Gangneung, Sokcho & Chuncheon Day Trips — Where KTX Works and Where It Doesn't (First & Last Train Times)

Gangneung has carried the label “a Seoul day trip” ever since the KTX Gangneung Line opened in 2018. Yet most travel guides introduce Gangneung, Sokcho and Chuncheon as if you can reach all three the same way. In reality they sit on separate rail lines — and Sokcho, to this day, has no KTX at all. This post starts from the Korail timetable, gives you the confirmed first and last train times and travel durations, and then does the math on how many of the three are realistic in a day and which combinations are a stretch.

Why is it so different getting to Gangneung, Sokcho and Chuncheon?

All three are in Gangwon-do, but the way you reach them from Seoul is completely different. Gangneung is directly served by the KTX Gangneung Line (via Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station), Chuncheon runs on a separate route — the Gyeongchun Line’s ITX-Cheongchun (via Yongsan Station and Cheongnyangni Station) — and Sokcho is touched by neither, so it depends on an express bus or a transfer through Gangneung.

Gangneung by KTX: how long and how much?

A standard-class KTX from Seoul Station to Gangneung takes about 1 hour 54 minutes one way, with a regular fare of ₩27,600. From Cheongnyangni Station it’s slightly faster at about 1 hour 40 minutes, and the fare runs around ₩26,000. Depending on when you book, discounted fares from about ₩20,500 also show up.

📊 Seoul–Gangneung KTX basics (standard class, one way)

From Seoul Station the first train is 05:06 and the last is 22:14 (toward Gangneung). Heading back, trains from Gangneung to Seoul run from a first departure of 05:20 to a last departure of 22:27. Work the two times together and you can stay on the ground for up to about 15 hours — catch the first train out, then the last one back. Note that this assumes average travel times for the first and last services, so individual trains can differ by a few minutes.

From Gangneung Station, Anmok Beach coffee street and Gyeongpo Lake are a taxi or local bus away. If navigating on your own feels like a hassle, or you’d rather not deal with KTX ticketing at all, there are also Gangneung day tours departing from Seoul.

Why can't you take the KTX to Sokcho?

Because there’s still no direct rail line from Seoul to Sokcho. The Donghae Line KTX-Eum opened toward Bujeon (Busan) in 2025, but it doesn’t connect to Seoul. The Chuncheon–Sokcho Line, which would link Chuncheon to Sokcho, is still under construction, with its opening target repeatedly pushed from 2027 to 2028–2029.

Right now there are two ways to reach Sokcho. ① Take the express bus from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho (about 2 hours 20 minutes one way, around ₩21,300 for a deluxe seat), or ② ride the KTX to Gangneung Station, then transfer to an intercity bus to Sokcho at Gangneung Intercity Bus Terminal. The Gangneung–Sokcho intercity bus runs 21 times a day, with the first at 07:14 and the last at 21:00.

🏆 Seoul to Sokcho — direct bus vs KTX + transfer via Gangneung

The conclusion is simple: if Sokcho is the goal, there’s no reason to route through Gangneung. Add the KTX fare and travel time to the transfer wait and you end up slower than the direct express bus. If you’re planning to force Gangneung and Sokcho onto one itinerary, you’re already starting from a time deficit at this point.

Can you visit Chuncheon together with Gangneung or Sokcho?

The lines run in opposite directions, so it’s effectively not possible. Chuncheon is reached on the Gyeongchun Line ITX-Cheongchun (from Yongsan Station or Cheongnyangni Station), and its tracks are entirely separate from the Gangneung Line KTX. Nami Island’s gateway is also administratively not Chuncheon but the neighboring Gapyeong Station. If you visit Gangneung or Sokcho in the morning and try to hop over to Chuncheon in the afternoon, you’d have to come back through Seoul (Cheongnyangni) and change trains — and that round trip alone eats up nearly half a day.

📊 Seoul–Chuncheon ITX-Cheongchun basics (one way)

Chuncheon Station’s surrounding alleys are packed with dakgalbi restaurants, and from Gapyeong Station you can reach Nami Island by shuttle or on foot. If you’re planning Nami Island and Gapyeong as a separate day trip, you’ll want to budget travel time and per-sight stays more tightly — I’ve done that math in the separate Gapyeong day trip guide.

So how many of the three can you realistically do in a day?

I wouldn’t recommend cramming all three into one day. Gangneung + Sokcho means transferring to a bus again at Gangneung Station, while Gangneung + Chuncheon or Sokcho + Chuncheon sit on different rail lines and force another pass through Seoul. Here’s the reality of each combination.

🏆 Day-trip combinations, ranked by feasibility

If you’re considering an overnight stay, there’s a wide range of resort and hotel listings around Gangneung and Sokcho. The picks below are for reference only — actual rates vary widely by date and number of guests.

🏨 Gangneung & Sokcho stays (listed rates, August 2026 feed)

Hotel rates change constantly depending on dates, guest count and cancellation terms; the figures above are the lowest listed prices from the August 2026 feed.

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