Seoul to Busan via Yeosu: Coastal Cable Car & Island Day Tour

A full day between two cities, built around Yeosu's coast instead of a highway blur

This one-day tour travels from Seoul to Busan with a structured stop in Yeosu, where you ride the Maritime Cable Car for sea views, take the Dongbaek Train onto Odongdo Island, visit the Yeosu World Islands Expo (Sep 5–Nov 4, 2026) or Yongwolsa Temple depending on the season, and eat local Korean lunch. The route includes hotel pickup from Seoul or a meeting point at Yeosu EXPO KTX Station, a live English-speaking guide, and transport all the way to Busan Station, arriving around 9pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Yeosu Coastal Highlights and Busan Transfer

• Meet at Myeongdong Station Exit 10
• Meet at Yeosu EXPO KTX Station
• Visit Yeosu World Islands Expo or Yongwolsa Temple
• Enjoy local Korean lunch
• Coffee break at Musulmok Beach
• Ride Yeosu Maritime Cable Car
• Visit Odongdo Island and Dongbaek Train ride
• Depart Yeosu for Busan
• Rest stop at Jinyeong Service Area
• Arrive at Busan Station and tour ends

The experience

If you're traveling between Seoul and Busan and don't want to spend ten hours on a train or highway, this tour builds a full day around Yeosu's coastal attractions instead. You leave Seoul at 7am from Myeongdong Station (or meet the guide at Yeosu EXPO KTX Station at 10:30am if you're already south), and the route is structured so you see the things that make Yeosu worth the detour: the Maritime Cable Car swings you out over the water for unobstructed views of the coastline and islands, and the Dongbaek Train carries you one way into Odongdo Island, where camellia trees line the shore. The guide is with you the whole time and speaks English.

What you do between those two landmarks depends on when you travel. During the Yeosu World Islands Expo (Sep 5–Nov 4, 2026), you explore the expo grounds and exhibitions. Outside that window, you visit Yongwolsa Temple, a seaside temple with ocean views. Lunch is local Korean food (either at the expo site or at a restaurant like Dongbaek Hansik), and there's a café break at Musulmok Beach where you can sit with a drink and watch the water. The itinerary is fixed, so you're not choosing stops as you go. Everything is arranged and timed so the day flows without gaps.

At 5:30pm you leave Yeosu and drive toward Busan, stopping at Jinyeong Service Area on the highway to stretch and grab coffee or snacks. You arrive at Busan Station around 9pm, where the tour ends and you can take a taxi or subway to your hotel. The vehicle is private, bottled water is included, and the operator handles parking fees. You pay for any personal expenses or extra drinks at the café.

What’s included

• Private vehicle transportation from Seoul (or Yeosu) all the way to Busan Station.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• Yeosu Maritime Cable Car and Dongbaek Train one-way ticket.
• entry to the Yeosu World Islands Expo (Sep 5–Nov 4, 2026) or Yongwolsa Temple outside the event period.
• local Korean lunch.
• a travel photo service.
• all parking fees.
• and a live English-speaking guide for the full route.

Options for this experience

2 options

Meeting point: Yeosu EXPO KTX StationGuide in English · 10:30Meet your guide at 10:30 AM. Suggested train: KTX 503 (Seoul to Yeosu Expo, departing 7:03 AM, arriving 10:19 AM). Drop-off at Busan Station after the tour.

Pickup service from Sejong HotelGuide in English · 06:30Pickup from 6:30 AM: Travel from Sejong Hotel in Seoul by private vehicle. Drop-off at Busan Station after the tour. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30 and 10:30

AgesAdult (6 to 90 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Slow Korea Travel

Is this one for you?Choose the Sejong Hotel pickup if you're based in Seoul and want to leave early and see everything in one seamless day. Choose the Yeosu EXPO KTX Station meeting if you're already traveling south or prefer to arrange your own transport to Yeosu and start the tour mid-morning.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between picking up from Sejong Hotel in Seoul and meeting at Yeosu EXPO KTX Station?

Sejong Hotel pickup in Seoul means the guide collects you at 7am from Myeongdong Station Exit 10 and you ride with the group all the way to Yeosu. Meeting at Yeosu EXPO KTX Station at 10:30am means you travel to Yeosu on your own (by train or car) and join the tour there, saving the early morning but starting the Yeosu portion later in the day.

What happens at the Yeosu World Islands Expo, and what if I'm traveling outside the event dates?

During Sep 5–Nov 4, 2026, you visit the Yeosu World Islands Expo and have free time to walk the exhibitions and event grounds. Outside those dates, you visit Yongwolsa Temple instead, a peaceful seaside temple with ocean views of the same stretch of coast.

Does the Dongbaek Train go both ways on Odongdo Island, or just one direction?

The Dongbaek Train is a one-way ticket into Odongdo Island. You ride it to reach the island's interior and coastal scenery, then walk back out or explore on foot.

How much time do you actually spend in Yeosu before heading to Busan?

From the first Yeosu stop (the expo or temple) until departure at 5:30pm, you have roughly six hours to visit the expo or temple, eat lunch, take the cable car, ride the Dongbaek Train, and have a café break. The guide paces it so you see all the main sites without rushing.

What's included in the price, and what do I pay for separately?

The tour includes private vehicle transport to Busan, bottled water, the Maritime Cable Car ride, the Dongbaek Train ticket, entry to the Yeosu World Islands Expo or Yongwolsa Temple, local Korean lunch, a travel photo service, and all parking fees. Drinks at the café break and any personal expenses are at your own cost.

Does the tour end at Busan Station, or do you go to hotels in the city?

Busan Station is the final stop. From there you can take a taxi or subway to reach your hotel or anywhere else in Busan, but the tour itself does not include hotel drop-off in the city.