutes from the Intercity Bus Terminal. A taxi takes about 20 to 25 minutes.

Pay with a T-money card at the reader; it covers buses outside Seoul too. Our T-money and subway guide explains topping up and transfers.

Park entrance fee and the Gwongeumseong cable car

Entry is free. Korean national parks dropped their own entrance fees in 2007, but visitors at Seoraksan's Seorak-dong gate still paid a cultural-heritage fee for Sinheungsa Temple (reported at ₩4,500). That fee was waived from 4 May 2023 under a national scheme covering temples of the Jogye Order. Parking is still charged.

• Cable car: ₩15,000 return for adults, ₩11,000 for children; return tickets only. The ride takes about 5 minutes, then a short, steep rocky scramble leads to the Gwongeumseong fortress ruins and views over the Seorak peaks.

• Tickets: sold on site on the day only, with a boarding time printed on the ticket. Hours are roughly 8:30 or 9:00 to 17:30 and are posted on the operator's site a day ahead; strong wind stops service.

• Lines: in peak foliage season, waits of 2 to 3 hours for a boarding slot are common, and slots can sell out. Buy your ticket first thing, then walk to Sinheungsa or Biseondae while you wait.

Sokcho itself: beach, fish market and Abai Village

• Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market (Jungang Market): fried chicken, dakgangjeong, squid sundae and seafood stalls; the Gaetbae Entrance stop on bus 7/7-1 is a minute's walk away.

• Abai Village: a neighborhood founded by refugees from the North, known for abai sundae and the hand-pulled gaetbae ferry across the harbor channel.

• Sokcho Beach: a long sand beach close to the Express Bus Terminal, busy in July and August.

Daepo Port, at the south end of town, is the other seafood stop, with raw-fish restaurants on the waterfront.

Autumn foliage timing and a day-trip plan

Seoraksan is usually the first major Korean mountain to color. Upper slopes turn from late September; the lower valleys around Seorak-dong and the cable car peak from mid-October to early November. The Korea Forest Service and KNPS publish forecasts each September.

A same-day plan: first bus out of Seoul around 6:30, bus 7/7-1 straight to the park, cable car ticket on arrival, Sinheungsa and the bronze Buddha while waiting, then back to Sokcho for a market dinner and a 7 or 8 pm bus home. Hiking Ulsanbawi rock (a steep stair climb) needs most of a day on its own, which is a good reason to stay overnight. More options are in our South Korea guide.

Frequently asked questions