Taking a Train to Busan? Some Advice & Tips!

CIEE Seoul hosts a ton of exciting activities and excursions for their students to take advantage of, and you know that I sign up for almost every single one of them if I can. So when I got the email for the famous ‘Train to Busan’ trip, I immediately filled out the survey and started planning out what I would do there. 

I will share some things that I would recommend doing while there, in addition to some information and advice about the trip. 

Some quick tips: 

• If you easily get motion-sick, bring pills just in case. However, I don’t know anyone who got sick on the train ride, so you should be good! 

   

• Bring some form of entertainment if you easily get bored

  • For example, I brought my iPad, played some games, and did some readings for some classes. 

     

• Download videos, movies, or books if possible

  • Although there is Wi-Fi onboard the train, it provides a relatively weak connection due to the large amount of people using the Wi-Fi. Also, the Wi-Fi tends to go out when the train enters a tunnel, which often happens. 

    • For example, I downloaded the ‘Across the Spider Verse’ movie before my train back to Seoul, and I highly enjoyed it! 

     

• Do readings or homework before the big trip or on the train 
  • You most likely will be very busy in Busan and will not have enough time to do homework, so I recommend doing homework before or allocating time slots to do it, such as on the train. 

• Bring some snacks and drinks (especially water) 
  • Before getting on the train, the CIEE staff may give you some time to stop at a convenience store, so be sure to get some snacks and drinks! 
  • Also, on the way back from Busan, be sure to stop by the Busan Rice Cake store! I got a Red Bean Rice Cake to eat on the train, and it was delicious! 

• If you don’t like lugging stuff around, bring a suitcase. 
  • I was stubborn and only brought two backpacks which definitely made my back sore. So, to avoid this, maybe consider bringing a small carry-on and a bag/tote. 

• Bring enough clothes and any personal necessities. 
  • Don’t worry about shampoo and conditioner the hotel will take care of that. 
  • Mosquitoes love me even more in South Korea for some reason, so if you are like me, be sure to bring mosquito spray! I usually get my mosquito spray at Daiso. 

• Drink enough water! Do not get dehydrated! 

• Stay in a group! As much as I encourage building up self-confidence and learning how to manage by yourself, this may or may not be a new location for you, so be sure to stay in a group to avoid anyone or yourself getting lost. 

• There are no zombies, so you should be good in terms of that. 

Some Places to Visit: 

• Busan International Film Festival (부산 국제 영화제) 

   

• Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) 
  • I had the best time at Gamcheon Village and highly recommend visiting! The view is absolutely insane, and there are so many specialty gift shops and yummy cafes! The pictures truly do not do it justice as the view is so much better in real life. 

  • Stop by 'Flipbook Studio'! They are the only store in the world that create flipbooks! My group and I had a blast acting out a scene and then we came back to the store 15-20 minutes later and they had provided a physical flipbook for each of us. 

     

• Gwangbok LOTTE Mall 
  • This mall is huge, so much so that we did not have enough time to visit every store. Also, there is a food court with various cuisines, so be sure to make a quick stop! 

  • If you are a book-lover like myself, consider stopping at ARC.N.BOOK. And if you can’t read Korean, don’t worry! They also have a small selection of popular books in English as well. 

     

•  Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (해동 용궁사)

  • Although I did not personally visit this temple, I heard from my friends that the view is breathtaking! If you love peaceful environments and hearing the ocean waves go by, I recommend visiting! 

     

• Be sure to check out local spots and restaurants! 

Overall, I enjoyed my time in Busan, and I am grateful for being given the opportunity to visit! I look forward to traveling more around South Korea and will be sure to blog about it! 

Happy Travelling!