South Korea · High-speed · Scenic

KTX: Seoul to Gangneung

The Gyeonggang line KTX leaves Seoul and Cheongnyangni and runs east through the Taebaek mountains to Gangneung on the East Sea coast, calling at Pyeongchang and Jinbu on the way.

Seoul → Gangneung

High-speed · Scenic

A KTX-Eum train on the Gangneung line at Jeongdongjin.
A KTX-Eum train on the Gangneung line at Jeongdongjin. · Photo: Rsa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Experience
First-time rail travellers · Families
Route
Seoul → Gangneung
Time aboard
1h 55m

Why this connection

The city-to-city railway

This is the KTX route with actual scenery.

In motion

The train behind the timetable

The line climbs away from the Han river valley into the mountains of Gangwon province, runs through long tunnels and high valleys around Pyeongchang, then drops to the sea at Gangneung, where you can walk from the station towards the beach and the coffee shops of Anmok.

A KTX-Sancheon train at Gangneung Station during a Gyeonggang Line press tour.
A KTX-Sancheon train at Gangneung Station during a Gyeonggang Line press tour. · Photo: Korea.net / Jeon Han · CC BY-SA 2.0

The corridor

The route across the map

In winter it is a ski train; in summer it is the quickest escape from Seoul to the coast.

The published route runs from Seoul to Gangneung via Cheongnyangni, Manjong, Pyeongchang, Jinbu.

Key stops

Seoul StationCheongnyangniManjongPyeongchangJinbuGangneung

Seoul StationGangneungCheongnyangniManjongPyeongchangJinbu
South Korea · geographic corridor through verified stops · indicative alignment, not exact track geometry
  1. Seoul Station

    South Korea

  2. Cheongnyangni

    South Korea

  3. Manjong

    South Korea

  4. Pyeongchang

    South Korea

  5. Jinbu

    South Korea

  6. Gangneung

    South Korea

High-speed / intercity

What to know before you choose

01

What the train is like

The Gyeonggang line KTX leaves Seoul and Cheongnyangni and runs east through the Taebaek mountains to Gangneung on the East Sea coast, calling at Pyeongchang and Jinbu on the way. It opened in December 2017 for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and turned what had been a long mountain drive into a trip of under two hours, making the ski resorts and the coast an easy day out from the capital.

02

What defines the route

Seoul Station to Gangneung via Cheongnyangni, Manjong, Pyeongchang, Jinbu

03

Before you book

Reservation: required. Direct online booking is recorded. Reserved seats are sold through the operator's site and app; winter weekends book up early.

Verified 2026-09-28

Plan the ride

Choose the practical setup

Use the verified journey, booking, season and onboard facts below to decide how to take this experience. Unknowns stay explicit.

Time aboard
1h 55m
Reservation
Required
Booking
Direct online booking recorded
Rail pass
Not verified
Price context
Korail publishes distance-based KTX fares; check the operator for the exact fare on your travel date.
Timing
Check the current operating calendar
On board
No journey-specific onboard feature is currently verified

This guide does not imply a product variant unless a separate comparison decision is published.

Evidence on demand

Practical reality

Route, onboard, season, fit and booking detail remain available without interrupting the journey above. Unknowns stay visible.

Time & itinerary

1h 55m

View route map and verified stops

Seoul → Gangneung

The published route runs from Seoul to Gangneung via Cheongnyangni, Manjong, Pyeongchang, Jinbu.

Key stops

Seoul StationCheongnyangniManjongPyeongchangJinbuGangneung

Seoul StationGangneungCheongnyangniManjongPyeongchangJinbu
South Korea · geographic corridor through verified stops · indicative alignment, not exact track geometry
  1. Seoul Station

    South Korea

  2. Cheongnyangni

    South Korea

  3. Manjong

    South Korea

  4. Pyeongchang

    South Korea

  5. Jinbu

    South Korea

  6. Gangneung

    South Korea

When to go
  1. JanRuns
  2. FebRuns
  3. MarRuns
  4. AprRuns
  5. MayRuns
  6. JunRuns
  7. JulRuns
  8. AugRuns
  9. SepRuns
  10. OctRuns
  11. NovRuns
  12. DecRuns
  • Runs
Year-round
Runs

Jan: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.

These months show when the train runs, which is a service fact. How good each month is for the experience has not been rated yet, so no month is presented as better than another.

Month-by-month notes
  • Jan: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Feb: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Mar: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Apr: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • May: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Jun: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Jul: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Aug: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Sep: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Oct: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Nov: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
  • Dec: Scheduled year-round as a regular timetabled service.
Good for

Good fit for

  • First-time rail travellers

    Good fit

    Frequent, easy to book and a straightforward first rail journey in the country.

  • Families

    Good fit

    Short enough, frequent enough or engaging enough to work with children.

Think twice if

  • You cannot just turn up

    A reservation is required for this journey.

How it scores

Our current editorial assessment, for comparing journeys, a considered judgement, not a measurement.

SceneryStrong
ComfortStrong
Character of the trainModerate
Show the full editorial profile

More subjective

UniquenessModerate
Iconic statusModerate
PhotographyModerate
Travelling with childrenStrong

Not rated yet: value for money, food & drink, seat quality, onboard service, slow travel quality, romance, remoteness.

Step-free access and assistance are set out with the practical detail further down rather than reduced to a score.

Reservation & booking
Reservation
Required
Booking difficulty
Easy

Not yet verified: typical price, rail pass validity. We leave these blank rather than guess.

  • Reserved seats are sold through the operator's site and app; winter weekends book up early.

This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here. Journey length: 1h 55m. Checked 27 Oct 2026 · Korail.

Sources & freshness

The detailed source record remains at the end of this guide. Review the evidence.

Your next step

Choose the service, then confirm it with the operator.

Reserved seats are sold through the operator's site and app; winter weekends book up early.

Check availability with Korail (Korea Railroad Corporation) (opens in a new tab)

This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here.

Far by Rail is a discovery guide, not a live timetable or booking service. Confirm times, fares and availability with the operator.

Continue exploring

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Sources & freshness

Journey information is reviewed against published material and maintained as sources change.

Last reviewed 27 Oct 2026.

Official sources

  • Korailletskorail.com

    Checked 27 Oct 2026