Korea in 7 Days: Seoul, Gyeongju and Busan by KTX

Seoul could fill five days on its own; this week gives it four and spends the rest on two cities down the same rail line. Start on any day except a Monday or a Friday. Gyeongbokgung shuts on Tuesdays and Changdeokgung on Mondays, and those two start days are the only ones that put a closure on day two or day four. If the week overlaps Chuseok, 24 to 26 September 2026, read Chuseok 2026 in Korea before booking the trains. With only three days and no plan to leave the capital, Seoul in 3 days fits both palaces into one day and keeps the DMZ.

Day 1: Land and get into Seoul

Take the AREX from Incheon. The express train reaches Seoul Station in 43 minutes from Terminal 1 and 51 minutes from Terminal 2, for 13,000 won. The all-stop train is slower but costs 4,750 won from Terminal 1 and 5,350 won from Terminal 2 on a transit card, and takes 59 and 66 minutes.

The base decides the rest of the week more than the hotel does, and a central area near Seoul Station keeps the day-five train close. With the first evening free, go up Namsan: the N Seoul Tower observatory is open until 10:30pm on weekdays and 11pm at weekends, and costs 29,000 won for adults.

Related guideIncheon Airport to Seoul: AREX, Airport Bus or TaxiThe AREX express reaches Seoul Station in 43 minutes for 13,000 won. The all-stop train costs a third of that, buses reach some hotels, and taxis cover the night. Related guideWhere to Stay in Seoul: Choosing an Area, Not a HotelSeoul is large and its sights are scattered, so the neighbourhood decides your trip more than the hotel does. What each main area is good and bad at.

Day 2: Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon and a market dinner

Be at Gyeongbokgung for 9am opening, and stay for the changing of the royal guard at 10am, which lasts about 20 minutes. Admission is 3,000 won for adults, or free in hanbok, which is why this is the day to rent one from a shop by Gyeongbokgung Station.

From the palace, walk into Bukchon while the lanes are open to visitors. The red zone around Bukchon-ro 11-gil admits tourists only from 10am to 5pm, so do it before mid-afternoon and move on to Insadong for the rest of the day.

Finish at Gwangjang Market. The market itself closes at 6pm and on Sundays, but its food street stays open until 11pm every day of the year.

Related guideHanbok Rental Near Gyeongbokgung: Free Entry and the RulesHanbok gets you into Seoul's main palaces free if it has a wrap collar and a top with a skirt or trousers. Where to rent, what is included, and Bukchon's 5pm rule.

Day 3: The DMZ, or the season's day trip

Give the third day to a trip out of the city. The DMZ can only be visited on a tour, and the standard tour covers the Third Infiltration Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Imjingak.

In late October, trade it for Seoraksan, which is forecast to reach peak colour on 25 October 2026, well before Seoul.

Related guideDMZ Tours from Seoul: What You Can Actually VisitMost DMZ visits from Seoul are guided tours, and the JSA at Panmunjom has been shut to the public since December 2023. What that means for what you book.

Day 4: Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden

Changdeokgung's Secret Garden admits visitors at set times, with the guided commentary optional, and English entry slots run at 10:30, 11:30, 14:30 and 15:30 from March to November. Half the places on each tour are sold online and half on site on the day, so book online or arrive early. The palace is closed on Mondays.

Spend the evening in Hongdae, the university district on subway Line 2, which has the late-night food, music and street life the central districts lack.

Day 5: South to Gyeongju

Take a morning KTX from Seoul Station to Gyeongju Station. The standard fare is 44,500 won, and tickets open at 7am one month before the travel date.

From Gyeongju Station, buses 50, 51, 60, 61, 70 and 700 reach the main downtown stops in about 20 to 25 minutes. Leave your bag at the hotel and start with the tombs. Daereungwon, the park of Silla royal tombs, is free, and Cheonmachong costs 3,000 won for adults. Cheomseongdae is free.

Save the evening for Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, open until 10pm with last entry at 9:30pm and 3,000 won for adults. Gyeongju City warns that arriving close to last entry can mean not getting in, because of the crowds for the night view. Woljeonggyo Bridge is free and also open until 10pm.

Related guideHow to Book the KTX: Tickets, Fares and the 2026 ChangesKTX tickets open at 7am a month before travel. Since 1 September 2026 the KTX and SRT are one network and fares are 10% lower: Seoul to Busan is 54,400 won.

Day 6: Bulguksa and Seokguram, then Busan

Bulguksa and Seokguram are both free to enter and open at 9am. From downtown, bus 10 or 11 reaches Bulguksa in about 35 to 45 minutes, with gaps of up to 40 to 50 minutes between buses on the city's transport information timetable. From Bulguksa, bus 12 climbs to Seokguram, where the grotto is a 10-minute walk from the car park and buses back leave on the hour.

Back in the centre by early afternoon, take the train on to Busan, an hour further down the same line. In the evening, Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park is open until 10pm, with last admission at 9:30pm, and costs 12,000 won for adults. It is a six-minute walk from exit 1 of Jungang Station on Line 1.

Day 7: The Busan coast, then home

Spend the last day on the east coast. Haedong Yonggungsa temple is free and open from 4:30am to 7:20pm. From exit 7 of Haeundae Station on Line 2, buses 181, 100 and Haeundae 9 run there.

Then ride Blueline Park's sky capsules between Mipo and Cheongsapo, a 30-minute ride each way. The fare is charged per capsule, 50,000 won for two people, and in September the capsules run from 8:30am to 7:30pm.

To leave, the Busan-Gimhae Light Rail runs from Gimhae Airport and connects with subway Line 2 at Sasang and Line 3 at Daejeo. To fly home from Incheon instead, the fastest KTX takes 2 hours 18 minutes back to Seoul.

With two days in Busan rather than one, Busan in 2 days splits the city into an old-port day and a coast day.

Related guideSeoul vs Busan: Which City for a First Trip to KoreaSeoul is the better first base in Korea: long-haul flights land at Incheon, and the palaces, markets and DMZ are there. Busan wins for a summer beach trip.

For the paperwork before any of this, start with the South Korea travel guide.