South Korea 2026: getting there, regions, KTX, best time to visit and costs

South Korea suits you if you want to combine big city, palaces, temples and volcanic landscape and like travelling by train. UNESCO lists 17 World Heritage Sites in the country (as of September 2026). The fastest KTX runs from Seoul to Busan in 2 hours 18 minutes (timetable from 1 September 2026).

What is new in 2026 is above all the railway: since 1 September, KTX and SRT have run together as KTX, on average 10% cheaper according to Korail. In July the UNESCO World Heritage Committee met in Busan. Since May 2026, 1 May and Constitution Day on 17 July have also been public holidays.

South Korea is a poorer fit in high summer: in July Seoul receives on average 414.4 mm of rain (1991–2020). In January the mean minimum there drops to −5.5 °C.

Getting there from Germany

At the 22 main German airports, a total of 450,651 passengers boarded flights in 2025 with South Korea as their last known destination. That is 41st place of 211 destination countries abroad (Federal Statistical Office, our own analysis, excluding passengers changing planes abroad). Almost all flew to Seoul-Incheon (448,129), 1,222 to Seoul-Gimpo, 678 to Busan and 429 to Jeju.

Most departed from Frankfurt (288,680), then Munich (106,970), Berlin Brandenburg (24,054) and Hamburg (11,438). The strongest month was October, the weakest January (our own analysis).

Incheon (ICN): AREX to Seoul Station

Terminal 1 handles Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Finnair and Qatar Airways, among others; Terminal 2 handles Korean Air, Asiana, KLM and Air France. The AREX airport railway runs between the two terminals in about 6 minutes, for 1,200 won with a transport card (as of September 2026).

The AREX direct train runs non-stop to Seoul Station, in 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and 51 minutes from Terminal 2. Adults pay 13,000 won, children 9,500 won, and you buy the ticket before boarding (as of September 2026). It runs from Terminal 2 from 5:16 to 22:40, and at Terminal 1 eight minutes later in each case.

The commuter train stops everywhere and takes 59 minutes from Terminal 1 and 66 minutes from Terminal 2. With a transport card it costs 4,750 or 5,350 won respectively, with a single-journey ticket 100 won more plus a 500 won deposit, which you get back at your destination (as of September 2026).

Gimpo (GMP): the same line

Gimpo is on the same line; the AREX to Seoul Station costs 1,750 won with a transport card (as of September 2026). At Gimpo Airport station you can also change to subway lines 5 and 9.

Regions and destinations at a glance

Journey times and train numbers: KTX timetable from 1 September 2026, our own analysis. Where “—” appears, the sources give no drawback.

Seoul: five sites, one combined ticket

Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung cost foreign adults aged 19 to 64 3,000 won each, Jongmyo, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung 1,000 won each (as of September 2026). The rear garden Huwon in Changdeokgung costs 5,000 won extra, only together with a palace ticket. Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo are closed on Tuesdays, the other palaces on Mondays. Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung are open until 21:00. Until 31 October 2026, access to the terrace in front of the throne hall at Gyeongbokgung is restricted.

Busan: subway, bus and ferries

Busan has four subway lines with announcements in English too (as of September 2026). The city bus costs 1,550 won with a transport card and 1,700 won in cash, and then without a transfer discount (fare since 6 October 2023). To Japan you go by ship from the International Ferry Terminal, for example to Fukuoka or Osaka.

Gyeongju: World Heritage twice

Gyeongju appears on the World Heritage list twice: with the Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple since 1995 and with its Historic Areas since 2000. The KTX from Seoul Station usually costs 44,500 won in standard class (fare from 1 September 2026).

Jeju: tuff cone and Hallasan

The volcanic island of Jeju has been a World Heritage Site since 2007. The 180 m high tuff cone Seongsan Ilchulbong was built up around 5,000 years ago by a volcanic eruption in shallow seawater. Adults aged 25 to 64 pay 5,000 won; it is closed on the first Monday of the month (as of September 2026). The bus from Jeju airport takes about 70 minutes.

The Seongpanak and Gwaneumsa trails lead to the summit of Hallasan. Since May 2025 you have needed a reservation only for the upper section from Jindallaebat or Samgakbong. You can walk Eorimok, Yeongsil and the other trails without a reservation (as of September 2026). For the 9.6 km from Seongpanak to the summit, the national park reckons on about four and a half hours in each direction.

Best time to visit

The table shows 1991–2020 normals from the weather service KMA, published by the WMO, for the stations Seoul (85.67 m) and Busan (69.56 m).

The Jangma rainy season begins on average on 19 June on Jeju and on 25 June in the middle of the country and lasts about a month. According to KMA, an average of 3.4 typhoons a year affect the weather in South Korea, 3.0 of them between July and September (normals 1991–2020). In winter it is cold and dry, according to KMA.

Getting around the country

Train: one KTX network since September 2026

Since 1 September 2026 Korail has run KTX and SRT together as KTX, and the former SRT trains are now called “KTX-Sancheon”. Since then there have been 402 instead of 379 services on weekdays. You book all express trains from Seoul Station, Suseo and Yongsan in the “Korail+” app (as of 18 September 2026).

Seoul–Busan takes 2 hours 18 minutes to 3 hours 27 minutes. The first train from Seoul leaves at 5:13, the last daily one at 22:28 (timetable from 1 September 2026). In 1st class the route costs 78,900 won (fare from 1 September 2026). From a delay of 120 minutes for which Korail is responsible, you get the full fare back (as of 18 September 2026).

Bus and local transport

Long-distance buses run, for example, from Busan to Seoul and to Incheon airport (as of September 2026). Prices and journey times are missing from the sources we evaluated.

A subway ride in Seoul costs 1,550 won up to 10 km with a transport card (as of September 2026). Cards such as T-money are available in convenience stores and subway stations. If you change between subway and bus within 30 minutes, you pay less if you also hold the card to the reader when getting off the bus. According to the city, Apple Pay does not yet work as a ticket.

Car and roads

South Korea drives on the right. With an International Driving Permit under the Geneva (1949) or Vienna (1968) convention, you may drive for one year from entry. The limit is 0.03% blood alcohol, i.e. 0.3 per mille (Road Traffic Act, version from 1 July 2026).

Motorways allow 80 km/h with one lane in each direction, 100 km/h from two lanes and 120 km/h on designated sections. In residential, commercial and industrial areas 50 km/h generally applies. On wet roads every limit drops by a fifth (regulation, version from 24 August 2026).

Money and costs

You pay in won (KRW), with notes from 1,000 to 50,000 won. According to the Bank of Korea, only about 10% of the payment value in shops was in cash, compared with almost 35% in countries such as Germany (as of 2023, report 2024).

In tax-free shops you get the tax refunded from 15,000 won per purchase. For purchases under 1 million won the shop may deduct it directly at the till. That applies as long as your purchases with immediate deduction since entry total at most 5 million won (regulation, version from 2 January 2026). The departure tax is 7,000 won when leaving by air; children under 12 are exempt (as of September 2026).

Practical information

South Korea runs on UTC+9 without daylight saving time. In the German winter it is 8 hours later there, during German summer time 7 hours (our own calculation). The official language is Korean. The sockets are type C and F as in Germany, with 220 V and 60 Hz (IEC, as of 23 December 2024). The EU roaming rule does not apply in South Korea, so mobile data can become expensive (as of September 2026).

You reach the ambulance and fire service on 119 and the police on 112. The tourist hotline 1330 with an interpreting service is available around the clock (as of September 2026).

The longest public holidays are Seollal and Chuseok, with three days each. In 2027 Seollal falls on 6 to 8 February, with 9 February added as a substitute day (our own calculation); Chuseok follows from 14 to 16 September.

The current rules on entry, safety and health are at the German Foreign Office.

Who South Korea is not for

• Anyone who avoids mugginess and constant rain: In July Seoul receives 414.4 mm of rain on 16.3 days, and humidity reaches 78 to 79% on a national average in July and August.
• Anyone who has to plan firmly in late summer: In July, August and September an average of 1.0, 1.2 and 0.8 typhoons affect South Korea (KMA, 1991–2020).
• Anyone who avoids cold and can only go in January: In Seoul the mean minimum is then −5.5 °C and the maximum 2.1 °C.
• Anyone who wants to go to Hallasan or the Huwon spontaneously: The summit is possible only with a reservation, and Huwon tickets sell out quickly in spring and autumn.
• Anyone who wants to get to Busan or Jeju without a connecting leg: In 2025 almost all passengers from Germany had Seoul-Incheon as their last known destination, Busan only 678 and Jeju 429.