Visit BTS Bus Stop | Without a Car
If you are a BTS fan visiting South Korea, chances are, one of the places you want to visit is the iconic bus stop from the You Never Walk Alone album cover. What you might not know is that this is not actually a functioning Bus stop. It was first set up for the photoshoot but later became a permanent fixture in the area due to the large amount of Armies visiting the site. (Kind of like what happened with Hobbiton in New Zealand).
This bus stop was on my bucket list for quite a while but sadly due to it being located in Gangwon province (강원특별자치도), on the East Coast of Korea quite far away from Seoul, I only managed to visit it on my third visit to South Korea. Read below to find out how to visit this iconic site with a bus.
Overview
First of all, there are multiple ways in which you can visit the BTS bus stop. There are day trip packages organised by various travel agencies (mostly in the warmer summer months), the most convenient one is, of course, visiting it by car but you can also reach it with a combination of KTX, intercity buses and local buses. I chose the bus as it was the cheapest option and the timetable fit with all the activities I wanted to do in the area. Also, Korean intercity buses are a very comfortable and affordable way to travel around the country. Instead of the normal bus seats that you are used to, be ready to enjoy a ride in a comfortable armchair-like seat!
💡TIP: Combine your visit to the Bus stop with a visit to Arte Museum Valley Gangneung.
Book a bus ticket
Now, this is the tricky part. You can find bus schedules and prices here (change the language to English in the top left corner where it says 한국어). Sadly, to my knowledge, the only way for you to purchase Korean intercity bus tickets online is if you have a Korean card. However, you can make a purchase directly at ticket offices at the bus terminals or via Trazy here 👇
💡TIP: During holidays and weekends, the buses get booked out really fast, so book your tickets in advance!
How to get there
BTS bus stop is located at the following address:
📍 Korean address: BTS 버스정류장, 강원 강릉시 주문진읍 향호리 8-55 link to Naver maps
📍 English address: BTS bus stop, 8-55 Hyangho-ri, Jumunjin-eup, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do
Take a morning bus from Seoul (Gyeongbu Line) from Express Bus Terminal to Gangneung. A one-way ticket costs about 24,600 KRW (17.42 EUR | 15.24 GBP | 18.63 USD) so a return ticket cost me 49,200 KRW (34.84 EUR | 30.48 GBP | 37.26 USD). The ride is about 2 hours and 50 minutes long (each way) depending on the traffic.
I boarded a morning bus that left the Seoul Express Bus Terminal on Saturday morning at 8:20. The bus made a stop at the bus service area, where you get about 15 minutes to go to the toilets and grab some snacks from the dining area. We arrived at the Gangneung Bus Terminal at around 11:10.
There are a few direct bus lines that take you from the bus terminal to the BTS bus stop like the green lines 314 and 302. I advise that you check Naver maps. Simply put your start and end destination and see which buses will get you to the destination the fastest. You might have to walk for a bit or take a connecting bus. The ride to reach your destination (get off at Jumunjin Beach Bus Stop) will take about one hour. You can use your T-money transport card for the local buses.
In total, plan a minimum of three hours to reach the BTS bus stop from Seoul using intercity bus and local buses. So start your day early!
If you are planning to use KTX for your trip, keep in mind that the KTX train station and Bus terminal are quite far apart from each other.
What to expect
The place is quite popular so expect a crowd on a nice sunny day. There also used to be a special stamp you could use to stamp your albums but sadly due to the use the stamp got completely worn off.
Besides the bus stop photo zone, they also set up purple benches, one dedicated to each member. Once you have taken a lot of photos at the bus stop, walk along the beach where you can find cute purple swings and other photo-op stops.
There is a convenience store located at the beach where you can buy drinks and snacks, but overall, it's a beach so there are no coffee shops or restaurants nearby.
What to expect
After you are done taking photos, take a bus to the Arte Museum Valley Gangneung and make the most out of your day trip on the East Coast of Korea. Plan your perfect day trip with my help.
