Your 4-Day Seoul to Busan Itinerary With Attractions, Transportation, & More

South Korea has been one of the most popular destinations for travelers because of its food, entertainment, and culture in general. Kimchi, bibimbap, tteokbokki, and samgyeopsal are just some of the many authentic Korean delights that most people enjoy. When it comes to entertainment, Korean music and shows are also very popular worldwide. 

And while most of the must-visits, must-sees, and must-tries are in Seoul, the heart and hotspot of South Korea, there’s one more city worth visiting that is also loved by many — Busan! Busan boasts beautiful beaches like Haeundae Beach and popular attractions like Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Market, and Lotte World. So, if you plan to visit both Seoul and Busan during your trip, then you’re in the right place. We’ve got you covered with where to go in both Seoul and Busan, how to travel from Seoul to Busan, and more. 

Busan is 323 km away from Seoul. By train, Busan is about 3 hours away from Seoul. But if you’re going by car, it’ll take about 4 hours for you to get to Busan from Seoul.

Both Seoul and Busan are worth visiting even with the distance. So, to kickstart your planning, check out this Busan travel guide so you know where to go and how to get around. Alternatively, if you’re planning to spend several days in Seoul, we have this Seoul itinerary that’s packed with fun tours and also insights on how to get around the city!

The KTX is probably your best way to get from Busan to Seoul and vice versa. With the high-speed KTX, what should be a long journey will turn into a much shorter trip. The Busan to Seoul train ride time will only be 2 hours instead of 3 to 4. This direct train not only offers short travel time but also comfortable amenities such as spacious seats, big legroom, free WiFi, electrical sockets, and more.

But since the KTX is the fastest and most convenient way to go from Seoul to Busan and vice versa, high ticket demand is expected. With that, make sure to book your tickets in advance to secure your seats on the train at your preferred date and time.

To make the most of your ticket, Klook offers a combo option where you can add more to your KTX ticket. Your add-on options include the Visit Busan Pass, Busan X the SKY, N Seoul Tower Ticket, Busan SpaLand Ticket, and AREX Airport Express Train.   

Now if you want a transportation option that won’t only drop you off in Busan, especially if you want to explore more cities, then the Korea Intercity Bus is your best bet. Apart from Busan, the bus also has stops in Daegu, Gangwon province, Jeon-ju, Gyeongju, and more. The travel time from Seoul to Busan and vice versa via the Korea Intercity Bus is 4 hours, plenty of time for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the city views.

And here’s the best thing about the Korea Bus: if you book on Klook, you get to reserve your seats too! Say goodbye to your worries about securing your seats on the train on the day of departure. To make things even easier and better for you, Klook’s app and website offer several payment methods — credit, debit, and other online bank or payment apps.

Once you’ve booked your tickets, make sure to have your mobile ticket saved and ready as you’ll only need to have your QR Code scanned upon boarding the bus and you’re ready to go!

This last transport option is perfect for those looking for maximum comfort, privacy, and massive storage. If you feel like treating yourself to a luxurious ride from Seoul to Busan and vice versa, then definitely opt to get a private airport transfer instead! The private airport transfer can take you from the Incheon International Airport to Gimhae International Airport and vice versa. With a private airport transfer, you can store multiple bags and luggage with the space available, and rest as you wait to get to your destination. If you’re traveling with a group, you can get a bigger vehicle to pick you up and drop you off too. Remember to save your driver’s contact details for fuss-free communication.

There’s so much to explore in Seoul and Busan, and four days is enough to get to the must-visit attractions. With that, we’ve curated a 4-day Seoul to Busan itinerary that you can use as your guide during your trip to Korea! If you want to add more to your itinerary, check out these unmissable things to do in South Korea.

Korea is known for its amazing culture, so there’s no better way to start your trip than with an entire day dedicated to exploring some of Seoul’s popular and beautiful attractions.

Visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the historical main royal palace back in the Joseon Dynasty. Here, you can take a scenic stroll and just admire the intricate traditional architecture of Korea. Make sure to not miss out on the changing of guards at the palace too, a must-see for travelers and locals alike. Level up your visit at the palace and rent a hanbok to really feel like you’re back in the olden times.

Next up, visit the N Seoul Tower! While taking photos of and with the tower’s exterior is a must-do, nothing still beats climbing up the tower to get to the observatory. Up N Seoul Tower is where you’ll be delighted with breathtaking city views, as well as an opportunity to leave a love padlock just like how they do it in Korean dramas.

One of Korea’s trademarks is their food, especially kimchi! To really immerse yourself in their culture is to know how to make kimchi from scratch. It's a good thing there’s this kimchi-making experience that you can easily join in. Here, Korean chefs will walk you through the history and significance of kimchi in Korean culture. They will also teach you how to make cabbage kimchi, step by step — from preparing the ingredients to mixing them all together. After the class, you can taste the kimchi you made and even share some with others!

And what better way to cap off day 1 than with a visit to Seoul’s famous night market, the Gwangjang Market? Indulge in authentic Korean food with all the stalls lined up here. If you join a tour, you’ll be with a group and a tour guide who will not only take you to the best food but also share some history and fun facts about Gwangjang Market and Korean food.

Your visit to Seoul will never be complete without an entire day spent at their largest amusement park, Everland! The park has something for all ages, for kids and kids-at-heart. Since the amusement park is big, take note of these five themed zones — Zootopia, American Adventure, Global Fair, Magic Land, and European Adventure. Some must-rides include the T-Express in European Adventure, Amazon Express in Zootopia, Hurricane in American Adventure, Let’s Twist also in American Adventure, and more.

The famous city of Busan is home to popular attractions too. Whether or not it’s your first time here, Busan’s famous sites are always great to visit.

Save time and money with this one-day Busan tour! The tour includes transportation, lunch, and a visit to multiple attractions, all in one day. You’ll be taken to places like Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Huinnyeoul Culture Village, the famous and colorful Gamcheon Culture Village, and Taejongdae Resort Park. You’ll also get to go to Haeundae Blueline Park which houses the Cheongsapo railroad, beach train, the popular sky capsule, Cheongsapo Daritdol Observatory, Cheongsapo lighthouse, and Mipo railroad. Apart from all those, the Songdo Skywalk is part of the tour as well.

So, make sure to look at each package type carefully and choose which set of attractions you would want to venture to for a day.

Of course, Busan also has a must-experience amusement park — Lotte World! Being the first theme park in Busan, Lotte World promises fun and adventure all in one place. Six zones can be found inside the park, namely, Joyful Meadows, Wonder Woods, Rainbow Springs, Underland, River Village of Tinker Falls, and Royal Garden.

For thrillseekers, here are some attractions that you can’t miss: Giant Splash located at Wonder Woods zone, Giant Digger located at Underland zone, and Giant Swing at Underland zone as well.

But if you’re going with family, then these attractions are for you: Spinning Swing at Rainbow Springs zone, Swan Lake located at Royal Garden zone, and Fight of Sheep at Joyful Meadows zone.

Before you go, make sure to secure all your South Korea essentials first! We collated a short list of travel essentials to give you an idea of what to get.

This prepaid card is your best friend when it comes to making cashless payments throughout your trip. You can use your WOWPASS to pay at shopping malls, cafes, restaurants, and more, as long as card payment is accepted. You can also use it to pay for subways, taxis, and buses, to name a few. There are 16 currencies available, so topping up will be easy. As for where you can top up, there are over 160 machines in the country located at hotels, airports, and major subways. You can also withdraw your Korean won in your WOWPASS into cash should you suddenly need it.

To know more about the WOWPASS like where and how to use it specifically, make sure to download the WOWPASS app. It will be a handy and helpful app during your trip to Korea.

2. NAMANE Card

You can use your NAMANE Card to pay at convenience stores, cafes, and restaurants as well, just like the WOWPASS. You can also use it to pay for transportation when you ride subways and buses inside and outside of Seoul. When you need to top up, machines can be found in subway stations, as well as convenience stores. You can also customize your NAMANE card by adding any picture that you would want to see printed on it. You’ll see the finished product after claiming it from the airport upon arrival.

To learn more about the NAMANE Card, remember to download the NAMANE app. It will guide you on the usage of the card as you go around Korea.

Apart from prepaid card essentials, transportation plays an important role when traveling in another country, especially airport transfers. Here are two ways for you to go from the airport to Seoul:

And if you’re worried about how to get around in Seoul too, we have this guide on navigating Seoul’s subway system, since subways are conveniently placed everywhere in Korea and subway tickets are relatively cheaper than other transport options in the country.