In November, the most exciting film of the season "Train to Busan", a participant of the 69th Cannes Film Festival, was released in Russia. The new Korean blockbuster has become the highest grossing film in the history of national cinema. The blockbuster heroes go by train from Seoul to Busan, a disaster happens on the way - a virus hits the country, and Busan remains the only uninfected city.
And we offer our readers today to feel like passengers of the Seoul-Busan train, albeit under more pleasant circumstances. And our travel guide will be Sim Jong-Bo, President of the Busan Regional Tourism Office, who will tell you in detail about the peculiarities of the Korean railway service.
Mr. Sim Jong-Bo, please tell us what kind of transport do Koreans prefer to use? How do they usually get to Busan? Are Busan High Speed Trains Popular with Foreigners?
Transportation preferences of Koreans are the same as in most countries: they usually cover short distances by subway or city buses, and to travel outside the city they use trains, planes, high-speed and commuter buses. For a trip to Busan, high-speed trains are usually chosen, because the journey will take only 2.5 hours.
Foreigners, of course, are more likely to fly to South Korea by plane. As of September 2016, 800 thousand foreigners arrived in Busan by plane, 600 thousand - by sea transport and another 800 thousand - by other means of transport, including by train. Since it is convenient to get from Busan to Incheon International Airport, a lot of foreigners travel from Busan to Seoul and back by rail.
Please tell me what type of train is shown in the movie "Train to Busan"?
In the movie Train to Busan, you can see the KTX high-speed train, which has a capacity of 930 passengers. It can reach speeds of over 300 km / h. Today, KTX trains operate 133 times a day on the Seoul-Busan route.
Are there any peculiarities of the Busan station?
The main advantage of Busan Station is that from there it is very convenient to get to the main attractions of the city, for example, the Haeundae and Gwanalli beaches and the Jagalchi fish market.
Busan Station does not leave indifferent the director of the film International Market, which was watched by more than 10 million viewers. It features famous landmarks such as Yondo Bridge, Hinyouul Cultural Village, Songdo Beach and Gamcheon Cultural Village. I highly recommend that you take a train ride to Busan Station. This is the place where you can see the past, present and future of Korea at once.
According to sources, the Daegu and Daejeon stations were involved in the filming of the film. Can you tell us something about them? Are they far from Busan?
Daegu is a metropolis that is considered the third largest regional center after Busan and Ulsan. The time it takes to get there will depend on the type of train. For example, KTX will take you to Daegu in 50 minutes, and to Daejeon in 1 hour and 40 minutes. If you are thinking of driving a KTX, be sure to visit these two cities.
Daegu is not only the largest industrial city in the Republic of Korea and the center of Buddhist culture, but also the oldest transport hub in the country (it acquired this status back in 757, when the great Yongnam road ran through Daegu, along which travelers from Seoul to Busan moved). Daejeon is also a major industrial city and a center for contemporary Korean art and technology. Near Daejeon, the ancient city of Bue and the Yusong resort area are located, where the hot spring festival is held annually.
What interesting can you tell us about the history of Busan Railway Station? How long has it been around? What is its passenger traffic? Where do Busan residents travel most often? How many staff are involved in servicing the station? How often do the trains run?
The official opening of the Busan station took place on January 1, 1905, but due to severe fires, the station burned to the ground. As I already said, many sights of the city are located not far from it. I also recommend that you take part in one of the many sightseeing tours, you can buy a ticket for which you can right in front of the station building.
On average, the station's passenger traffic is 60,000 people per day. The Busan station employs 100 people.
Mr. Sim Jong-Bo, please tell us about the construction of special lines for traveling to Olympic venues. Will high-speed trains run? Will the trains be decorated with Olympic symbols?
In 2017, it is planned to test a section of the railway on the Wonju-Gangneung route, and in early 2018, before the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, the first high-speed trains will go along it. They will play a key role in transporting fans and athletes from over 100 countries around the world. It is not yet planned to place special symbols on the train.
How can you buy a train ticket to Busan: directly at the ticket office of the station, or is it better to take care of this issue in advance?
You can buy a train ticket directly at the nearest ticket office of the station, through the KoRailTalk mobile application and on the official website of the company (English, Chinese and Japanese are supported). I would recommend that you buy your ticket online to avoid queues and unexpected situations.
Are there any bonuses for foreign tourists when traveling by train to Busan?
For foreign tourists, there is a special travel ticket from the Korail company (korail pass). This travel document is the most profitable from an economic point of view: it provides the holder with an unlimited number of trips and connections within the pre-selected travel period. To learn more about the types of travel, prices and other information you are interested in, refer to the official website of the company (www.letskorail.com). The site is available in English.
Where would you advise a person who first arrived in Busan to go?
There are so many interesting places in Busan that it will be very difficult to advise any one. Since Busan is a seaside city, I advise you to go to the sea, in particular, to the most famous and picturesque beaches - "Haeundae" and "Gwangalli". There are 7 beaches in Busan, which form a single coastline. Each of the beaches has its own charm. In addition to enjoying the scenery, you can go surfing at Seongjong Beach or sailing on a yacht at Gwangalli Beach. The view of Busan at night from the sea is an unforgettable sight. I recommend you take a yacht ride along the coast at night and enjoy the view of the shining lights of the metropolis.
On weekends, I usually walk along the Kalmet Keel and Hepharan Keel walking paths. During these walks, I feel my mind and body heal and my mood immediately improves. In my opinion, the most charming thing about Busan, along with the cultural component of the city, is the combination of sea and coastal scenery.
