Seoul and Busan in 7 Days: Itinerary With KTX (2026)

• Book the KTX. Korail's 1 November 2026 timetable has dozens of daily trains each way, but weekend seats go fast. See KTX and trains.
• Check closing days. In Seoul, Gyeongbokgung closes on Tuesdays and Changdeokgung on Mondays. In Busan, Jagalchi Market closes on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays (Visit Busan), and the Taejongdae Danubi train does not run on Mondays.
• Book timed tickets. The Secret Garden tour at Changdeokgung opens online six days ahead. Book Blue Line Park in Busan on its official site.
• One transit card. A T-money card works in both cities.
• Two bases. Stay near Seoul Station or Myeongdong in Seoul, and in Seomyeon or Haeundae in Busan. See where to stay.

Afternoon: take the AREX from Incheon to Seoul Station: 59–66 minutes on the all-stop train, or 43–51 minutes on the express. Drop your bags.

Evening: ride Line 4 two stops to Myeongdong (Exits 5–10). From Exit 5, walk to Hoehyeon intersection and take the Namsan Oreumi elevator and cable car (10:00–23:00) up to N Seoul Tower. The observatory costs ₩29,000.

Morning: 경복궁GyeongbokgungGyeongbokgung Palace opens at 09:00 (Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit 5). The guard change is at 10:00. Then walk to Bukchon, about 15–20 minutes. Visitors may enter its core lanes only from 10:00 to 17:00.

Afternoon: have lunch in Insadong, then join the 14:30 English Secret Garden tour at Changdeokgung (Anguk Station, Exit 3).

Evening: Gwangjang Market's food alley (Jongno 5-ga Station, Exit 8) stays open until 23:00.

Morning: the National Museum of Korea opens at 09:30, is free, and is open on Mondays (Ichon Station, Line 4).

Afternoon: go to Hongik Univ. Station (Line 2 and AREX). Exit 3 leads to Gyeongui Line Forest Park and Exit 9 to the Hongdae streets.

Evening: from 15 March to 31 October, watch the Banpo Bridge fountain at 19:30–21:00 (Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 8-1, then about 1.1 km on foot). In the colder months, have dinner in Hongdae instead.

Morning: ride Line 2 to Seongsu for cafés and pop-up stores, then walk in Seoul Forest (Ttukseom Station, Exit 8).

Afternoon: go 5 stops east on Line 2 to Jamsil (Exit 2). Lotte World Tower's Seoul Sky observatory opens from 10:30 and costs ₩33,000.

Evening: pack. You need to be at Seoul Station early tomorrow. If your hotel is far away, consider moving to a hotel near Seoul Station for this night.

Morning: take an early KTX from Seoul Station. Most trains take 2 hours 40–50 minutes, and the fastest 2 hours 18 minutes. You arrive at 부산역Busan-yeokBusan Station in the old port area.

Midday: take Line 1 three stops to Jagalchi (Exit 10) for lunch at 자갈치시장Jagalchi SijangJagalchi Market, open 05:00–22:00. Gukje Market is a 7-minute walk from Jagalchi Exit 7.

Afternoon: go one stop on Line 1 to Toseong (Exit 6), then take village bus Saha 1-1, Seo-gu 2 or Seo-gu 2-2 to 감천문화마을Gamcheon Munhwa MaeulGamcheon Culture Village. The village is open 09:00–18:00 in March–October and until 17:00 in November–February. Allow about 25 minutes each way.

Evening: Yongdusan Park and Busan Tower (Nampo Station, Exit 7) are open until 22:00. Then go to your hotel. Nampo to Haeundae is about an hour by subway with a change at Seomyeon.

Morning: visit Haedong Yonggungsa Temple early. It opens 04:30–19:20 and is free. Take bus 181 from Haeundae Station Exit 7, or a taxi from Haeundae Beach, about 20 minutes.

Midday: ride the Blue Line Park beach train from Mipo, at the east end of Haeundae Beach. A taxi from Haeundae Station takes about 7 minutes. One ride costs ₩8,000 and all stations ₩16,000, and the trip takes about 25 minutes one way. In November–February it runs 09:00–19:00.

Afternoon: walk 해운대해수욕장Haeundae HaesuyokjangHaeundae Beach (Haeundae Station, Exit 5, about 15 minutes on foot).

Evening: ride Line 2 from Haeundae to Gwangan (6 stops, Exit 5, then 13 minutes on foot) and see Gwangan Bridge lit up from Gwangalli Beach. A taxi takes about 15 minutes. On 7 November 2026 the Busan Fireworks Festival fills this beach, so expect very large crowds.

Morning: if it is not a Monday, take bus 17, 88 or 101 from Busan Station Exit 7 to Taejongdae and ride the Danubi train around the cliffs. It runs 09:20–18:00 in October–April. A taxi from Busan Station takes about 25 minutes. On a Monday, visit Huinnyeoul Culture Village instead (Nampo Station Exit 6, then bus 7, 71 or 508).

Afternoon: take the KTX from Busan Station to Seoul Station. The fastest takes 2 hours 26 minutes. Then the AREX express to Incheon takes 43 minutes to Terminal 1 or 51 minutes to Terminal 2. Add your airline's check-in time and leave a buffer. If your flight leaves from Gimhae instead, take the light rail from Sasang; see Busan.

Approximate costs per adult as of October 2026, not including accommodation:

Meal estimates use the Korea Consumer Agency's averages for September 2026: three simple meals cost about ₩25,000 a day in Seoul and ₩22,000 in Busan. With one barbecue portion a day, they cost about ₩37,000 and ₩31,000. Without hotels or Seoul Sky, the week comes to roughly ₩375,000–₩495,000 per person. Busan fares are from the Busan Transportation Corporation's fare data (updated September 2025). Room rates for both cities are in the budget guide.

More time? Add Jeju by plane; see the Jeju guide.