During my trip to South Korea, I decided not only to revisit Seoul, where I had already been, but also to travel to Busan, a city located in the southeast of the country. Today I’ll tell you about my journey between the two cities and some interesting places in Busan.
Busan: why go and what to see
Busan struck me as a calm seaside city, somewhat reminiscent of Russia’s Vladivostok. In 2020, the city’s population was about three million. Busan emerged around 2,000 years ago; by the 15th century, it had become an important coastal fortress with a port.
People go to Busan to enjoy seaside scenery, and many of the city’s attractions are connected with the sea. I decided to come here after seeing photos online of unusual colorful cars running along the coast. This attraction is called the Sky Capsule. Travelers have several options: you can ride the capsule round-trip or return on the so-called Beach Train, whose route runs slightly lower.
A five-minute walk from the Sky Capsule station is Haeundae Beach, said to be the most popular beach in the city—and perhaps in the country. On the day of my visit it was indeed very crowded; I even had to wait in a small line for staff to find a free lounger.
The next day I went to the cable car that runs directly over the waters of a small bay. Visitors have two options: a regular cabin or one with a transparent floor.
One of the city’s popular spots, as I learned from guidebooks, is BIFF Square (Busan International Film Festival Square)—a small commercial area with shops, restaurants, cafés, and stalls offering a variety of street food. I grabbed a bite at a place called Yoogasomsee. A large portion of chicken-and-cheese for two cost 13,900 won.
Busan: how to get there from Seoul
Seoul and Busan are about 300 kilometers apart as the crow flies. There are flights, trains, and buses between the cities. I was sure I’d easily buy high-speed train tickets a couple of days in advance, but it turned out all morning departures were already sold out, so I had to look for an alternative.
I chose to travel by bus; tickets can be purchased remotely. In summer 2025, the fare was about 44,000 won one way per person (the train would have cost 59,800 won). The bus departed Seoul at 8:20 a.m.; the journey took 4 hours 20 minutes with one ten-minute stop. I’d recommend arriving at the bus terminal a bit early to figure out the correct departure bay.
On the day of the trip, I had already checked out of my Seoul apartment and decided to leave my suitcase at the Seoul bus terminal, since I planned to return the next day. The luggage storage fee was 50,000 won per day.
I headed back to Seoul on the 3:20 p.m. service; due to traffic, the travel time increased to five hours.
I got around Busan by metro and bus. Public transport accepts the T-money card. It’s convenient to plan bus routes using the Moovit app, and for the Busan subway—use the Busan app.
In the next article about Busan, I’ll take a closer look at the unusual Sky Capsule cars.
Have a nice trip!
