The Gangchon Rail Bike is an unforgettable ride through stunning mountain vistas and whimsical tunnels near Nami Island in South Korea. It starts inside Gangchon Rail Park and winds through majestic landscapes, next to the Bukhan River, before ending at Nanggu Village.
The Gangchon Rail Bike is truly unforgettable
From atop the abandoned Gyeongchun Line train tracks, you’ll drink in the one-of-a-kind, immersive views you can only see from the window of a train as it chugs along the knife-edge of a mountain. The Gangchon Rail Bike is absolutely one of the best things I’ve done when traveling around Korea.
There are 4 whimsical tunnels on the Gangchon Rail Bike route.
In this guide, you’ll get the full scoop on:
- the difference between the Gangchon Rail bike and the Gapyeong Rail bike
- which train station to go to in the Gangchon Rail Park (there are 3, and they’re not close to each other)
- where to score discounted tickets
- how far in advance you need to book so you don’t miss out
*Psst… this post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure.
In this guide
Gangchon Rail Bike vs Gapyeong Rail Bike
The Gangchon Rail Bike and the Gapyeong Rail Bike are 2 completely separate routes within the Gangchon Rail Park. Keep in mind that even though they both use the old Gyeongchun railway tracks that linked the cities of Seoul and Chuncheon before 2010, they are NOT connected.
The rail bikes use the discontinued Gyeongchun Line train tracks
These rail bike courses offer a nostalgic ride across old railway bridges, near mountainous landscapes, and through abandoned train tunnels, but they’re definitely not the same. I’ll detail the major differences further on in this guide.
TIP | Both the Gangchon rail bike and the Gapyeong Rail Bike have their own charms, but the one that leaves from Gimyujeong Station is the one you want to book if you only have time to do ONE of these rail bikes courses. Reserve discounted tickets here.
Gangchon Rail Park | 강촌레일파크
It’s important to know that there are 3 separate train stations within Gangchon Rail Park that are not geographically close to each other. These are Gimyujeong, Gapyeong, and Gyeong-gang Station. Make sure you know exactly which station you’re supposed to leave from!
Make sure you reserve the right rail bike and go to the right train station
The Gangchon Rail Bike | 김유정 레일바이크
Address: 1383, Gimyujeong-ro, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do | 강원도 춘천시 신동면 김유정로 1383
The Gangchon Rail Bike leaving from Gimyunjeong Station is probably the one you want to book. It’s the most photographed and most popular rail bike for good reason. This is an 8.5-km one way course, that involves a rail bike, train ride, and shuttle bus to get back to your starting point.
If you see these “book buildings,” you’re at Gimyujeong Station in Gangchon Rail Park
It leaves from and returns to Gimyujeong Station in the Gangchon Rail Park, which is about a 30 minute drive away from Nami Island and very close to the city of Chuncheon.
TIP | If you’d like to see Nami Island, Alpaca World, Petite France, or the Garden of Morning Calm AND ride the Gangchon Rail bike, it’s easier and much more convenient to book a tour that includes round-trip transport between all locations. Customize and book an easy day tour to Nami Island (or Alpaca World, Petite France or the Garden of Morning Calm) + Gangchon Rail Bike here.
The Gapyeong Rail Bike | 가평 레일바이크
Address: 4, Jangteo-gil, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do | 경기도 가평군 가평읍 장터길 14
The Gapyeong Rail Bike is a 8-km round-trip course (4-km each way), that leaves from either Gapyeong or Gyeong-gang Station in the Gangchon Rail Park. You can take it in either direction, but you will end up pedaling back through landscape you’ve already seen.
The Gapyeong Rail Bike is closer to Nami Island than the Gangchon Rail Bike.
Gapyeong is the closest station to Nami Island, so it’s super convenient if you want to combine a visit to the 2 places. However, if you want to try to get same day tickets for the Gapyeong Rail Bike, your best chance is probably at Gyeong-gang station.
Korea Travel Essentials
Travel Visas
Travel requirements, visas, and passport photos for a trip to South Korea
Hotels and Other Accommodation
Booking | Agoda | Klook | HotelsCombined
Travel Insurance for South Korea
Malaysian Residents | Singapore Residents | Thai Residents
Wifi, SIM Cards, and Portable Wifi
4G unlimited data SIM card | Portable and Pocket 4G WiFi
Airport Transfers and Luggage Delivery
AREX Incheon Airport Express Train
K Airport Limousine Bus from Incheon Airport
Incheon Airport to Seoul Private Transfers
Gimhae Airport to Busan Private Airport Transfers
Luggage Delivery To / From Hotel or Airport
Money-Saving Transit and Transport Passes
Visit Busan Pass with FREE admission to 31 attractions + 77 discounted
Korea Tour Card (T-Money) Transit Card
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours
Seoul City Hop-on Hop-off Tour Bus Day | Seoul Night View Course
Daegu Hop-on Hop-off Tour Bus Tour
Day Tours and Discounted Admission Tickets
Get Your Guide | Klook | Trazy | Viator
What to Expect on the Gangchon Rail Bike
The Gangchon Rail Bike departs from Gimyujeong Station and takes approximately 1 hour to complete. The first 6-km are pedaled on either 2 or 4 seater rail bikes. It’s not too difficult, but there are a few spots where you’ll definitely have to get those leg muscles working.
There are 4 cool themed tunnels on the route
Along the way, you’ll pedal past majestic mountains and peaceful grasses, while enjoying views of the North Han River along the way. The 4 themed tunnels on this route take you into darkness, bubbles, pinwheels, pulsing lights, and then back out into the gorgeous light of Gangwon Province.
Make no mistake, the landscapes along this route are stunning
You’ll see the gorgeous landscapes of Gangwondo as you ride
At the end of the route, there’s a 20 minute break at Nanggu Village where you can use the bathroom, get snacks and take pictures, before boarding the Romantic Train for the last 2.5-km. A shuttle bus takes you back to where you started at Gimyujeong Station.
The open air train carriage on the Romantic Train from Nanggu Village.
GOOD TO KNOW | There is one open-air car on the Romantic Train. If you want to get on the first shuttle bus back to Gimyujeong Station, get on it because it’s closest to the exit. Walk quickly to the shuttle bus area, without stopping for any breaks, otherwise you’ll end up waiting for the next shuttle. The walk takes about 10 minutes.
How to Reserve the Gangchon Rail Bike from Gimyujeong Station
It’s possible to book same-day time slots for the Gangchon Rail Bike, but it regularly sells out days in advance. It’s best to reserve your Gangchon Rail Bike tickets before you make the trip to Chuncheon to avoid being disappointed.
There are multiple ways to book, but almost all involve reserving at least 24 hours in advance, so plan accordingly.
Book an all-inclusive tour
If you don’t have your own car, the best option is to make a whole day of it and see some of the other highlights of the area at the same time. These include Nami Island, Alpaca World, Hyvaa Finland, the Garden of Morning Calm, and Petite France.
-
- Be sure to bundle up for your Christmas in Seoul events. It’s cold!
These packages are super convenient because they include round-trip transport between sites, admission tickets, english or chinese speaking guides, and a rail bike time slot. They must be booked IN ADVANCE (mostly because of the rail bike). Here’s where you can book.
Nami Island + Garden of Morning Calm (or Petite France) + Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul
All the options on Klook (24 hours in advance) | On Trazy (available Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
Alpaca World, Nami Island + Gangchon Rail Bike Day Tour from Seoul (24 hours in advance)
Private Tour of Nami Island, Alpaca World and the Gangchon Rail Bike (24 hours in advance)
Directly on the Gangchon Rail Bike Website
You can reserve the Gangchon Rail Bike from Gimyujeong Station directly on their website (Korean only on the reservation page). Just click the red button at the bottom of the page after reading the reservation guide. The cost for a 2 seater bike is 35,000 won. A 4 seater rail bike costs 48,000 won.
A 2 seater rail is bike costs 35,000 won and a 4 seater rail bike costs 48,000 won
Some important things to note:
- you must reserve this 24 hours in advance
- you can choose between and 2 and 4 seater rail bikes, but children over 36 months old are counted as adults and take up a seat
- you need to show up 20 minutes in advance of your time slot to exchange your reservation number for a ticket on-site
- there are no refunds for cancellations, changes or missed time slots
TIP | If booking directly on the Korean website is intimidating, you can reserve your Gangchon Rail Bike ticket 24 hours in advance and enjoy a discount (31,900 vs 35,000 won for a 2 seater, 42,600 vs 48,000 won for a 4 seater) on Klook instead. Book a Gangchon Rail Bike ticket here.
When to ride the Gangchon Rail Bike
The Gangchon Rail Bike runs all year, in every season. Each season offers something unique, so the “best time to visit” is really subjective. It depends on your tolerance for cold or heat and which particular scenery you’d like to see.
For a rundown of what to expect each season, check out these monthly guides:
- Korea in April: Chasing Cherry Blossoms
- Korea in May: In Full Bloom
- Korea in June: The Calm Before the Storm
- Korea in July: The Peak of Summer
- Korea in August: Summer Vacation for EVERYONE!
- Korea in September: The Relief of Autumn
- Korea in October: Fall Foliage at its Peak
Autumn
We visited near the end of October because we wanted to try to catch the autumn foliage in Korea. It was incredibly gorgeous, but I think the first week of November would actually be better for more variety of colour. The leaves were still pretty green when we visited. The wind was pretty intense at times, so definitely dress warm.
The sun was setting over the mountains when we rode the Gangchon Rail Bike
We booked our Gangchon Rail Bike at the 3:30 time slot, and it was the perfect time to catch the sun as it started to set behind the mountains in the area.
Winter
If romantic snowy scenes are your thing, winter is definitely the best choice. You’ll need to bundle up if you plan to ride the Gangchon Rail Bike from December to February. It takes around an hour to complete the whole course, and Korea in winter is COLD.
If you’re riding the Gangchon Rail Bike in winter, be sure to bundle up!
Spring
Spring brings mild temperatures and cherry blossoms to Korea. In these months, you can enjoy blooming flowers and grasses. Unfortunately, yellow dust pollution also fills the skies at this time, so be sure to check air quality before booking.
In April, you can see cherry blossoms in Korea
Summer
Summer is the one season to be a little cautious. Korea suffers heavy monsoons and intense humidity during the summer months, so you might end up pedaling in a downpour! Plan accordingly.
Did this article help you? Writers (and moms especially) need caffeine!
Help support my small business with a cup of coffee.
Gangchon Rail Bike: Essential Info and FAQs
What do you think? Will a visit to Gangchon Rail Park be at the top of your list? Let us know in the comments below!
Alison and Don
This looks absolutely fabulous! And your photos are gorgeous. We’ve decided that our next trip (whenever that will be!) will be to Taiwan and Korea – both new countries for us. I’ve been watching K-dramas for months now – can’t get enough of them!
Alison
shelley
Haha yeah those K-dramas are super addictive! and I think a lot of people end up visiting because they get curious from them. Hope we all get to travel again soon. 🙁 I’ve yet to make it Taiwan myself.
AndysWorldJourneys
this is so cool, and original! I love it!
shelley
To be honest, I was pretty surprised by just how awesome it was! 😉
lexklein
South Korea is so pretty! I have to to get back …. when, I have no idea since you probably won’t let us stupid Americans back in anytime soon (justifiably!). Hope you are all doing well!
shelley
Lex! How are you? Are you staying safe and healthy and managing to get out a bit? I think Americans are still allowed to enter Korea without applying for a visa in advance (something to do with reciprocity) – so you can still come here. You’d just have to quarantine for 2 weeks before you’d be allowed to roam the country haha.
lexklein
🙂 We are healthy, and we get out by driving. You know I love my road trips, and these have been safe so far with all of our precautions. Stay healthy there this winter!
Mabel Kwong
When I read the title ‘Rail bike’ I presumed it was riding an old bicycle on a bicycle trail lol! Quitet the opposite the more I read your post and saw the photos! It looks like an open-aired buggy on rails but cozier than a train and brings you really close the nature. It looked like you picked a good time to go on the rail bike – those autumn colours are amazing. I can see why you have to reserve it as it might get sold out 😀
shelley
Hey Mabel, there are rail bikes all over Korea built on abandoned railway tracks, but I think this is one of the best ones. The views were amazing and the tunnels were so much fun! It was sold out, even with tourist numbers down by 90% currently due to corona, so you can imagine how it is in regular times! I hope you’re staying safe and healthy during this crazy time. 🙂